Gartland inspires Burt to dramatic Ulster title as Lavey edged out in Celtic Park

Burt 0-20, Lavey 1-16

Conor Gartland inspired 14-man Burt to their second ever Ulster Junior Hurling Championship title as Lavey were left to rue missed opportunities in a drama packed, extra-time decider in Celtic Park on Saturday.

Substitute Fiachra Gill was Burt’s last minute hero with the match winning point after the two clubs had been tied eight times across a match that had a bit of everything.

The Donegal champions saw Ronan McDermott dismissed one minute short of half-time for a high tackle on Fintan Bradley. The sending off arrived with Lavey leading 1-07 to 0-06 and having dominated the opening exchanges. But rather than prove the beginning of the end for Burt, it proved the catalyst for a superb, backs to the wall second half in which they were indebted to Liam Og McKinney's 65TH minute equalising point which forced extra-time.

But the fact they were in a position to strike that leveller was due in no small part to Gartland who produced one of Celtic Park's great performances. The county player dragged his team back into the contest with a succession of unbelievable frees, two in excess of 90m but his display was about so much more than his free-taking ability. He won breaks, took catches, blocked shots, won turnovers and basically inspired every man around him so that the 14 yellow shirts felt like 15.

Even when Lavey looked to have won it with a Bradley free two minutes into injury time of normal time, Burt refused to accept their fate. Four times in extra-time Lavey hit the front but each time Enda McDermott's team found the strength to level. Their fourth extra-time equaliser was a huge McKinney effort which landed on the roof of the Lavey net and it paved the way for an unlikely hero to step forward in the form of Gill.

Even then there was still time for more drama as Lavey substitute Cailean O'Boyle set up the excellent Conor Melaugh to fire a fierce shot from an angle that looked to have forced penalties. The umpires weren’t sure. Both sides were appealed, but in the end the correct result was reached and with a wave of the referee’s arms Burt were Ulster Junior champions for the first time since 2011.

And it would be difficult to argue it wasn't deserved though Lavey will look on a series of missed chances and rue the fact they seemed intent on going for goal early in the second half when points would have kept Burt at arm's length.

In the first half of extra-time alone Lavey hit five wides as they turned around only one ahead at 1-15 to 0-17 but 13 further wides across the normal hour speaks volumes about a day when Lavey nearly quite hit top gear.

There were still some top displays, Aidan Toner in particular doing a superb marking job on Burt dangerman McKinney. Toner held the Burt forward scoreless from play in normal time while Ryan Mulholland and Melaugh were excellent at times, as was Fintan Bradley in the first half especially.

But Martin Convery's team badly missed the influence of the injured Rian Collins, one of the star performers in the Derry Championship. They'll still feel they were in a position to win but with Gartland in no mood to compromise, Burt deserved the victory.

Ironically things didn't start well for McDermott's men whose first four shots were all wides as Bradley split the posts after only 40 seconds to open the scoring for Lavey.

Burt levelled though Ronan McDermott, who was in excellent form before his dismissal, but Lavey's second attack was the game’s goal as Thomas Lynch found Ryan Mulholland who stormed through to fire a lovely low finish to the net.

That gave Lavey a grip they deserved, and it could have been better when Mulholland’s long range shot found the net on 21 minutes only for the 'goal' to be chalked off for a harsh looking square ball after Jack Convery had challenged Burt keeper, Paul Burns.

It all left Lavey leading by 1-07 to 0-06 at the break but by now McDermott was off and Burt looked to have, if not a mountain then certainly a considerable hill to climb second half.

But climb it they did with Gartland carrying anyone unable to make the ascent themselves. Three successive scores at the start of the half set the tone as Gartland twice scored from 80 plus metres either side of a McKinney free to leave one in it at 1-07 to 0-09.

Tiarnan Melaugh finally stemmed the tide but by now Burt tails were up and the belief were surging through the Inishowen club. To their credit Lavey rallied too but were unable to put any distance between themselves and Burt, the Derry side three times taking the lead again after Burt had gained parity at 1-08 to 0-11 on 45 minutes.

Bradley looked like he had finally settled it on 64 minutes but this was to be Burt's day with Gartland the driving force which took them over the line.

Lavey scorers: Fintan Bradley (0-9, 6f, 1 '65'), Ryan Mulholland (1-2), Conor Melaugh (0-3), Tiernan Melaugh (0-1), Ryan McGill (0-1).

Burt scorers: Liam Og McKinney (0-10, 8f),Conor Gartland (0-6, 2f), Ronan McDermott (0-2), Kevin Curran (0-1), Fiachra Gill (0-1).

Lavey: Eoin Mulholland, John McGurk, Brendan Laverty, Aidan Toner, Ryan Farren, Eoin Scullion, Tiarnan Melaugh, Ryan McGill, Fintan Bradley, Charlie Curley, Conor Melaugh, Ryan Mulholland, Jack Convery, Aimon Duffin, Thomas Lynch. (Subs) Sam Dodds for A Duffin, 41mins; Lorcan McDonnell for J Convery, 58mins; Cailean O'Boyle for R Mulholland, 8mins (ET); Aimon Duffin for T Lynch, 17mins (ET);

Burt: Paul Burns, James Donaghey, Ciaran Bradley, Kevin Curran, Oisin Kelly, Dara Grant, Callum Purvis, Stephen Gillespie, Kyron McColgan, Eoin McDaid, Ciaran Porter, Conor Gartland, Christopher McDermott, Ronan McDermott, Liam Og McKinney. (Subs) Kieran Brady for K McColgan, 26mins; Callum Porter for J Donaghey, HT; Kyron McColgan for E McDaid, 52mins; Fiachra Gill for C Porter, 52mins; Ciaran Porter for S Gillespie, 14mins (ET);

Referee: Derek Argue (Cavan)