St Mogue's retain Ward Cup in thrilling all-Cavan final

St Mogue’s College 5-6
Breifne College 2-9

Paul Fitzpatrick
at Kingspan Breffni

St Mogue’s College retained their Ulster Colleges Ward Cup with a six-point win over Breifne College in this exciting and well-contested final at HQ yesterday.
At half-time in bitterly cold and blustery conditions, the west Cavan side held a slender four-point lead, 2-4 to 1-3, having played with the benefit of a strong wind in the opening stanza.
Breifne would have been quite content as they made their way down the tunnel, however, as they remained in touch and St Mogue’s had lost full-forward Nikodim McKiernan to a red card.
St Mogue’s started the brighter and eased into a 1-2 to 0-0 lead after 11 minutes. Caoimhan McGovern opened the scoring with a free and played a big part in the first goal, too.
McGovern’s run released Ryan McGoldrick, who found Peadar Caffrey and the latter sent a powerful finish low to the net.
McGoldrick then turned finisher himself with a tidy score to put five points between them but Breifne would respond in style. Dara Brady broke a tackle and found Ronan King, who pointed with the left to get them off the mark and better was to follow.
A good run from the pacey Fionán Brady created an opening. His shot dropped short but sub Heaven Ike was waiting and pounced, sending a cool finish to the bottom corner to make it a one-point game again with 17 minutes played.
St Mogue’s number 10 Caffrey hooked over in response as they continued to press, spurning a couple of good goalscoring opportunities.
From one such drive through the centre of the Breifne defence from James McGovern, Philip McGoldrick had a goal chance but blasted over under pressure for a point.
And then a slice of luck fell the Bawnboy school’s way when Caoimhan McGovern appeared to miskick a close range free which deceived the defence and founds its way into the roof of the net.
That fortuitous three-pointer put five between them, 2-4 to 1-2 but Breifne College hit back when Colm O’Rourke sent a free-kick into the danger area and the impressive Raymond King rose to punch it over.
And Breifne had the final say of the half with Colm O’Rourke converting a well-struck free into the elements to leave four in it as the teams took shelter from the wind for the half-time interval.
The Cavan Town school got off to a dream start on the resumption when Raymond King slotted over a super point and then Jack Dunne’s shot – which may have been a point effort – took a vicious dip and wound up in the top corner.
Suddenly, the sides were level with just two minutes played in the second half and with a numerical advantage and a wind at their backs, Breifne looked to be in pole position.
However, St Mogue’s managed to keep their noses in front when Philip McGoldrick slotted over an excellent point from a tight angle on 36 minutes. Back came Breifne with a well-taken white flag from O’Rourke from play but the key score of the contest would soon arrive.
When a shot from Conor Galligan dropped in front of goal, Philip McGoldrick rose highest to palm to the net for St Mogue’s and the Bawnboy men were back in charge at 3-5 to 2-5.
Breifne weren’t going away, however, and a great long-range point from 9 and a fantastic score from a tight angle by Raymond King made it a one-point game again. In the final analysis, John Gilsenan’s side will rue the chances they missed in the following couple of minutes when they had all of the momentum.
A point attempt struck the upright, then James Smith hit the post and Mario Pandelev had a goal chance but saw his shot strike the side netting.
And at the end of all of that Breifne pressure, St Mogue’s showed the character and presence of mind of champions as they struck the killer blow. After an attack up the left flank, the ball was worked out to Caoimhan McGovern who was waiting patiently in space and his finish to the bottom corner was coolness personified.
Now ahead by four with 10 minutes to go, St Mogue’s looked to close it out but Breifne again hit back with a well-taken point from Raymond King after a pass from Dara Brady.
But St Mogue’s put the issue beyond doubt with a brilliantly-taken goal on 56 minutes. After Breifne pushed up, leaving space at the back, Caoimhan McGovern sent a perfectly-weighted sideline ball and Caffrey won the race, supplying a sublime soccer-style finish for the champions’ fifth goal and the one which sealed the Ward Cup for the second year in succession.
Breifne lost Shay Smith to a black card before McGovern knocked over a tidy point off the left to make it 5-6 to 2-8. The final score of the game fell to Patrick Breslin but it was too little, too late as their county rivals maintained their grip on the cup.

Breifne College: Calvin Smith Corby (Drumalee), Breen Smith (Redhills), James Cahill (Laragh), Mario Pandelev (Laragh), Peter Lynch (Lacken), Shay Smith (Lavey), Cian Fitzgerald (Laragh), Patrick Breslin (Killygarry), Dara Brady (Killygarry), Jack Dunne (Redhills) Raymond King (Lavey), Fionan Brady (Laragh), Ronan King (Lavey), James Smith (Lacken), Colm O’Rourke (Laragh)
Sub: Heaven Ike (Ballyhaise)

St Mogue’s: Nevin McBrien (Dernacrieve), Liam Bannon, Cormac Mimna, Colin Edwards (all Templeport), Dylan Bannon (Kildallan), James McGovern (Dernacrieve), Darragh King, Luke Donohoe, Conor Galligan (Templeport), Peadar Caffrey, Caoimhan McGovern, Philip McGoldrick (all Dernacrieve), Ryan McGoldrick (Templeport), Nikodim McKiernan (Templeport), Eoghan Brady (Kildallan)
Sub used: Owen Barnes (Templeport)