Old faces in new Coleraine Cup final victory

EIGHT years after their first and only county triumph, Coleraine featuring as many as 11 of the 2010 team, once again lifted the John McLaughlin Cup at Celtic Park.

Having already eliminated champions Slaughtneil, Coleraine lived up to their pre-game favourites tag and proved to have just a little too much experience for a very good young Lavey side.

After a bright but brief Lavey blitz, where they won all the early kick outs and led 0-2 to a point, Coleraine took a firm grip.

Barry Daly’s 11th minute goal was the key score of the opening half, and after that Eoghan Rua hit the next four successive points to run in 1-5 to 0-2 at half-time. Full back Daly, showing all the poise and composure of a forward looked to have lost control of the ball as ‘keeper Ciaron O’Boyle approached him, but he coolly tucked the ball past the Lavey keeper to hand Coleraine a lead they’d never lose.

To their credit Erin’s Own, managed by Seamus Downey and legendary club manager John Brennan, battled throughout the second half. Substitute Cailean O’Boyle made the perfect impact nailing three of the first four scores after the break.

But every time they threatened, Eoghan Rua were able to find a response. Man of the Match Liam McGoldrick and brother Colm were deadly with frees as Coleraine continued to stretch their necks just in front. But, trailing 1-10 to 0-6 midway through the second half, Lavey produced a fierce final quarter with Cailean O’Boyle, who finished with seven points in the second half alone, their target man in the inside forward line. They reduced their deficit to just two points before Sean Leo McGoldrick’s point in injury confirmed Coleraine’s return to the winner’s enclosure. Scorers: Coleraine: L McGoldrick 0-4 (0-2 fs), Co McGoldrick 0-4 (0-4 fs), B Daly 1-0, G McWilliams 0-2 (0-1f), Ci McGoldrick, SL McGoldrick 0-1 each.

Lavey: C O’Boyle 0-7 (0-6f), C Henry, E McGill, A McGurk, L Murphy, N Toner 0-1 each. COLERAINE: R McGeough, C Lagan, L McGoldrick, B Daly, C Mullan, B McGoldrick, C Lenehan, N Holly, P Daly, R Mooney, SL McGoldrick, G McWilliams, M McTaggart, Co McGoldrick, Ci McGoldrick. Subs: D Mullan for M McTaggart (37)

LAVEY: Ci O’Boyle, A Toner, C Mulholland, S Lagan, C Dillon, M Drumm, E McGill, D Chivers, C McGurk, S McGill, N Toner, A McGurk, C Henry, K O’Neill, D Hughes. Subs: Ca O’Boyle for K O’Neill (HT), C Murphy for C Dillon (HT), S Dodds for M Drumm (31, BC), L Murphy for C Henry (51), R Farren for S Lagan (55) Referee: D Harkin.