In a closely fought game of few chances, Cockhill Celtic Youths struck in the final minute to break QPS hearts before a good crowd at Maginn Park.
Cockhill Youths 1 QPS 0
Having disposed of Moville in the semi-final Cockhill went into this game as slight favourites over a QPS side who had beaten them in the league earlier in the season.
The first half was an especially tight affair and the point had the first opportunity on eight minutes after Bradley Callaghan fed Josh Boyle who played a one-two with Aaron McColgan on the edge of the area before flashing a left-footed effort just past Kyle Dougal’s right-hand post.
Cockhill were finding the point defence a tough obstacle and had to wait until the 37th minute for a sight of goal when Christopher Duffy fed Darragh McDermott on the right-hand side of the area and his powerful effort was parried away by Lynch.
Just before the break, their best chance saw Keegan Hegarty get in behind the point defence on the right and pull the ball back for Eoin Deery but he fired over the bar when well placed.
QPS replied with Boyle’s free-kick comfortably held by Dougal on 50 minutes. Cockhill created the clearest opening of the game on 57minutes after good work on the right by Hegarty saw his cross find the unmarked Mark McDaid but he headed over the bar from twelve yards.
Cockhill upped the tempo at this stage and a well-hit effort from McDermott just cleared the bar before the same player played a one-two with substitute Jack McDaid only to see his twenty yards effort clip the bar on the way over.
At the other end, a poor clearance by Dougal was collected by John McCluskey who returned the ball goalwards but the keeper got across to save on the line.
Great work then by McCluskey on 87 minutes took him into the area where he laid the ball back to Aaron McColgan in space on the edge of the area but he skied his effort high over the bar.
The game was flowing from end to end after a good turn by Cockhill’s Jack McDaid he laid the ball across to McDermott but his curling effort was easily gathered.
With the game heading into injury time Cockhill struck for the winner after a superb move with numerous passes ending with Mark McDaid’s cross finding McDermott, who turned onto his left foot and drove the ball low past Lynch with the aid of a slight deflection to spark jubilant scenes in the Cockhill ranks.
In despair, the last gasp goal left the point players prostrate in dejection.
Man of the Match
For the Point, Aiden Lynch was solid in goals while Josh Boyle, Brian McColgan and John McCluskey were prominent.
For Cokchill, Adam McCarron, Odhran O’Brien-Daly and Christopher Duffy had solid games, but on the night the award goes to the match winner Darragh McDermott who, apart from the winning goal, caused the Point defence a lot of trouble and whose hold up play was excellent.
