Steel & Sons Cup final
Derriaghy CC 1-0 Willowbank
JORDAN Malone's strike six minutes before half-time proved the winning of the Steel & Sons Cup for Derriaghy CC at Seaview on Christmas Day as Willowbank's dreams were dashed.
Both sides came into this final seeking their first 'Steel Cup' success and in the end, it was the NAFL Premier side who came through against their Division 1A opponents.
The Beechmount side almost levelled right at the death as Eamonn Hughes saw his shot come back off the post, but it just wasn't to be their day as a stout Derriaghy defence kept them at bay over the course of the game.
Declan McCrory's side would finish with 10 men as substitute Oisin Crawford was red-carded deep into added time, as they returned to the west of the city reflecting on what might have been.
They were quicker to settle into this final as Thomas McCrory couldn't direct his header on target from a Gary Manson corner. After Ciaran Manson sent a long-ranger effort off target, another dangerous delivery from a Gary Manson corner again caused problems for Derriahghy, but again, McCrory couldn't get his effort on target.
Derriaghy had been on the back foot in the opening quarter, but their first big chance arrived soon after as Nicholas Napier found himself through, but 'Bank goalkeeper Ciaran Kelly was alert to the danger and got up to take down the Derriaghy striker's attempted lob.
This would prove a major settler for Owen Forsythe's charges as they began to threaten more and Barry Moore saw a header for a corner blocked and the rebound falling for Nick Beta, but the effort was high and wide.
Jordan Malone celebrates his goal
It was a warning for Willowbank and on 39 minutes, the deadlock was broken in quite magnificent style as Jordan Malone nipped in to win the ball off Noel Halfpenny and let fly with a thunderbolt that beat Kelly all ends up and sent his side into the break a goal to the good.
The onus was on Willowbank to find a response after the break and made the early running with Eamonn Hughes flashing an early header wide and then he went closer as he forced Derriaghy goalkeeper Jonah Nicholl to turn around the post when meeting a Manson corner.
However, they were almost caught out at the other end as Ciaran Manson was caught in possession by Nicholas Napier, who slid in a ball that was crying out for Beta to finish, but the striker got under his shot as it rose high over the crossbar.
The minutes were ticking by with Derriaghy's defence standing tall but the introduction of Oisin Crawford almost paid off as he drove forward and slid in Christopher Heaney whose lay-off resulted in Gill just flashing wide.
It wasn't exactly backs to the wall for Derriaghy who still had ambition and on 79 minutes, a shot from Beta called Kelly into action as he got the stinging effort over the top.
But it was Willowbank who had the greater urgency down the stretch and five minutes from time, Nicholl had to get his fists to Conall Maguire's cross with Christopher Heaney lurking.
Willowbank's Thomas McCrory is challenged by Barry Moore 
Another of the subs, Declan Gill then forced Nicholl to again make the save as Willowbank got closer to the equaliser, yet they would lose Crawford six minutes into stoppage time for an off-the-ball incident.
They had one final charge and almost managed to tie it up, but that shot from Hughes with just seconds remaining hit the post as Derriaghy survived and claimed the Steel & Sons Cup for the first time as Willowbank's wait for their maiden title goes on.
DERRIAGHY CC: J Nicholl, G Henderson, C Brown, B Moore, J Malone (L Higginson 89), N Beta, S Shearer (M O’Hanlon 81), C Black, N Napier, T Clarke (M Fell 78), J Reid.
Goal: Malone 39
WILLOWBANK: C Kelly, M Reid, G Manson (Crawford 72), E Hughes, C Manson, N Halfpenny, R McAreavey, P Devine (C Maguire 46), T McCrory (D Gill 52), C Winchester, C Heaney.
REFEREE: Conor Murphy
