Craigbane bridge 11 year gap to become Derry junior football champions

Craigbane 1-11, Ballerin 1-06

Craigbane bridged an 11-year championship gap to be crowned 2022 Derry Junior champions after Lee Moore inspired a five point victory over Ballerin in Celtic Park on Sunday.

Kevin Moore's team were in charge from midway through the first half but Ballerin had their chances in a game that got away from the Sarsfields in one Moore inspired minute during the opening half. The tale of the tape? Craigbane had six scorers, Ballerin four, but there was only one Lee Moore whose 1-05 was decisive.

Not that this was a one man show from Craigbane; far from it. Lee Moore was the executioner but behind him there were some superb displays loading the bullets that enable him to fire the shots. Moore's fellow forwards Evan McMenamin and especially Tiarnan O'Connor were superb but Jude Og Moore was probably the best player on the pitch and Brian Rainey continues to lead by example while defying the years.

Ballerin too had some eye catching displays, notably Paul and Shane Ferris whose pace and directness would cause any side bother, but a failure to take advantage of some gilt edged chances in the opening 10 minutes of the second half meant they were never quite within striking distance. Add in the loss of attacking focal point Kosta Papachristopoulos just as he was beginning to have a real second half impact summed up a frustrating afternoon.

But this was Craigbane's day and Craigbane's year and the Ulster Intermediate champions of 2011 can now to another provincial campaign after the perfect domestic season in which they completed the league and championship double as well as winning every game they played.

With the wind at the backs for the opening half, Craigbane needed a decent advantage but for long periods Ballerin's running game was keeping the Lilywhites lead to manageable proportions and asking questions of their own, a fact highlighted by the three yellow cards Kevin Moore's team picked up before the break.

The bigger threat always resided with Craigbane though with the shadow of Lee Moore hanging over Ballerin if they dared commit too many men forward. The former county man was one of those early bookings, seeing yellow after a late challenge on Sean Ferris, but once up to speed his finishing was the difference between a mediocre first half and a great half for Craigbane.

Thanks to the No. 14, who hit 1-04 before the short whistle, it was the latter.

That pivotal minute was the 20th and it was 60 odd seconds which changed the entire complexion of the game. Ballerin were well in the game at 0-4 to 0-2 down, a scoreline they will have been more than happy with, when Shane Ferris saw a good effort from wide on the right fall inches short and get caught under his car by Craigbane No. Paul Sharkey.

A score would have left the minimum between them, instead a few second later, Craigbane were in the box seat at 1-05 to 0-2 following a goal the Sarsfields brought upon themselves. Moore had just helped himself to a free when a Ballerin free out of defence sold Jarlath Bradley short and Cahir O'Kane was on it in a flash. His effort was blocked but spun up in the air and landed perfectly for the one man Ballerin wished it hadn't. Moore didn't need a second invitation and with the boost of the goal, Craigbane were in control, eventually turning around 1-07 to 0-3 in front.

An extended half-time break saw Ballerin keep Craigbane waiting on the pitch but whatever was said worked a treat as the Sarsfield returned and took charge of the third quarter. Unfortunately their period of dominance saw four wides, one great goal chance missed and only one point.

The point came courtesy of first half substitute Gary Keane who was also the man in on goal in the when his shot was brilliantly deflected over the bar by Paul Sharkey.

That period was Ballerin's best chance. Craigbane eventually settled and got a foothold in the second period once more, knowing they only had to keep Ballerin at arm's length to claim the Joe Brolly Memorial Cup.

The closest Ballerin got was substitute Simon McGinley's fisted goal which owed everything to the work of Paul Keane. That left it 1-10 to 1-06 but it would be as close as they got. Fergal Mortimer's point was the assurance score that signalled celebrations 11 years in the making. Anyone for Farah's!

Craigbane scorers: Lee Moore (1-5, 2f), Jude Og Moore (0-2, 1f), David Lowry (0-1), Evan McMenamin (0-1), Tiarnan O'Connor (0-1), Fergal Mortimer (0-1),

Ballerin scorers: Simon McGinley (1-0), Gary Keane (0-4, 1f), Eugene Mullan (0-1), Shane Ferris (0-1).

Craigbane: Paul Sharkey, Naoise O'Mianain, Rory Moore, Connor McLaughlin, Oisin McCloskey, Brian Rainey, Jacob McElhinney, David Lowry, Jude Og Moore, Fergal Mortimer, Cahir O'Kane, Niall Feeny, Evan McMenamin, Lee Moore, Tiarnan O'Connor. (Subs) Christopher Lowry for E McMenamin, 42mins. Yellow cards: L Moore, 3mins; O McCloskey, 8mins; N Feeney, 26mins.

Ballerin: Ronan Mullan, Sean Ferris, Callum Bradley, Bobby Mullan, Stephen Mullan, Anton Bradley, Shane Ferris, Shane McIntyre, Jarlath Bradley, Mark Ferris, Paul Ferris, Liam Brown, Eugene Mullan, Kosta Papachristopoulos, Paul Keane. (Subs) Gary Keane for S McIntyre, 18mins; Ryan Doherty for K Papachristopoulos (inj), 41mins; Simon McGinley for L Brown, 47mins; Leigh Ferris for Shane Feris (inj), 55mins. Yellow Cards: P Ferris, 17mins;

Referee: Harry Tohill (Greenlough)