Douglas beat White's Cross in six-goal MacSwiney Cup final thriller

Douglas 4-11 White’s Cross 2-10

Douglas retained the Cork City Council MacSwiney Cup as they defeated White’s Cross in a nail-biting decider, which produced six goals at Ballinlough.

In the opening quarter, points from play were at a premium as both sides resorted to defensive tactics. In the second half, Douglas could have won the game by a bigger margin had it not been for some spectacular saves by White’s Cross net-minder Rory Teehan. Douglas out-goaled White’s Cross by three to one in the final quarter, to end the game as a contest.

Billy Fraher opened the scoring with a point from play for Douglas, but persistent fouling was proving to be costly as Teehan and Conor Buckley converted a free each for White’s Cross.

Conor Russell slotted over two pointed frees for Douglas and Chris O’Keeffe added their second point from play.

White’s Cross had Douglas pinned back as Buckley and Eddie Coughlan levelled matters at four points apiece with points from play.

Sean Delaney put White’s Cross in the driving seat with a goal from the edge of the Douglas square in the 28th minute. This was followed by a point from play by Dylan Burke, to give White’s Cross a 1-5 to 0-4 interval lead.

Neville O’Leary got a goal from the corner of the White’s Cross square, five minutes after the restart, to bring Douglas within touching distance of White’s Cross.

Fiachra O Luanaigh and Jimmy Harte each got goals for Douglas in a three-minute spell.

Stephen Whooley responded for White’s Cross, with time almost up, but James Burke got a fourth goal for Douglas.

Scorers for Douglas: N O’Leary, D O’Callaghan J Harte, J Burke 1-0 each; C O’Keeffe 0-3; C Russell 0-2f; B Fraher, E Collins, C Deasy, C Mac Phaidín , R Hanley, A Young 0-1 each.

White’s Cross: C Buckley 0-4 (0-2 f); S Delaney, S Whooley 1-0 each; R Teehan 0-2 (0-1f, 0-1 45); E Coughlan, D Burke, H Coughlan, T Casey 0-1 each.

DOUGLAS: S Barron; S Geaney, C O’Donoghue, D Sheehan; F O Luanaigh, C Mac Phaidín, J Burke; O Mulrooney, G O’Sullivan; B Fraher, C Reddington, C O’Keeffe; E Collins, S Black, C Russell.

Subs: N O'Leary for O’Sullivan, D McCarthy for Russell, A Young for Black (all h-t), C Deasy for Reddington (36), R Hanley for Fraher (41), J Harte for O Luanaigh (48), D Lenehan for Mulrooney (58), Mulrooney for O’Keeffe (60). 

WHITE'S CROSS: R Teehan; R Sherlock, M Philpott, S Ryan; S Whooley, S Quinlan, C Manning; E Coughlan, C Quinlan; D Burke, C Buckley, P Harrington; S Delaney, B O’Sullivan, H Coughlan.

Subs: PJ O’Donovan for Harrington (21), R Docherty for C Quinlan, T Casey for Manning (both h/t), M Kelleher for S Quinlan (55), D O’Sullivan for Sherlock (60).

Referee: James Regan (Lough Rovers).