Errigal Ciaran fightback falls short as Cuala triumph

Errigal Ciaran's stirring second-half comeback fell short as Cuala clinched their first All-Ireland Senior Club Football Final title by holding on to win 3-14 to 1-16 at Croke Park.

The Ballygawley club were the first Tyrone club to reach the decider and looked shell-shocked after goals from Cal Doran, David O'Dowd and Peadar O Cofaigh Byrne put Cuala 3-6 to 0-1 ahead after 25 minutes.

To make matters worse for the Tyrone men, star forward Darragh Canavan had been forced off by injury after only 21 minutes.

Cuala's advantage was still a whopping 3-9 to 0-5 at the interval but Errigal Ciaran were a transformed team after the interval as Peter Harte's sensational 40th-minute goal cut the deficit to 3-11 to 1-11.

The lead was down to three with two minutes of normal time left as the inspirational Harte pointed after Tommy Canavan had brought his scoring haul up to 0-6.

Left-footed free-taker Canavan, who had been impeccable after taking the placed ball duties following his cousin's departure, then dropped a 30-metre free short before Cuala's star forward Con O'Callaghan made a vital block in his own defence after a Harte run had set up a sniff of a Peter Og McCartan goal chance.

From the turnover, Cuala changed downfield with substitute Conor Groarke fisting the insurance point when another goal seemed on as the Dubliners joined Cork team St Finbarr's as the only clubs to win the senior football and hurling titles.

Errigal Ciaran goalscorer Harte was red carded in the closing seconds which was not the way for his afternoon to end after rallying his team-mates brilliantly in the second half.

More to follow.

Cuala: Ryan Scollard; Danny Conroy, Michael Fitzsimons, Eoghan O'Callaghan; Eoin Kennedy, Charlie McMorrow, David O'Dowd; Peader O'Cofaigh Byrne, Peter Duffy; Cillian Dunne, Conor O'Brien, Cal Doran, Luke Keating, Niall O'Callaghan, Con O'Callaghan.

Subs: Darragh O'Dowd, Luke Tracey, John Fitzsimons, Michael Conroy, Cathal O'Giollain, Conor Groarke, Shane Mangan, James Power, Jamie Conroy, Liam Fitzgerald, Aodhan English, Tom Magee, Jamie Keenan, Dan O'Sulivan, Daragh McAdam.

Errigal Ciaran: Darragh McAnenly; Ciaran Quinn, Aidan McCrory, Cormac Quinn; Peter Og McCartan, Niall Kelly, Tiarnan Colhoun; Ben McDonnell, Joe Oguz; Peter Harte, Thomas Canavan, Ciaran McGinley; Odhran Robinson, Darragh Canavan, Ruairi Canavan.

Subs: Stephen McMenamin, Aaron McAnenly, Bryan Horisk, Dara McGinley, Dermot Morrow, Eoin Kelly, Mark Kavanagh, Michael Quinn, Padraig McGirr, Pauric Traynor, Peter O'Hanlon, Ronan McRory, Ryan Ward, Ronan O'Sullivan, Tomas Mullin.