Cup final agony for Carryduff as Fontenoys win

Cup final agony for Carryduff as Fontenoys win

29 October 2025

JUST six days after losing the Down Senior Football Championship final to Kilcoo, Carryduff came close to wrestling the Intermediate Hurling title from favourites Liatroim Fontenoys.

Despite getting themselves into a very favourable position mid-way through the first half,  they could not break the Liatroim defence down over the final half-hour and had to return to South Belfast without a trophy.

Tactically Carryduff set up well in the first half, the extra defender choking the Liatroim forwards on a wet, slippery pitch. 

At the other end, late additions to the team, Liam Blaney and Ronan Beatty, made life difficult for the Fontenoys backs, who were left with too much space.

However, the Belfast side, who have come up short in this final on several occasions in recent years, kept the same formation, with the wind behind them, and became over-reliant on free-taker Dónal Óg Rooney in the second half.

From looking in trouble at the break, Liatroim’s work-rate improved after the change of ends, and they had enough players with the stick-work to create and take the scores that would see them over the line.

Five McCrickard’s started the final for the Fontenoys, and all of them played a significant part in claiming the glory.

Ruairí was a key player on Beatty, Rónán worked hard at half-back and midfielder Joe got through for two key points, while half-forward Conor was always an outlet for the through ball, taking three excellent scores.

It was the contribution of Pearse Óg that really shone through however, as he bagged a haul of 11 points, two of which came from side-lines. 

The team captain took home the player of the match trophy, adding another accolade to the Irish News Hurling Team of the Year award his father Pearse had to collect on Friday night, with the county forward coaching the Castlewellan hurlers to their Junior triumph at the same time. 

Before leaving the key Liatroim players, a mention has to be made of the contribution of Robbie O’Hare, who picked up a lot of loose ball and used it cleverly.

The Carryduff defence worked well as a unit. Their clearances, in the direction of Blaney and Beatty, got them in front in the first half, but the two dual stars could not get on to ball after the break.

Beatty fired over the opening score for Carryduff, but Pearse Óg McCrickard responded with two points from side-lines and a free.

It was 0-4 to 0-2 when Blaney broke through and found the net for Carryduff, after 14 minutes, before veteran Conor McAlister delivered a second goal. 

The McCrickard’s, Pearse Óg (free), Joe and Conor, got Liatroim back on track, but Carryduff hit back with points from James Lavery and two Rooney frees, carrying a 2-5 to 0-9 lead into the break.

Within six minutes of the restart, the Fontenoys had taken the lead, with a second Conor McCrickard point sandwiched between two frees from Pearse Óg McCrickard. However, Rooney scored three of the next four points from frees, edging Carryduff ahead once more.

Three more McCrickard points from play, courtesy of Joe, Conor and Pearse Óg, put the Fontenoys two up. 

Rooney replied with one point, but it was as close as he and his team could get, with Pearse Óg McCrickard hitting his 11th point in injury time.

Although Saturday’s conditions did not lend themselves to good hurling, Liatroim will know they need to improve when they travel to face Antrim champions Glenariffe in the AIB Ulster quarter-finals at the weekend.

Liatroim: S Duggan, R O’Hare, Ruairí McCrickard, D Cunningham, Rónán McCrickard, O Duggan, W McCartan, J McCrickard, P Óg McCrickard (captain), C Kelly-McEvoy, C McCrickard, C Leneghan, P Davidson, PJ Davidson, D Magee. Subs: DJ Farrell, C Lynch.

Carryduff: C McLornan, L Cooney, C Cassidy, C Goodwin, M Conway, D Goodwin (captain), C Ennis, J Woods, D Óg Rooney, J Lavery, L Blaney, O Teague, R Beatty, C McAlister, E Rooney. Subs: G Lynch, N McArdle.