Danske Bank MacRory Cup
The three Danske Bank MacRory Cup games over the weekend had everything – an unexpectedly easy win for Abbey CBS over the Academy, another shock result in the Armagh derby and a high-octane draw.
Patrician High Carrickmacross 2-11 St Mary’s Magherafelt 1-14
Both St Mary’s, Magherafelt and Patrician, Carrickmacross are claiming a point won rather than a point lost after their thrilling draw in Armagh.
It was an action-packed game that included two red cards, two penalty saves and Patrician going ahead for the first time right at the end, losing it to Liam Quinn points and then rescuing a draw courtesy of Ciaran McNulty.
The two reds, both for second yellows, impacted on the game. A goal from Daniel Bradley had just put St Mary’s into a 1-4 to 0-2 lead when Patrician lost their player.
The excellent Liam Quinn and Declan Cassidy added points to make it 1-7 to 0-3 at the turnover, with Odhrán Lynch in the Convent goal bringing off a super save from a penalty a minute from the break.
He did the same from a second penalty on the re-start and the ball was moved upfield for Quinn to make it 1-8 to 0-4.
However Sean Kelly, who had been having a fine game for the Convent, saw red in the 37th minute and Carrick scored six of the next seven points, with Andrew Woods and Sean McEnaney in fine shooting form.
Woods then goaled, but Quinn and Cassidy responded, only for McEnaney to put his side ahead again, and the game finished in a welter of excitement.
St Ronan’s Lurgan 4-9 St Paul’s Bessbrook 1-6
Nothing during the first half of the Armagh derby in Dromintee suggested that St Ronan’s would comfortably defeat St Paul’s, Bessbrook.
Indeed, the latter led 0-4 to 0-3 at the break with St Ronan’s free-taker Aidan McConville breaking his collar-bone. Bessbrook moved further ahead with a Shea Loye long-range effort on the re-start.
St Ronan’s then hit an unanswered 2-3 within nine minutes to take control, the goals coming from Kevin McAlinden and Jamie Haughey.
Although Loye responded with a goal for Bessbrook, McAlinden went on to complete his hat-trick and win the tie for St Ronan’s, 4-9 to 1-6.
Abbey CBS 3-16 St Patrick’s, Dungannon 0-5
In the other game, Abbey CBS shot up the rankings of contenders with a comprehensive 3-16 to 0-5 demolition of visiting St Patrick’s Academy.
Strong in many areas of the field, Conor Fox and Blain McGrath kept Abbey on the attack and Ronan Fegan delivered five of the first half points that saw them pull ahead 0-8 to 0-2 at the break.
The game was put beyond doubt when Blian McGrath goaled in the 36th minute.
Lorcan Forde and Niall Courtney also hit the net during the fourth quarter to leave the Academy with a lot of work ahead of Thursday game with St Ronan’s.
