DERRY GAA: McGinley goal secured Neal Carlin Cup for Ballerin against Doire Trasna

Ballerin 1-04, Doire Trasna 0-04

Simon McGinley was Ballerin's injury time hero after the second half substitute's late goal decided the destination of the 2023 Neal Carlin Cup at Celtic Park on Sunday.

A chess match of a final rarely lifted its head above pedestrian with the Sarsfields only registering their first point from play in the 60th minute, and just seconds before McGinley's trophy winning contribution. That deciding goal came courtesy of a malfunctioning Trasna kick-out on the restart after Sean Ferris appeared to have kicked the final into extra-time but Ballerin's late, late 1-01 was enough to edge a match which Trasna controlled for long periods.

Indeed those last few seconds following McGinley's goal was the only period of the game when there was more than one point between two sides who struggled to open each other up during 60 odd minutes of possession based football with too many lateral passes.

In terms of that possession, Trasna probably had 70 per cent of it but they failed to get any decent ball into the likes of Eoghan Quigg and Adam McGuinness who looked to carry a threat with what little ball they had. The Pearses were missing the likes of Michael Philson, Dee McGee and Colin Murray but even given those absentees, James McQuillan will want to see more pace and movement as the season progresses though he will be delighted with the contribution of defender Daniel Doherty. The young dual star, fresh from helping Derry's Under 20 hurlers to All Ireland B glory in Croke Park only 24 hours earlier, was his team's best player and looks a superb addition to the Trasna backline.

Ballerin led by a point at 0-3 to 0-2 at half-time despite spending most of the opening half encamped within their own '45' and content to play a counter-attacking game that suits a clever team littered with pacy runners. In Shane Ferris they had the game's best player and the one man who looked capable of lifting the final above the mundane.

The Sarsfields stayed in the game for periods thanks to a well organised backline which ensured they were never overly troubled as the teams largely cancelled each other out.

In a game as tight as it was and with inspiration in short supply, mistakes were always going to be crucial and the teams made one each. Trasna couldn't take take advantage, Ballerin could. And that decided the destination of the trophy.

A strong Trasna opening saw the city side almost own the ball for the opening five minutes and ended with Sean Fleming’s excellent opening score. It was cancelled out by Kosta Papachristopoulos' free and the Ballerin forward repeated that trick five minutes later after an Adam McGuinness free had edged Trasna back in front.

That Ballerin mistake arrived on 23 minutes with the sides still tied. With play exclusively inside the Trasna '45' a loose Ballerin pass was intercepted by Eoghan Quigg who broke forward to feed Eoghan Devlin. The quick break left Sarsfields keeper Ronan Mullan stranded in no man's land having advanced to aid the attack. Devlin spotted that and floated his long range shot over the keeper but it bounced inches past the post.

Mullan then had to be alert to brilliantly block a shot from McGuinness and despite playing second fiddle for much of the half, it was Ballerin who edged ahead with the last score of the half, a superb '45' from 'Man of the Match' Shane Ferris.

Anyone expecting the game to open up second half was to be disappointed as it followed the same pattern as the first, both sides pulling everyone back out of possession.

Again Pearses struck first, Ciaran McGowan bringing the sides level at three points a-piece inside three minutes of the restart and another McGuiness free then put them one up on 48 minutes, but that would be it as far as the scoring went until the game entered its final minute.

Sean McIntyre had seen a lovely effort strike the Trasna bar but Ballerin were running out of time by the stage Sean Ferris split the posts with a score worthy of the occasion. That should have been the cue for extra-time.

Instead, Trasna rushed the kick-out and it was seized upon by Ballerin's Bobby Mullan who found Shane Ferris. When others might have rushed a shot, Ferris got his head up and picked out McGinley just right of the goal and the substitute provided the perfect finish.

Trasna had one last go with a high ball but it was Ballerin's day and theirs was the first silverware of the season.

Doire Trasna scorers: Adam McGuinness (0-2, 2f), Sean Fleming (0-1), Ciaran McGowan (0-1),

Ballerin scorers: Simon McGinley (1-0), Kosta Papachristopoulos (0-2, 2f), Shane Ferris (0-1, 1 '45'), Sean Ferris (0-1)

Doire Trasna: Gavin Bradley, Daniel Doherty, Mark Healy, Shane Lyttle, David Officer, Tomas McCrossan, Ciaran McGowan, Sean Fleming, Caolan Doyle, Eoghan Devlin, Caolan O'Connell, Dermot McCrossan, Eoghan Quigg, Tom Casey, Adam McGuinness.

Ballerin: Ronan Mullan, Hugh O'Connell, Anton Bradley, Bobby Mullan, Sean Ferris, Brian Deighan, Sean McIntyre, Callum Bradley, Ryan Doherty, Dylan Mullan, Kosta Papachristopoulos, Shane Ferris, Paul Ferris, John McGinley, Eugene Mullan. (Subs) Jarlath Bradley for J McGinley (inj), 37mins; Killian Mullan for E Mullan, 53mins; Simon McGinley for K Papachristopoulos, 54mins.

Referee: Emmet McShane (Steelstown)