The senior footballers took the Beringer Cup title with a one point win over Ardoyne at Casement Park. It was an exciting match and after a slow start we levelled the score at 0-3 with Gerard Burns picking up our points. We then edged in front when Gerard Burns slipped a handpass into Stephen Toner’s path and he slotted it over the bar. We followed this up with a fast break from our own thirteen metre line and with a string of passes the ball fell to Collie O’Riordan who blasted to the back of the Ardoyne net. We had started to take control of the game and when Collie converted a penalty we had increased our advantage to seven. The last score of the first half came from Stephen Toner and left the half time score 2-5 to 0-3.
Ardoyne came out in the second half all guns blazing and chipped away at
the deficit. No matter what we tried we just couldn’t get into the same rhythm that we had in the first half. Ardoyne added four unanswered points and when Gerard Burns fired over a free to leave five between the sides it looked as if we would definitely go on and win the game. Ardoyne continued to press and some fine saves by Dee Issacs in goal helped us maintain our advantage. However, Dee was finally beaten; after making an excellent save the ball looped into the path of an Ardoyne forward to drive to the net. Our lead had been reduced to two and with time running out all the momentum was with Ardoyne. They scored another point in injury time to set up a nail biting finish but we were able to regain possession of the ball and played ourselves into the Ardoyne half of the pitch and see the game through to the final whistle.
This was definitely a game of two halfs – we controlled the first while Ardoyne hit back in the second. However, a one point victory saw us lift the trophy and make up for our defeats in the last two finals. Well done to Danny Toner and the team for picking up the silverware. Congratulations also to Dee Issacs who picked up the man of the match award.
