Pictured above is the St Paul’s team celebrating their victory after the Ulster Colleges Herald Cup Final.

St Paul’s claimed their first piece of Ulster Colleges silverware of the year as they defeated South Armagh rivals St Joseph’s Crossmaglen in the Danske Bank Ulster Colleges Herald Cup Final.

Played at the Athletic Grounds in Armagh, this was always going to be a tense affair between both sides, and on this occasion it was the Bessbrook men that came out on top.

St Joseph’s started the game the better of the two teams and they got the first score of the game in the opening minute of the match.

St Paul’s responded from a poor start to the match as two points in quick succession from Ryan Hughes and Paul Quinn put St Paul’s in front and settled any nerves that players had.

St Paul’s were beginning to get on top and their pressure was rewarded, as Jarly Óg Burns burst through the middle of the St Joseph’s defence and he drove the ball into the bottom corner of the net.

St Joseph’s responded immediately from this as going up the field and scoring a point, however, St Paul’s stretched their lead to four points for the second time as Ryan Hughes got his second point of the match, and just before the half time whistle, Killeavy man Caolan McConville put five points between the sides as he stroked over a twenty one yard free kick.

Half time score: St Paul’s Bessbrook 1-04 St Joseph’s Crossmaglen 0-02

The second half was similar to the first as a very low scoring encounter. Jarly Óg Burns kicked two points in quick succession for St Paul’s as they raced into a seven point lead early in the second half.

The seven point lead then became a ten point lead, as Paul Quinn reacted more sharply when the ball dropped short to drive it into the back of the net.

St Joseph’s then had plenty of possession on the ball, but greater defensive work from St Paul’s had cancelled their scores out, although their pressure paid off eventually as they got their first goal of the match to reduce the deficit to seven points.

Again like the first half, Caolan McConville got the final score of the half as he converted another free into a point to give St Paul’s an eight point victory.

Full Time score: St Paul’s Bessbrook 2-07 St Joseph’s Crossmaglen 1-02

Pictured above is the St Paul’s Bessbrook team before the Ulster Colleges Herald Cup Final against St Joseph’s Crossmaglen.

Pictured above is the St Joseph’s Crossmaglen team before the Ulster Colleges Herald Cup Final against St Paul’s Bessbrook.

Pictured above is the captain’s for St Paul’s and St Joseph’s with the Referee before the Ulster Colleges Herald Cup Final.

Video Highlights will be available soon.

See below for photos from the final: