Kilcoo and Cargin retain Down and Antrim titles

Kilcoo and Cargin retained their Down and Antrim Football titles but in contrast fashion.

The Magpies won a sixth straight Down title with a dominant 1-10 to 0-4 win over Burren, who finished with 13 men as Daryl Branagan hit Kilcoo's goal in the closing seconds of the game.

Kilcoo's win secured their 12th Down title in 13 season.

Cargin needed extra-time to clinch a third successive Antrim title as they earned a 0-10 to 0-8 win over Portglenone, who had hit late second-half points to level the contest at 0-7 to 0-7 at Corrigan Park.

A Niall McKeever point put Portglenone one ahead early in extra-time but they failed to score again as points from Pat Shivers and Tomas McCann helped Cargin win their eighth Antrim title in 10 years.

St Eunan's secured their a 15th Donegal Football title by holding off a brave challenge from Dungloe on a 1-13 to 1-10 scoreline at Ballybofey after an exciting contest.

Kilcoo earn dominant victory

The Down decider was anything but a classic but Kilcoo won’t mind as they built a first-half lead and kept Burren at arms’ length all afternoon to win a 12th Mourne County title in 13 years.

Remarkably, the first score from play wasn’t kicked until the 29th minute of the game. In that time, there were six frees scored, one mark and four yellow cards dished out.

In the opening minutes it was a free-taking competition between Burren’s Donal O’Hare and Kilcoo’s Paul Devlin, with each player converting twice apiece.

However, little did Burren know that when O’Hare split the posts in the eighth minute that would be their next point wouldn’t come until the 52nd minute

From that moment on it was all Kilcoo in the opening half and they pushed their lead out to 0-7 to 0-2 at the break.Burren brought more energy into early exchanges after the restart but couldn’t find the mark. Instead, it was Kilcoo who opened the second half's account via a Ryan McEvoy free.

Burren almost had a goal when an O’Hare shot dropped short and was punched goalwards, but Niall Kane made the save.

Kilcoo went into an offensive lull of their own, and Burren finally showed some signs of life with Liam Kerr scoring a free and one from play.

However, there was to be no miraculous comeback with Paul Devlin and Anthony Morgan chipping over late scores.

Burren finished with 13 men after Danny Magill was shown a red card for late hit on his Down team-mate McEvoy and Kerr was dismissed for wrestling with Shealan Johnston.

Kilcoo weren’t satisfied there and in the fifth minute of stoppage time they added a late goal with Daryl Branagan driving the ball into the top corner from close range.

Portglenone denied first Antrim title

Portglenone, chasing a first Antrim title, made a highly promising start as points from Oisin Doherty, Enda Lynn and Ronan Kelly put them three up after eight minutes.

However, they failed to score again before half-time as a Tomas McCann effort started a run of four Cargin points.

Antrim captain Dermot McAleese brought the sides level after the resumption but Cargin twice moved two ahead, including when Pat Shivers' 58th-minute free put them 0-7 to 0-5 ahead.

But the Casements responded with two injury-time points including Aidan McAleese's leveller which ensured the 20 extra minutes.

Niall McKeever put Portglenone ahead early in extra-time but scores from McCann and Shivers helped Cargin retain their title.