Lawn bowls over Arva with stoppage-time winner to seal Ballinderry's Ulster IFC crown

The former All-Ireland Senior champions created five goal chances but managed to take just one of them, but in the end they had just enough to deny the reigning All-Ireland Junior title-holders.

Delayed by a week by Storm Darragh, this was a showpiece to savour, two sides virtually inseparable from start to finish. Ballinderry’s assured start saw them ease into a two points lead through Shea Coleman and Charlie Crozier, with Niall O’Donnell pulling the strings around the middle.

But as Arva settled into the game, they made it clear they would show no fear of the former Oak Leaf supremos, with Ciaran Brady making a number of big plays around the middle and Tristan Noach Hofman ready to take on Gareth McKinless at every opportunity.

Jonathan McCabe got the Breffni champions off the mark, and added a delightful second, Hofman the creative force in both cases.

And in the 15th minute they got in for a goal. Hofman was again at the centre of a move that also involved Peter Morris, and it was Barry Donnelly who got in behind to cut in from the left and arrow a low, angled shot past Ben McKinless.

The Cavan men defended vigorously through Jame Morris and Stephen Sheridan, with inspirational skipper Brady gfettign back to make a couple of big tackles, but the Shamrocks came so close to grabbing a goal when Conor O’Neill darted through a gap to release Tiarnan Rocks, but he sent his shot against a post and wide.

And Arva went straight back down field for Brady to shoot them into a two points interval lead, 1-4 to 0-5.

Ruairi Forbes brought the Shamrocks level, but Arva struck for a second goal, Donnelly unselfishly sending Conan Sheridan in to bury his shot in the net.

And Ballinderry missed another goal chance, going route on for Forbes to send his shot wide at the far post.

Moments later they did hit the net as Shea McCann rifled a shot to the top corner, and they tagged on points from Conor O’Neill (2) and Niall O’Donnell to go two clear.

But back came Arva again for Kevin Bouchier to land a couple of scores to send them down the final straight on level terms.

They lived dangerously as Ballinderry created a fifth goal chance, this time ‘keeper Cian O’Neill pulling off a magnificent save from Ryan Bell.

Niall O’Donnell thought he had won it with a wonderful stoppage time score in a gripping finish, but Bouchier levelled again, only for Darren Lawn to seal it in the 33rd minute for Ballinderry.

Scorers for Ballinderry: S McCann 1-1, C O’Neill (1f), N O’Donnell, C Crozier (1f) 0-2 each, R Bell, D Lawn, R Forbes, S Coleman 0-1 each.

Scorers for Arva: B Donnelly, C Sheridan 1-1 each, K Bouchier 0-3 (1f), J McCabe 0-2, C Brady 0-1.

Ballindery: B McKinless; A Mullan, O Duffin, R O’Neill; E Devlin, G McKinless, R Forbes; N O’Donnell, C Crozier; T Rocks, C O’Neill, S McCann; D Lawn, R Bell, S Coleman.

Subs: D McKinless for Rocks (45), M Smyth for Devlin (48), E McCracken for Mullan (53), M Quinn for D McKinless (59), E Rocks for Lawn (64) 

Arva: C O’Hara; D Maguire, J Morris, F McAvinue; E Ward, S Sheridan, T Brady; C Brady, B Donnelly; F McGlade, T Noack Hofman, J McCabe; P Morris, K Bouchier, C Sheridan.

Subs: P Conneely for P Morris (53), S Hamilton for McGlade (59) 

Referee: K Eanneta (Tyrone).