THE Danske Bank MacRory Cup should have seen a full round of fixtures last week, but when it came to the crunch only the Armagh derby in Group D took place, with St Patrick’s comfortably beating St Paul’s, Bessbrook.
The other game in the group will go ahead this afternoon in Drumragh, outside Omagh, when Patrician, Carrickmacross take on new boys St Eunan’s, Letterkenny.
Patrician have been strong contenders for the MacRory over the last three or four seasons and reached a semi-final in that period.
However, this year’s preparation has been interrupted by the Monaghan minor county final between Inniskeen and Carrickmacross going to a replay.
Inniskeen were convincing winners of that replay on Sunday, 5-15 to 1-8, and many of the players from both teams attend Patrician High.
The school won the Brock Cup a couple of years ago and are expected to go well in the MacRory this season.
Many of the St Eunan’s team were part of the set-up that lost last season’s Danske Bank MacLarnon Cup final in a replay to eventual All-Ireland champions Holy Trinity, Cookstown.
They have opted to challenge at a higher level and will want to put in a strong performance today. They might get the performance, but not the win.
Meanwhile, at Killeshil, St Michael’s, Enniskillen will take on St Colman’s, Newry, hoping to get another good start that will bring them the momentum that other teams from the school have used to reach the latter stages of the knock-out competition.
Runners-up in the Rannafast Cup final last year, they have plenty of young quality players if they can only get the big games for the experience.
St Colman’s have not taken a title in eight years now, but they are always a formidable opponent.
This year will be no different and with players like Patrick Brooks, Eoghan Byrne, Tom Close and Declan Stuttard remaining from last season, they will give the title race a decent run.
Enniskillen and St Colman’s are in Group A and the other two teams in the group, Abbey CBS and St Patrick’s Academy, will play on Saturday.
Tomorrow, holders St Ronan’s will open their title defence with a Group C game against Omagh, also in Killeshil with a 2pm throw-in.
Lurgan have just three regulars back in search of a second medal – midfielder Tiarnan Kelly and centre-forward Adam Loughranalong with goalie Luke Mulholland – although both Marc McAfee and Josh Megoran came off the bench regularly in their knock-out games last term.
As champions, other teams will be out to get their scalp, but equally true is that the confidence gained in a run like theirs makes them very difficult opponents.
Mark Hayes, Antoin Fox and Liam Gray will lead the Omagh challenge while there are quite a few with under-age county experience in their panel.
