Urris win Inishowen Minor A football championship on home turf
Managed by Bernard Mullins and Sean McDaid, this is Urris' first Inishowen Minor A Championship win since 2011
Urris won their first Inishowen U18A title since 2011 on Monday night when they got the better of Burt at Crampsey Park in Straid.
Leading by 0-6 to 0-4 after playing uphill in the first half, Urris made their push for home when Dylan Doherty struck a 46th minute goal that opened a six point lead on the reigning champions.
But Shay Doherty hit back with a Burt goal five minutes later to set up a frantic finish that kept spectators on tenterhooks until the end. There were five minutes left when Darragh McAuley fired over an equalising point off his left foot and it looked like anyone’s game.
Dylan Doherty and Odhran Lagan were the matchwinners late on, striking over two points from play to put one hand on the cup for Urris. There was late drama though, with Burt subs Darragh Kerrigan and Conor Sweeney combining with the former setting up the latter for a goal chance but the shot, the last kick of the game, went narrowly wide.
A pair of early two pointers, from Burt’s Anton Doherty and Urris’ Adam Doherty, suggested that a high-scoring encounter might be in the offing, but instead defences were on top for the most part with blocks and turnovers the order of the first half.
Three points from the influential Joe Doherty helped Urris get on top, and while Anton Doherty hit back with a pair of frees for Burt, Jayden Gillespie’s point with the last kick of the half gave the home team a 0-6 to 0-4 lead at the change of ends.
The second half followed a similar pattern, with Adam Doherty and Joe Doherty hitting two on the spin for Urris before Burt captain Ryan Farnan powered through and fisted over a point.
Goalkeeper Sam Coyle made a couple of important saves, and pinged off some accurate kickouts, as Urris worked hard to maintain their lead.
Dylan Doherty’s 46th minute goal for Urris should have killed Burt off, but instead it only served to bring out their best spell of the match. Big Anton landed a two point free, and while Jayden Gillespie hit back with his second point of the night for Urris, Burt’s goal quickly followed when, after a powerful Farnan run, substitute Shay Doherty took a pass and kept his composure to roll the ball under Coyle.
Darragh McAuley hit the equalising score with five minutes plus injury time still to play, but Urris finished strongly with two points from Dylan Doherty and Odhran Lagan helping them land the cup.
With county minors Tadhg McDaid, Danny Óg Cooney and the injured Patrick Doherty all to return later in the season, Urris look well set for the All County Division 1 league and championship.
Urris captain Joe Doherty collects the cup
Urris scorers: Dylan Doherty 1-1; Joe Doherty 0-4 (1f); Adam Doherty 0-3 (one 2pt); Jayden Gillespie 0-2, Odhran Lagan 0-2.
Burt scorers: Anton Doherty 0-6 (one 2 pt, one 2pt free); Shay Doherty 1-0; Ryan Farnan 0-1; Darragh McAuley 0-1; Conor Tierney 0-1.
Urris: Sam Coyle; Shay O’Donnell, Aaron Morris, Niall O’Donnell; Jack Doherty, Aodhan Harkin, Adam Doherty; Dylan Doherty, Odhran Lagan; Jayden Gillespie, Joe Doherty, Keelan Doherty; Dermot McGonigle, John Gerard Doherty, Ryan McCaul. Subs: Caolan Devlin, Fionn Doherty.
Burt: Joshua Doherty; Cadhan Mulhern, Aiden Porter, Damhán Dowds; Devyn McColgan, Gavin Bradley, Darragh McAuley; Ryan Farnan, Anton Doherty; John Eyre, Daniel Curran, Ciaran McDaid; Conor Tierney, Daniel Walker, Charlie Bradley. Subs: Conor Sweeney for D Walker; Darragh Kerrigan for C Bradley; Shay Doherty for C McDaid; Dara Toner, Oisin Henry, Gerry Mochales and Killian Hirrell.
Referee: Aidan McAleer (Naomh Pádraig Uisce Chaoin).