Mageean Cup semi-final: St Patrick’s, Maghera 4-5 La Salle, Belfast 2-3
LIKE the other last four encounter, it took both of these sides some time to register a couple of scores.
Kevin McGourty, a brother of St Mary’s goalscorer Kieran, pounced for a La Salle goal after eight minutes, the chance created by Brian Close.
By the time Vincent Kennedy registered St Patrick’s opening score – a point on 17 minutes – they had started to get somewhat panicky with their shooting.
Thereafter they settled, particularly after Fergal McEldowney kicked a goal on 25 minutes and Kennedy added a second three minutes later.
Maghera led by 2-5 to 1-2 at half-time and comfortably controlled the opening 10 minutes of the second half despite Karl Stewart pulling a point back for La Salle in the opening attack.
Eamon O’Kane pointed after five minutes and Vincent Kennedy doubled on a long free from Adrian Quigg for an excellent goal.
Game over? Well, not quite.
La Salle upped the tempo and Francis Logan and his defence found themselves under constant pressure over the next 15 minutes. Brian Close placed Karl Stewart for a goal but that was all La Salle could show for the pressure.
Maghera then broke forward and Martin Coyle finished a sweeping left wing move with a 25th minute goal, booking a repeat of last year’s final for this weekend.
La Salle worked hard with Chris Morris and Gerard Cunningham standing out in defence.
Brian Close looked very dangerous in attack, supported by nippy corner-forward Karl Stewart. It is to the Maghera defence’s credit that they held Close scoreless.
They produced vital interceptions, spoiling La Salle, with Peter O’Kane a dominant figure at centre half.
Adrian Quigg was the top midfielder on show while the St Patrick’s attack all worked hard with Kidd and Kennedy showing the sharp scoring touches.
The inclement weather made it difficult to judge either the real worth of St Patrick’s or indeed the other semi-final winners St Mary’s.
More favourable weather and the final could be a real showpiece though.
St Patrick’s: Francis Logan, Eugene Carmichael, Cathal Brunton, Terry Carmichael, Francis McCloy, Peter O’Kane, Kevin Kelly, Martin Coyle (1-0), Adrian Quigg (0-1), Paul Doherty, Eamon O’Kane (0-1), Martin Kidd (0-2), Fergal McEldowney (1-0), Vincent Kennedy (2-1), Kevin Farren
Sub: Peadar Quigg for K Farren.
La Salle: Colm McDonnell, Kevin Grego, Gavin McGahey, Stephen Gallagher, Gerard Cunningham, Kris Morris, Conor Peden, Aiden McKinley, Kieran McLarnon, Brian Moore, Jeames Davey, Kevin McGourty (1-0) Karl Stewart (1-3), Brian Close, Odhran McKenna
Subs: Gerard Lecky for K McGourty, Conor Austin for O McKenna, Danny Gregory for B Moore.
Referee: Leo Heatley (Tir na nOg).
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Mageean Cup semi-final: St Mary’s, Belfast 5-6 St Louis, Ballymena 2-1
Grieve hat-trick enough to seal St Marys’ final spot
DESPITE the atrocious weather conditions, both teams displayed remarkable commitment and effort in this Bank of Ireland Mageean Cup semi-final, particularly the defences, and this is why it took all of 17 minutes for John Martin to open the scoring.
St Mary’s responded and Kevin Grieve picked up a poor puck-out to level the scores.
Three minutes before the break, Grieve eluded his marker and crashed home a goal from 14 yards, Quinn adding a point from a free soon after to put St Mary’s ahead at the break by 1-2 to 0-1.
Brendan Quinn added a goal and a point inside the opening five minutes of the second period and when he mishit a 10th minute free, St Louis’ keeper Barney McAuley could only block it to Kieran McGourty, who buried it in the net.
The Ballymena side were now struggling and it was no surprise that Grieve twice finished to the net before the 20th minute. Strangely, St Louis raised their game after this and deservedly scored two excellent goals – both from Michael Darragh – in the final six minutes.
