Heartbreak for Four Masters as they are hit by late Dungiven goal in Ulster final

There was heartbreak for Four Masters as a late Dungiven goal foiled them in their bid for Ulster minor glory at Shaws Road, Belfast.

Four Masters 1-8
Dungiven 2-7

The winning goal from half-back Padraig Haran came with a minute of normal time left and left Masters with no time to hit back.

Up to that it was a very close contest with Dungiven taking an early lead before the Donegal Town boys came back and led on three occasions, the last time in the 54th minute.

But it was the Derry side who prevailed, keeping up a very good record for the Oak Leaf county in the contest. Dungiven were winning their second Ulster minor title, having won it before in 1990.

There was a bumper crowd at the St Paul's venue with a huge support for Four Masters making the long journey up the M1.
It was obvious from early that Four Masters were facing their toughest test of this tournament.
Four Masters pictured before the Ulster final Picture Thomas Gallagher

They could have had the perfect start when Seanán Carr found the space to attack and was through and a goal looked a certainty but the 'keeper got a hand to his shot and deflected it onto the crossbar and to safety. To compound matters Dungiven came up the field for Eoin Higgins to fire over from just inside the '45'.

Odhran Murphy added a second point and while Daniel Quinn had another half chance of a goal, Dungiven were three up on 12 minutes when Darach McGonigle converted.

But Four Masters got their game going on 14 minutes when a Conor Meehan free dropped short and it fell to Seanán Carr and he did not miss this time, firing to the net from close range.

From there to half-time it was tit for tat with Eoin Higgins superb for the Derry side while Four Masters matched them with Carr, Conor McCahill, Callum McCrea and Kevin Muldoon taking the fight.

Higgins and McCahill traded points on two occasions then a John Bell effort was well off target and Kevin Muldoon fielded and put Masters ahead for the first time in the contest.

Higgins levelled for Dungiven with another corker but just before the half-time whistle Leo McGowan came forward to have the final point of the half.

Half-time: Four Masters 1-4, Dungiven 0-6

Four Masters pictured before the Ulster final Picture Thomas Gallagher

Four Masters with the faintest of breezes behind them started the second half well with Callum McCrea pointing with just a minute on the clock. After a double bounce, Conor Meehan was gifted a free for a three point lead.

But in this thrilling contest Dungiven were back on terms on 38 minutes when Darach McGonigle made the opening for Shea McLaughlin to find the Four Masters net.

Eoin Higgins pushed the Derry side ahead from a free on 43 minutes but another Meehan free after Caolan Sweeney won the award left it all square again three minutes later.

When David Monaghan did well to start a good move and Kevin Muldoon fired over from an impossible angle, it looked as if Four Masters would prevail with six minutes left, but then came the heartbreak of the second Dungiven goal, with Darach McGonigle again the provider and this time it was Padraig Haran who showed composure to fire home. To be fair, the Derry champions were almost in for a goal just two minutes before that with the crossbar coming to Four Masters aid.

Four Masters tried hard to get the goal they needed, lofting a few high balls into the Dungiven square, but the Derry side held out for the win.

Just before the end both Leo McGowan of Four Masters and Odhran Murphy of Dungven were shown black cards.
Eoin Higgins was the star for the winners with Darach McGonigle a very close second.

For Four Masters David Monaghan turned over a lot of ball at centre-half-back; Caolan Sweeney and Leo McGowan went forward relentlessly; Seanán Carr, Kevin Muldoon, Conor McCahill and Callum McCrea also put in big shifts.

Four Masters scorers: Seanán Carr 1-0; Conor Meehan (2f), Conor McCahill, Kevin Muldoon 0-2 each; Leo McGowan, Callum McCrea 0-1 each.
Dungiven scorers: Eoin Higgins 0-5,3f; Shea McLaughlin, Padraig Horan 1-0 each; Darach McGonigle, Odhran Murphy 0-1 each,

Four Masters: Daniel McGinty; Theo Colhoun, Fiachra O'Donnell, Terence McGovern; Leo McGowan, David Monaghan, Caolan Sweeney; John Bell, Jake Graham; Conor McCahill, Seanán Carr, Kevin Muldoon; Conor Meehan, Daniel Quinn, Callum McCrea. Subs: Turlough Carr for Quinn (44); Oisin Doherty for McCahill (55); Daniel McIntyre for Bell (60).

Dungiven: Odhran McElhinney; Kian O'Connor, Jack Dunne, Donnach Colgan; Padraig Haran, Kevin Barry Mullan, Joe Dillon; Eoin Higgins, Bobby Butcher; Shea McLaughlin, Padraig O'Kane, Darach McGonigle; Conor Gaile, Odhran Murphy, Darragh O'Neill. Sub: Padraig O'Neill for D O'Neill (35).

Referee: Colm McDonald (St Galls)