Sport

Late Conor McAuley goal earns St Louis a MacLarnon Cup replay against Loreto

Loreto, Coleraine's Fearghal Close with Liam McCann of St Louis, Ballymena during the MacLarnon Cup quarter-final at Owenbeg Picture Margaret McLaughlin
Loreto, Coleraine's Fearghal Close with Liam McCann of St Louis, Ballymena during the MacLarnon Cup quarter-final at Owenbeg Picture Margaret McLaughlin Loreto, Coleraine's Fearghal Close with Liam McCann of St Louis, Ballymena during the MacLarnon Cup quarter-final at Owenbeg Picture Margaret McLaughlin

Danske Bank MacLarnon Cup quarter-final

St Louis, Ballymena 2-10 Loreto, Coleraine 3-7

CONOR McAuley rescued a replay for St Louis, Ballymena in this MacLarnon Cup quarter-final at Owenbeg yesterday.

With two minutes remaining, the St Comgall’s youngster found himself unmarked in the Loreto penalty area to punch a pass from Eoghan Daly to the net.

In an entertaining game, in which both teams gave every ounce of energy, the Kintullagh school showed tremendous character to haul themselves back after looking dead and buried. It had looked bleak when Conal Cunning-Doherty’s 57th minute rasper came back out off the underside of the Loreto crossbar. McAuley, though, had other ideas with his late strike.

Aidan McGonigle got the Coleraine side off the mark after 30 seconds and on five minutes, Conor Gillen’s neat through ball found Sean Quinn who passed for Fergal Dillon to finish to the net, putting Loreto 1-1 to 0-1 ahead. McGonigle then blazed over in the 14th minute with a goal for the taking.

Midway through the first half St Louis were back level. McAuley’s pass put Eoin Campbell in on goal, he was blocked but an alert Cunning-Doherty poked the ball to the net.

St Louis had 'keeper Elliott to thank for a reflex save from Shane McIntyre but three minutes before half-time, Loreto pressure paid off, this time with a fine finish to the bottom corner from Conor Gillen.

Within a minute of the restart, McAuley narrowed the gap to a point and from there to the end it was point for point, with Gillen adding two for Loreto. Liam McCann and Aaron McNeilly replying for Ballymena.

With eight minutes remaining, substitute Liam McKernan levelled for St Louis (2-7 to 1-10).

Still the drama kept unfolding. A long delivery from Gillen was finished to the net by substitute Dara Mooney and Loreto must have thought they had done enough before McAuley hit the dramatic late equaliser.

St Louis: E Elliott; S Madden, M Carberry, S Convery; A McNeilly (0-2), C Kinsella, A McGrath; R Kelly (0-3f), R McGarry; R Griffin, E Campbell, L McCann (0-1); C McAuley (1-1), C Doherty-Cunning (1-1), S Elliott (0-1).

Subs: L McKernan (0-1) for A McGrath (25), E Daly for R Griffin (35)

Loreto: A Gillen; E Canning, A Boyle, R Maguire; S Quinn, S Tracey, F Close; D Donnelly, A Kerr; A McGonigle (0-3), C Gillen (1-3, 2f), S McIntyre (0-1); F Dillon (1-0), M Cassidy, D Walton.

Subs: O McNicholl for E Canning (HT), C McKelvey for D Walton (HT), O Bradley for S Quinn (38), D Mooney (1-0) for F Close (40), E McGuigan for F Dillon (55), L Ferris for S Tracey (58).

Referee: P Coyle (Tyrone)