29/03/05 Minor hurlers crowned Ulster Champions 2004!

Ulster Minor Hurling Championship Final 2004
Dean McGlinchey Park Ballynascreen

St. Johns (Antrim) 5.09
Ballycran (Down) 2:15

St. Johns Minor Hurlers created a piece of history on Easter Tuesday with a last throw of the dice victory over Ballycran in a pulsating Ulster Minor Hurling Championship Final. They have now become the first Antrim Club to capture this title since the competition's inception in 1995. St. Johns set their stall out early with a first minute point from Fionntain McKillop from 15m out on the right wing. This was countered shortly afterwards by a 55m free for Ballycran from Colm McManus .Barry McFall then replied for the Johnnies with a 15m point before Jimmy Peoples shot wide.

St. John's Minor Captain Liam Knocker receives the Cup

Colm McManus then continued his fine free taking with a further four frees from various angles and distances over the next eight minutes to put the ‘Cran in front 0:05 to 0:02 after fifteen minutes of play.

Ballycran Minor Team

Then some ‘cute’ work on the left wing from Jimmy Peoples resulted in a cross field delivery to the back post for McKillop to collect and shoot to the Ballycran net to level the scores (1:02 to 0:05) and raise the somewhat muted Johnnies support. Then a speculative 60m dropping free from McManus is nudged to the roof of the Johnnies net to restore the Down mens lead.

Jason Coyle then added a further point from an acute angle on the right wing to give Ballycran a four point lead (1:06 to 1:02). Jimmy peoples then collected a long puck from Brian Holmes and set off on a 25m solo run before pointing sharply for the Antrim men.

Eugene Gilmore then replied for the Down men with a sharp point after some neat work to restore their four point lead (1:07 to 1:03).This was followed by two similar points, one from Jason Coyle and one from Benny Ennis before Conor Woods lifted an excellent 35m sideline cut over the bar to give Ballycran a 1:10 to 1:03 lead and St Johns looking stretched to say the least as the Ballycran forwards began to grow ever more confident.

Liam Knocker makes his call

St. Johns management team of Joe McCailin and Colm McFall then made some hurried changes bringing Barry McFall back into defence and bringing on young Eoghan Caldwell. With some positional switches in their defensive make up the Johnnies weathered the storm and attacked.

St. John's Minor Hurling team

Caldwell pointed high between the posts with his first touch of the sliotar from 40m, before Peoples again fed a cross field ball from the left wing to Colm McFall who pointed from 25m to leave the scores (1:10 to 1:05) with the half time whistle blowing.

Ballycran set their stall out early with St. Johns goal minder Brian Holmes finding himself under severe pressure which he handled well. Peoples then broke for the Antrim men on a 30m solo run before passing to McKillop who doubled to the ‘Crans net to leave the scores (St. Johns 2:05 Ballycran 1:10).

St. Johns, with their tails up began to exert more pressure on the Down men with Simon McCrory collecting brilliantly before passing to Liam Boyle to point from 30m right out on the right side line. Boyle followed this a minute later with another point to level the scores (2:07 to 1:10). Colm McFall then pointed a 55m free to give the Johnnies the lead for the first time (2:08 to 1:10) in the afternoon.

St. John's Minor hurlers celebrate

Benny Ennis then replied for the ‘Ards men to level the scores yet again.(2:08 to 1:11) before Colm McManus pointed a free and one from 35m to take the lead once again.(2:08 to 1:13). Eugene Gilmore then pounced on a sliotar which unfortunately for Holmes appeared to have got stuck in the mud in front of him to give Ballycran a 2:13 to 2:08 lead. Jimmy Peoples then pointed for the Johnnies before Benny Ennis replied for the ‘Cran to leave the scores 2:14 to 2:09 in Ballycrans favour.

Colm McFall savours the moment

Nerves were obviously playing a big part in the play of both teams at this early stage. On six minutes Adrian Oliver shot just wide of goal for the Johnnies as they pressed. On eight minutes St. Johns Captain Liam Knocker opened the scoring for the day with a lofted high strike from 40m dead in centre of the posts.

Then a high delivery from John Meade into the Down mens square is deftly flicked one handedly by Peoples to the Ballycran net to leave only two points between the sides. (2:14 to 3:09)

Stephen Keith pointed in reply for Ballycran to leave them three points in the lead with a minute of normal time remaining. Then under pressure Ballycran conceded a 20 yard free and the stylish Colm McFall drove a low shot through a packed goal line of nine players to level the scores 4:09 (21) to 2:15 (21).

Maskey lost for words?

With the tension at fever pitch Ballycran attacked from the puck out but lost possession and the sliotar is cleared up the centre to break to the right of centre field where the centre half forward John Meade collected and set off on a meandering solo run.

Answers on a postcard - who is Liam hugging?

With superb skill and strength he carried the ball for 50m before releasing a high dropping pass off the stick into the 21. Adrian Oliver fielded bravely and sidestepped out a yard before releasing a superb shot to the Ballycran net with literally the last shot of the game.

“Absolutely brilliant match” said one delighted Johnnies supporter to me afterwards. Certainly the nature of the victory, coming in the dying seconds and the commitment of without doubt the two best Minor Club teams in Ulster in 2004 gave us a game which will live long in the memory.

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