Football

St Patrick’s, Armagh aiming to advance in MacRory Cup but St Colman’s, Newry in form while Coleraine and Ballymena schools battle it out in MacLarnon tie

St Colman's, Newry's Sean McCarthy closes in on Gavin Smith (St Patrick's, Cavan) during the MacRory Cup play-off game at Pairc Esler, Newry on January 28 2017. Picture: Seamus Loughran
St Colman's, Newry's Sean McCarthy closes in on Gavin Smith (St Patrick's, Cavan) during the MacRory Cup play-off game at Pairc Esler, Newry on January 28 2017. Picture: Seamus Loughran St Colman's, Newry's Sean McCarthy closes in on Gavin Smith (St Patrick's, Cavan) during the MacRory Cup play-off game at Pairc Esler, Newry on January 28 2017. Picture: Seamus Loughran

Danske Bank MacRory Cup quarter-final: Wednesday, 7.30pm in Dub, QUB

St Patrick’s, Armagh v St Colman’s, Newry

The play-offs in the Danske Bank MacRory Cup a fortnight ago provided plenty of drama and talking points, but a team that came through with a minimum of fuss was St Colman’s, Newry under the Páirc Esler floodlights ahead of the Dr McKenna Cup final.

Cathal Murray’s charges were put under pressure by 2015 champions St Patrick’s, Cavan for most of the game, but they finished strongly with Rian O’Neill and Jack McCartan central to the unanswered 1-3 in the last 10 minutes that gave them a 2-12 to 1-10 victory.

O’Neill pointed for the lead and then played in substitute McCartan for the decisive second goal.

McCartan added a late point after Eoghan Byrne’s shot came back off the cross-bar and, such was his impact, that it will be difficult to keep him on the bench.

It was a decent performance from the “College”, with Conor O’Neill turning in a good hour at midfield and plenty of movement up front.

They were at home and responded well to the encouragement from the stand, building up some good moves with their hallmark quick football out of defence.

While the object was to get through, one feels that their game will need to improve if they are to make further progress in the competition.

If you were to heed the media, it would seem that Mattie McGleenan’s sole pre-occupation at the moment is to move Cavan football forward having taken over in the autumn after a successive spell with Scotstown.

However also in November Mattie guided St Patrick’s, Armagh, including his son Matthew óg, through to an automatic quarter-final place in the MacRory Cup.

The focus on the quarter-final play-offs in late January seems to have left Armagh coming into this game a little under the radar and adding to that sense is the reality that they are the last remaining team from their league group, with Maghera, Enniskillen and St Mary’s CBGS, Belfast all knocked out a fortnight ago.

Armagh blew hot and cold in the group and they were comfortably beaten in the MacCormack Cup semi-final by eventual champions and county rivals St Ronan’s, Lurgan.

They do have some good footballers; Cathair McGeary and Callan Duffin (Armagh) and Mathhew óg (Tyrone) were county minors last season, while Ronan Moore and James Rice have impressed during the league games.

As a team though St Patrick’s are still an unknown quality.

Of course they are a threat to St Colman’s ambitions, but with a tough game under their belts in Páirc Esler, the Newry school looks to be building for a good run in the competition.

Danske Bank MacLarnon Cup quarter-final: Wednesday 8th, 5pm in Owenbeg

St Louis, Ballymena v Loreto, Coleraine

St Louis, Ballymena lost to St Ciaran’s, Ballygawley by a single point in their last league game, but still qualified automatically for the Danske Bank MacLarnon Cup quarter-final by virtue of a superior scoring difference.

They were last season’s losing semi-finalists and are expected to do well this year, despite losing a fair number of last year’s squad.

There is a younger group coming through the school with experience of A grade football after lifting the Loch an Iúir Cup two seasons ago and they competed fairly well in the Dankse Bank Rannafast Cup before Christmas.

However the core of the team will still come from the Dunloy side that collected the Antrim minor double back in October – guys like Conal Doherty-Cunning, Seaan Elliott and Conor Kinsella.

The latter won a Schools’ All-star in hurling, as did Ryan McGarry. Ryan helped All Saints to an All-Ireland Féile football title a couple of seasons ago and he is joined in the team by clubmate Eoin Daly who is a highly rated footballer in the county.

The attraction into the school of three defenders from the Kilrea team that reached the Ulster minor club final on New Year’s Day is also a serious boost for them.

Opponents Loreto Coleraine will also feature four players who benefitted from the Kilrea minor run – brothers Aidan (in goals) and Conor Gillan, Ruairi Maguire and Eoin McGuigan, while there is a good spread of players from other Derry clubs such as Ballerin’s Shane McIntyre and Glenullin’s Feargal Close along with Dunloy defender Fergal Dillon.

Loreto came out of a competitive enough group but had to face a play-off with St Malachy’s Belfast.

They survived an extra-time test that finished 3-13 to 1-18 in their favour and they will go into this game as outsiders.

They are hoping there might be a sting in their collective tail for Gearoid Adams’ charges this afternoon.

However most of the Ballymena team got a taste of a big MacLarnon day out last year and they should rise to the challenge to claim another semi-final spot.