Dungannon Clarke’s ended 2024 on a high by powering to a 1-13 to 0-8 victory over Carrickmore in Saturday’s Division 1 Football League final.

Ryan Jones scored the only goal midway through the second half as the winners showed no signs of ring-rustiness from a nine-week layoff to secure their first Division 1 crown. Despite being played just four days before Christmas, there was a big attendance in Augher for the decider which pitted Clarke’s against a Carrickmore side that had taken out recently-crowned Ulster champions in the semi-final six days earlier.

After an evenly-contested opening quarter, Clarke’s stepped on the gas to take a 0-8 to 0-4 lead into the break thanks to scores from Paul Donaghy, Ciaran Barker (’45) and Patrick McKearney. Having ended the first half in the ascendancy, Carrickmore reduced the deficit to the minimum after the restart when goalkeeper Rory McGarrity converted a ’45, but they couldn’t regain parity as Jones’ goal restored Clarke’s four-point advantage.

The O’Neill Park outfit added further scores from Barker (’45), Donaghy and substitutes Oisín Cowan and James Quinn down the home straight to make history in style.

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