Danske Bank MacLarnon Cup final: Our Lady’s, Castleblayney v Patrician High, Carrickmacross (Friday, Inniskeen, 7pm)
PATRICIAN High School Carrickmacross beat Our Lady’s, Castleblayney by 2-9 to 1-7 on December 10 in a group game of the Danske Bank MacLarnon Cup.
Although both teams qualified from the group for the knock-out stages, Castleblayney’s route to the final should have been the more challenging as they finished runners-up in the group.
Based on their performances in the quarter-final and semi-final, Our Lady’s have made light of that passage and are set to avenge that defeat two months ago in the first all-Monaghan final in this the 62nd season of the competition.
They met St Pius X, Magherafelt in the quarters a month ago. Magherafelt had won their group and were the joint-holder of the cup along with Our Lady’s & St Patrick’s, Knock.
Our Lady’s were always in charge of the game, however, and goals either side of the interval from Max McGinnity and Stephen Mooney moved them clear by 2-9 to 0-5. Close to the end, Caolán Reilly added a third goal for a convincing win.
It was a similar story in the semi-final in Killeavy a fortnight ago when they totally outplayed St Patrick’s, Downpatrick. McGinnity again got the opening goal, Reilly also scored one, while Thomas Hughes took off in the second half with two excellent goals.
The key man, however, was still Stephen Mooney with a magnificent eight points. Overall however Our Lady’s are a slick team who are compact at the back with extra men behind the ball. When they break they do so at pace and neither Downpatrick nor Magherafelt could cope with that pace coming at them.
By contrast Patrician seem to have had a more troubled passage through to the decider. In both knock-out games they had to come from behind to get the victory and in both cases they left it fairly late.
St Louis', Ballymena led them by 0-7 to 0-2 coming into the half-time break. Patrician then took over with quick breaks and held the Antrim side scoreless for 20 minutes to move three points ahead. Although Ballymena then hit back to level at 0-10 each, Patrician pulled away with a late goal from sub Dualta Honey and some well-taken points from the left boot of Cian Conlon.
Conlon fired over another six points in the semi-final against Donaghmore who led by a goal with ten minutes to go. It was a bit of a late show here too with Carrick scoring seven unanswered points at the death to reach the final.
Dylan McConnell also weighed in with six points in the semi, while Honey once again came off the bench to add to the score-board.
Like Castleblayney, Carrick are sound enough at the back although their opponents in the knockout stages seemed to get on top for periods of the game and inevitably there were a few scores leaked. In the Ballymena game most of those came for loose passes or turnover ball in the half-forward line and they were then caught out of position on the break.
If that was to happen against ‘Blayney, it would be fatal. But then again, because of the local rivalry and the fact that the players know each other so well, there won’t be the same lapses in concentration.
At club level, the Faughs have held the upper hand taking the last three minor titles in the county.
Carrick may have beaten them in the group stages of this MacLarnon Cup competition. But when it came to knock-out football, Our Lady’s have looked the real deal. I think they will prove that with a narrow victory.
