Superb second half means Setanta are the kings of Ulster

In the words of Ulster Council President Ciaran McLaughlin that will be immortalised around the Cross:  “I know that Eamon Campbell is looking down on this today with pride”. 

Setanta 1-22
Shane O’Neill’s 0-15 

And it was kind of fitting that the late Setanta icon’s grandson Ruairí Campbell played a huge role in this superb victory over a high-quality Shane O’Neill’s of Glenarm in a richly entertaining Ulster final at Celtic Park. 

Dazzling Davin Flynn showed exactly what he is capable of, with a stunning 1-8 while Declan Coulter also weighed in with 0-8.

And it was Flynn’s coolly executed goal in the 54th minute after Trojan work by Campbell that sealed this very well contested affair as Setanta moved to a 1-17 to 0-15 lead.It was all Setanta in the final minutes as Coulter and Bernard Lafferty lofted over some superb scores. Wind-assisted O’Neill’s were marginally the better side in the opening half and led by 0-10 to 0-8 at half-time. 

Setanta were happy enough going in just two points adrift at the break and their greater fitness and dash were crucial in the second half. Darren Hamill was the chief scorer for O’Neill’s in the second half but his colleagues were just not able to penetrate a resolute Setanta defence. 

They had a great chance of a goal - but Setanta’s full-back Steven McBride made a game-changing block from O’Neill’s Ciaran Magill in the 45th minute. 

This was a thoroughly deserved victory for Gary McGettigan’s men who have now taken their second Ulster title since 2017. The opening was quite explosive and that set the tempo for a richly entertaining first half studded with some superb scores. 

And it was all-out attack with both sides creating some excellent passages of play. Shane O’Neill’s had the best start and Niall McGarel and team captain Darren Hamill eased them into a 0-2 to 0-0 lead by the sixth minute with the benefit of a considerable breeze. 

But then Davin Flynn burst into action when he took a great pass from Danny Cullen and angled over a superb point from the sideline.  It was real frenetic stuff with Kevin O’Boyle and Aidan Scullion launching a magnificent 80-metre point with a Flynn replying to leave it a 0-4 to 0-2 lead for the Antrim side. 

Flying Flynn narrowed the gap to a single point before O’Neill’s put on a spurt with McGarel, Sean O’Boyle and the impressive Ciaran Magill pushing them to a 0-8 to 0-6 lead with Coulter replying for Setanta.

But the O’Neill’s hit 10 wides to Setanta’s eight as they led by 0-10 to 0-8 at the break. Flynn opened the scoring for Setanta on the resumption, but Hamill cancelled this effort with a well struck free into the breeze. Flynn levelled matters with another point, but Hamill edged the Antrim men clear with two more frees as they led by 0-13 to 0-11 as Setanta hit three bad wides. 

It looked a bit grim for the Finn Valley men as they also lost impressive Oisin Marley to injury, but the experienced Declan Coulter landed a vital point. 

The pace picked up and it was Setanta who grew in stature as the game progressed. Coulter levelled and then Setanta edged in front to lead by 0-17 to 0-14 as the game drew to a close. 

And then Campbell took on five O’Neill’s defenders and somehow managed to boot the ball into the path of Flynn who had ice in the veins as he hit the killer goal. 

Setanta scorers: Davin Flynn 1-8; Declan Coulter 0-8, 3f; Oisin Marley and Bernard Lafferty 0-2; Ruairi Campbell and  Gerard Gilmore 0-1.
Shane O’Neill’s scorers: Darren Hamill 0-6, 3f; Niall McGarel and Aidan Scullion 0-2; Kevin O’Boyle, Ciaran Magill, Daniel Black, Sean O’Boyle, Dylan McLaughlin 0-1.

Setanta: Mark Kane; Mark Callaghan, Steven McBride, Denim Rowan; Sean Ward, Michael Donaghue, Niall Cleary; Declan Coulter, Danny Cullen; Gerard Gilmore, Oisin Marley, Ruairi Campbell; Bernard Lafferty, Josh Cronnnolly McGee, Davin Flynn. Subs: Dean Harvey for Oisin Marley (47), Conor McGettigan for McGee (59) Ryan Callaghan for Flynn (60+2) Jamie O’Reilly for Donaghue (60+3).  
Shane O’Neill’s: Michael Abram; Conal Ward Barry Hamill, Liam Óg McLaughlin; Padraig McDemott, Declan McDermott, Aidan Scullion; Daniel Black, Kieran O’Boyle; Sean O’Boyle, Darren Hamill 0-1; Dylan McLaughlin; Kevin O’Boyle, Ciaran Magill, Niall McGarel. Subs: Kieran O’Boyle for Conal Ward (17), Ben O'Boyle for Ciaran O'Boyle (57)

Referee: Tarlach Conway (Derry)