Danske Bank Brock Cup final: Wednesday 5.30pm: at Garvaghey: St Patrick’s, Maghera v Abbey CBS, Newry
The wind in one and Niall Toner in the other were defining factors of last week’s Danske Bank Brock Cup semi-finals that delivered a final pairing of St Patrick’s, Maghera and Abbey CBS for the final this evening.
Maghera took a while to break Cavan down in the opening half of their semi-final on Saturday, but eventually they created openings for goals from Sean O’Neill and Charlie Diamond and they led by 2-7 to 0-3 at the interval.
After that they were able to control the wind and Cavan’s best efforts.
Earlier in the week Niall Toner hit 0-13 in a 1-16 to 1-14 win over Newry neighbours St Colman’s after an extra time thriller.
Toner pointed a free-kick in injury time to earn the extra time at 1-10 each and then hit the opening three scores of the added time to give his side control of the tie.
Paddy McCarthy in defence and Odhrán Murdock at midfield also impressed in that derby, while John McGovern (Down U17) and Rory Kearney (Armagh U17) are strong players.
Defensively David Mallie and Orin McKeown have also done well through the campaign.
Mallie is a Killeavy clubman and McCarthy, Toner and Murdock all play for Burren and two clubs supply over half the Abbey starting team, reflecting their success at this level in their respective counties.
Matthew Downey is a big game player for Maghera up front, while his Lavey club-mate Jamie Duggan and Foreglen’s Liam Downey have picked off a lot of scores breaking from defence or shooting from distance.
They were tested defensively by Cavan and stood up very well, admittedly after they had built up a good lead, while the attack is very potent.
As Corn na nÓg champions last year they started the competition as favourites and have so far justified that tag with good solid performances.
Abbey though look defensively sound; in their five games before the semi-final they conceded a mere 2-16 – less than five points per game.
And in those five games their attack hit the net 16 times.
So they will provide Maghera with their biggest test of the campaign.
Nevertheless, it will be a surprise if they do not continue their dominance through the year groups with this panel.
St Patrick’s: C Craig, C Hasson, R McFaul capt,, P McLaughlin, L Downey, L Brady, Jamie Duggan, T Higgins, M Farren, D O’Kane, S Cassidy, C Diamond, S O’Neill, M Mulholland, M Downey.
Subs: E Quinn, L Murray, A McGonigle, L Mac Giolla Fhiondain, R Dillion, R Henry, P McCullagh, C Rogers, J McDermott, B O’Kane, F Diamond, C Downey, S Convery
Abbey: Eoin Hughes, Fiachra McEvoy, Oran McKeown, Patrick McCarthy, Jack Shields, David Maille, Ryan Magill, Rory Kearney, Sean Conlon, Odhran Murdock, Niall Toner, Eoin Reel, Naomh Moninna, John Mc Govern capt., Eoin Loughran.
Subs: A Kelly, Z Murdock, A Markey, D Melarky, F Gregory, J McAloon, R McCarron, R Foster, R McLoughlin, O McClelland, M Morgan, E Mac Kernan.
