Ulster Junior Shield Final

QPS                            1

Glencar Celtic         3

Played in excellent conditions at Maginn Park on Saturday evening  QPS & Glencar served up an entertaining game of football facilitated by referee Tony O’Loughlin allowing the game to flow when possible.

With the original final scheduled for last September both teams made  light of the enforced Covid break. QPS started the better and in the early stages  both Ross Nicholas and Darragh McIntyre were off target with good efforts. Glencar responded and after Shane Hilley burst into the area a superb Shay Lynch tackle rescued the Inishowen side . Glencar got on top at this stage with Eddie  McLaughlin’s effort deflected  by Lynch onto the crossbar before  a long range effort from McLaughlin was well held by Oisin Burke in the point goal.The best chance for Glencar arrived on the half hour after Graham Cullen released Pajo Rafferty who lifted the ball over the advancing Burke but it drifted just past the post. The  point responded to this spell by taking the lead on 32 minutes after a superb pass from Stephen McKendry found Caolan Harkin to slide the ball past Blake Forkan in the Glencar goal. A dangerous John McCloskey cross was palmed away by Forkan as the point looked to take control of the game. But Glencar finished the half the stronger with Raffery seeing one goal bound effort blocked by Deaglan Bown before  having two other efforts turned round the post by Burke . As in the first half the point had the first threat of not after the interval  when McKendrys effort sailed just over the bar. Within two minutes Glencar had equalised with McLaughlin combining with Rafferty for the latter to slide the ball low past Burke . This seemed to galvanise the Letterkenny side and when  a Ciaran Moloney effort came off the crossbar to substitute Odhran Barron whose volley was blocked by Bown. The reprieve was shortlived however as minutes later Rafferty found himself  clear inside the area and he unselfishly  squared for Barron to tap home. The point tried to respond and Fionnbhar Harley fired a free kick over the bar before at the other end Burke made another good save from McLaughlin. Glencar sealed victory on 81 minutes after a Moloney free found the unmarked Barron  who fired home from ten yards.

Quigley’s Point Swifts

Glencar Celtic