Danske Bank MacRory Cup quarter-final play-off:
St Patrick's, Maghera v Abbey CBS, Newry (Thursday, 7.30pm, QUB Arena)
THIS Danske Bank MacRory Cup game was originally scheduled to take place in the Loup last Sunday, but an outbreak of mumps in St Patrick's, Maghera forced its postponement and with it has gone the home venue their league placing earned them.
QUB is the allocated halfway venue for a midweek game, but the key question now is whether or not the south Derry school, pre-MacRory Cup favourites, will actually be able to field at full strength.
Although they did not claim one of the automatic semi-final spots, they performed with some credibility in the league competition. Having lost their opening game to Enniskillen by 2-5 to 0-8, they lost only one more game (to eventual MacCormack Cup winners St Patrick's Academy) but still accumulated a score difference of +25 over the other three games. During those games, their forward play was, at times, brilliant and coach Paul Hughes would have been quietly confident they could have built up a head of steam once more.
Midfielder Conor Glass is in his fourth season at this level, with two MacRory and one Hogan medal already secure as well as a contract to start in Australian Rules as soon as the exams are over in the summer. Jack Doherty has also played in winning MacRory teams while, overall, there is a good squad of players with both pedigree and form to once more reach the top of the pile.
Abbey have had a poor season to date - but despite losing four of their five league games, they have been difficult enough to break down and have not conceded any high totals. Their best performance came in a 3-4 to 1-10 draw with holders St Patrick's, Cavan that showed, perhaps with a break or two, they could well cause a knock-out upset.
By no stretch of the imagination are they MacRory champions material - but they could well pull off a shock result if they continue to set up in defensive mode and manage occasionally to break for a major score. Ronan Reel has emerged as a reliable free-kick specialist, while the likes of Patrick and Shay Murdock, Callum O'Neill and Charlie Magill can do enough to frustrate the south Derry side.
Maghera, as Rannafast Cup champions two years ago with the same squad, would have been firm favourites to advance before the mumps problem surfaced. Abbey's chances of a shock result may well have increased.
