Danny McDaid the hero as Cockhill Youths land Charlie O'Donnell Cup

Cockhill Youths avenged last week's league play-off defeat to QPS with a dramatic injury-time winner in sweltering conditions at Maginn Park.

The first chance did not arrive until the 21st minute, after a defensive slip in the Point rearguard allowed Shane McLaughlin to slip the ball through to Danny McDaid, clear on the right. McDaid advanced into the area, but his effort was deflected wide by the outstretched leg of Jason McCallion.

Six minutes later, Ryan McDaid flashed an effort just past McCallion’s left-hand post. QPS responded with a Lee Barr free kick sailing over the bar. Then an in-swinging corner from Barr was flicked on by Oisin McIntyre for Jamie McLaughlin, who volleyed just over from eight yards.

Cockhill finished the half strongly, with a Dean O'Donnell cross acrobatically gathered by McCallion before a Darragh McDermott effort went narrowly over. The Point suffered a blow then when McLaughlin had to be replaced after rolling his ankle.

The Point had the first chance of the second half, with a Ross Nicholas corner glanced wide by Barr from eight yards in what was a good half-chance. Cockhill hit back, and when Shane McLaughlin played the ball into the path of McDaid, his low effort was gathered by McCallion diving to his right.

Play swung back to the other end, with substitute Lee Rutherford releasing Conor Barrow on the left, but Darragh O'Donnell advanced well to block. The ball was recycled by Rutherford, who squared to Oisin McCool on the edge of the area, but his effort was deflected over the bar.

Cockhill had most of the goalmouth action in the final twenty minutes. A short corner to PJ Doherty on the left-hand side of the area allowed him to unleash a low ground shot, but again McCallion saved. On 80 minutes, a powerful effort from Ryan McDaid came off a defender, but McCallion was perfectly positioned to gather.

At the other end, QPS had appeals for handball waved away. The best chance of the game fell to Cockhill on 88 minutes, when McDaid broke clear on the right-hand side and rounded McCallion, but from a tight angle, he hit the side netting.

Then, on the stroke of full time, Cockhill struck for the winner. A through ball from midfield saw the alert McDaid make a diagonal run from the right to pounce on the ball and round McCallion to slot home.

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QPS have an early chance to get more silverware when they face Division Two winners Sea Rovers in next Saturday’s Fr. O'Gara Cup final.

Man of the Match: Danny McDaid (Cockhill Youths) For QPS, the likes of Lee Barr, Jason McCallion and Ross Nicholas all performed well, while Cockhill’s Kieran McElroy and Ryan McDaid were also prominent. But the award goes to goalscorer Danny McDaid, who was a constant threat to the Point defence and, having spurned two good chances beforehand, came up trumps in the dying minutes to secure the cup for his side.