However they were no more than consolation efforts. St Mary’s looked a strong competent team, Ronan McKenna, Ciaran Herron and Neil Devlin dominant at the back, Gavin Bell cancelling out the excellent Michael McClements at midfield, and McGourty and Grieve working very hard in attack.
St Louis’ stars were in defence – Paul McAtamney, Jonny Campbell and Kevin Martin – with McClements ploughing a lone furrow elsewhere.
St Mary’s: Damien McCollin, Gary McCullough, Stephen McGlennon, Ronan McKenna, Diarmuid McAuley, Ciaran Herron, Neil Devlin, Gavin Bell (0-1), Eamon Toner, Kevin Gamble (0-1), Kieran McGourty (1-1), JJ Hartigan, Eamon McManus, Kevin Grieve (3-1), Brendan Quinn (1-2).
St Louis: Barney McAuley, Brian Loughran, Paul McAtamney, Declan Graham, Kevin Fyfe, Jonny Campbell, Kevin Martin, Michael McClements, John McGuckian, Thomas Neeson, Michael Darragh (2-0), John McClements, Thomas Doherty, John Martin (0-1), Liam McLean.
Referee: Tommy McIntyre (Loughgiel)
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Rannafast Cup semi-final St Pius X 2-9 St Patrick’s, Dungannon 2-4
St Pius hold out for victory
RANNAFAST Cup St Pius X Magherafelt overcame the odds and the elements at a windswept Ballinderry on Saturday morning, when they upset a fancied St Patrick’s Dungannon to progress to the final of the competition.
Inspired by the excellence of dominant midfielder Brendan Conway, the south Derry boys got away to a flyer. After 20 minutes they had registered a tally of 1-5 and the Tyrone boys had failed to make a mark.
The goal came in the 20th minute, fashioned by the endeavours of Conway and corner-forward Thomas Rocks, fullforward Gerard Donnelly finishing the move in some style. The holders were away in style in the second period, when Thomas Rocks and Gerard Donnelly scored points back to back in the opening five minutes.
However St Patrick’s were slowly getting a firm foothold in the vital midfield area, where Conor Jordan and Sean Kavanagh were now assuming control.
It was backs to the wall for the St Pius boys, but when questions were posed, the defence came up with the answers. Aided by the accuracy of centre-forward Barry Mulligan, who split the posts in real style in the 43rd, 46th and 50th minutes,
St Patrick’s drew to within two points of St Pius’ total with 10 minutes left to play.
St Pius net-minder Anthony Kelly had been a busy man in the second period, but a long clearance from him produced rich dividends in the 53rd minute as centreforward Padraig O’Neill gathered 40 metres out from the Dungannon posts.
O’Neill’s speculative lob towards the danger area deceived the defenders and netminder Anthony Rae as it skidded off the grassy turf and, aided by the almost gale force crosswind, it spun into the top corner of the net.
St Pius X: Anthony Kelly, Damian Heaney (0-1), Conor Mullan, Gavin Martin, Kevin Coleman, Conor Wilkinson, Damian Gavin, Brendan Conway (0-2), Stephen Devlin, Brendan McVeigh, Padraig O’Neill (1-1), Mark Kelly, Thomas Maynes (0-2), Gerard Donnelly (1-1), Thomas Maynes (0-2)
Subs: Phelim H Quinn for M Kelly (30 mins) M Kelly for P H Quinn (53 mins).
St Patrick’s: Martin Rae, Francis Quinn, Sean Webb, James Dorman, Paul Mulholland, Peter Skeffington, Michael McMullan (0-1), Conor Jordan, Sean Cavanagh (1-0), Thomas McGuigan (1-0), Barry Mulligan (0-3), Ryan McGurk, Thomas Haughey, Gary McCabe, David Hackett.
Referee: J McDonald (Down).
