The Irish News:
Dromintee survive Clontibret storm to win Ulster final thriller to start the New Year

Armagh champions Dromintee win Ulster minor football tournament

By Andy Watters
January 01, 2026 at 6:12pm GMT
fonaCAB Ulster Minor Football Tournament final: Dromintee 1-12 Clontibret 1-8

A THRILLER to start 2026. Anyone looking for evidence of the strength or passionate interest in Ulster football would have found it on the Shaw’s Road where two minor sides produced a cracking contest amid the wintry squalls at St Paul’s.

Dromintee, a credit to their manager Aidan O’Rourke, bossed the first half and led by 11 points at one stage of the second but Clontibret made them work all the way for their win.

“I think overall we deserved it but Clontibret are a very good side and had really good moments in the second half and they could have had a couple more goals,” said 2002 All-Ireland winner O’Rourke.

“Football at this level… There’s no easy games and there’s a few hairy moments but that’s championship football and that’s what you’re in the game for. Two great teams, not much between them and if Clontibret had started a bit better in the first half, it could have been a different story but we’re delighted to get over the line.”

Roars of delight came from the Dromintee dressingroom as Clontibret manager JP Mone emerged to give his reflections on the game. Ultimately, the final was lost in the first half but his side showed tremendous character to fight their way back into it.

“The sucker punch probably was the goal, it was a very slack goal to give away at that point,” said Mone.

“But the credit to the boys, the conditions weren’t great but they came out and they started showing the bit of determination and the true grit that they have and managed to claw it back.

“But for a few incidents, fine margins, we could have got it back.”

Clontibret settled quickly but they took one chance – a Darragh Keenan point – out of four and when Dromintee, with the wind at their backs, settled they began to produce some confident, well-drilled football with accurate passing and pacey running that was too much for their Monaghan opponents.

Ronan Martin equalised and then Diarmaid O’Rourke, man of the match and his club’s driving force in midfield, chipped over a free to give them a lead they never lost.

Calvin Mooney sold his marker a January-sales dummy to add another and O’Rourke converted his second free after Fintan Toale was pushed in the back by a Clontibret defender.

Clontibret battled hard but they ran into tackles and struggled to find a route through the Dromintee defence. At the other end, Dromintee held the ball around the 20-metre line and slipped runners breaking into the space.

First Fergus Toale (the player of the tournament) and Keane McArdle combined in a neat one-two and then McArdle sent Oisin Byrne racing through.

His shot was diverted over the bar by Clontibret goalkeeper Conall Thornton and that left the South Armagh side 0-7 to 0-1 ahead with half-time approaching. The Monaghan men would have taken that given the conditions but by the whistle they were staring down the barrel of defeat.

Fionn Toale tried his luck and when the ball hit the post Michael O’Neill, who’d cleverly followed the shot in, grabbed the rebound, picked his spot past Thornton and Dromintee led 1-7 to 0-1 at the interval.

A wintry shower battered the packed terrace as the second half began and Dromintee braced themselves for a storm as Clontibret went in search of a way back into it.

The Armagh youngsters rode their luck as the Monaghan side shot wide twice and then Charlie Mone raced through and smashed shot off the underside of the bar. Oliver Kelly grabbed the rebound but pulled his shot wide.

Dromintee played with impressive composure and O’Rourke, outstanding throughout this game, kicked a two-pointer to leave 11 in it (1-10 to 0-2).

But no lead is safe these days and Clontibret heads didn’t drop. Mone hit back with a point and although Ronan Martin cancelled it out with a brilliant individual effort, Shane Byrne broke in from the left wing and cracked a brilliant finish past James McBennett to leave it 1-11 to 1-3 with 10 minutes left.

Evan Treanor threatened another goal in the next attack but O’Neill threw himself at his boot to block the shot.

McBennett’s accuracy meant Dromintee were able to get the ball in their hands from restarts but Clontibret’s tails were up and, with Stephen Hamill driving them on from midfield, Byrne and Treanor (a two-pointer) built the platform a grandstand finish.

Clontibret had their chances but two wides followed before Keenan’s free left just a kick of the ball between them (1-11 to 1-8) as injury-time began.

Another chance went abegging and Clontibret pressed the kickout but the ball broke Dromintee’s way and McArdle got forward to join the attack.

He kicked the ball between the posts and wheeled away in delight because he knew that would be enough.

Dromintee smiles lit up the winter’s day as skipper Conor Laverty accepted the cup on behalf of his club, the 41st winners of the tournament.

Clontibret: C Thornton; N Fanthorpe, J Sullivan, M McNamee; A Windrum, O Kelly, O Boylan; J Brady, S Hamill; D Boylan 0-1, E Treanor 0-2tp, S Byrne 1-1; M Treanor 0-1, C Mone 0-1, D Keenan 0-2 (0-1f)

Dromintee: J McBennett; J O’Neill, C Dunne, M Walker; F Toale, T Fox, M O’Neill 1-1; C Laverty, K McArdle 0-1; C Mooney 0-2, F Toale, D O’Rourke 0-5 (0-2tp, 0-3f); R Martin 0-1, O Carnegie, O Byrne 0-1