The game had a dramatic start with St Malachy's gaining a penalty inside the first minute after a shot by Tiernan McNicholl was handled inside the box.
De La Salle 2 - 1 St Malachy's
Referee Alan Hayes had no hesitation in pointing to the spot and Ciaran Vernon coolly dispatched a low ball wide of keeper Mark McKenna and into the corner. The greatest possible start for the Antrim Road school seeking their first win in the competition since 1994 and eager to wipe aside the disappointment of losing in last year's Maxol final to Fort Hill College.
But, oddly enough, instead of benefiting from the early advantage Malachy's seemed to lose their focus and hand the advantage to the opposition.
De La Salle began to forge ahead with a low shot from James Haughey in the 7th minute from 22 yards giving the St Malachy's keeper Colm Heaney his first touch of the ball. And he was fully occupied after that as De La Salle won a series of corner in quick succession.
In the 11th minute their striker John McGuigan raced clear and was one-to-one on Heaney who however came off his line to make an excellent blocking save.
St Malachy's held on to their slender lead at the interval and the second half followed much the same pattern as the first with De La Salle creating the openings. In the 52 nd minute a run by McGuigan looked dangerous but he was crowded out and denied the chance to have a pop by the St Malachy's defence.
But as time moved on it seemed as if St Malachy's might just cling on. But their keeper Heany was almost caught out by a looping shot from McGuigan which he thought was going over the top. But it dipped at the last minute and Heaney had to move quickly to save.
But with 10 minutes left the game was to change completely. And it was the excellent McGuigan who was responsible. In the 70th minute he raced into the box and as Heaney came off his line cleverly lobbed the ball over his head and into the net to give La Salle a deserved equaliser.
But four minutes later, McGuigan, who was named man-of-the-match, produced a brilliant winner. He picked up an excellent through ball by Mulholland and, showing great composure, hit the ball wide of Heaney and into the left corner.
De La Salle: Mark McKenna, Aidan Davidson, Fra Harbinson, Justin O'Connell, Darren Bellew, Thomas Mulholland, Michael McPartland (Scullion, 58) James Haughey, John McGuigan, Daniel Carlin, Martin McKenna
St Malachy's: Colm Heaney, Thomas Plant, Darragh Loughlin, Ben Gibson (Nathan Torbitt, 80), Matthew Deighan, Ciaran Vernon, Conal Campbell (Gerard Campbell, 64) Neil Cummings, Chris McSteen, Tiarnan McNicholl, Peter Kelly
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