Danske Bank Casement Cup final: Our Lady’s & St Patrick’s, Knock v St Mary's, Magherafelt
(Thursday, Academy Pitch QUB, 7.30pm)
TWELVE months ago, St Mary’s, Magherafelt reached their first Casement Cup final and had high hopes of taking the title from under the noses of St Louis', Ballymena.
They didn’t, but perhaps it is fairer to judge the standard of that final against the fact that 12 of that Ballymena starting line-out claimed Mageean Cup medals a fortnight ago with a handy victory over St Mary’s, Belfast.
A number of the Convent team that night have now led this year’s squad back to the Casement final with the hope they can finish the job this time around. They are led by Liam Quinn, Kevin Small and Ronan O'Kane, who claimed all but two points from the 2-14 to 2-7 semi-final win over Rathmore Grammar at Quinn’s and Small’s home pitch of Creggan.
The south-west Antrim club won their county minor B title this year and, in total, have six players in the starting line-up in key positions – Conall Prenter in goals, Matthew Rogers at full-back, Dermot Carey at centre half-back and Kaelan McCann at midfield, as well as Small and Quinn. The other main supply of talent is Ballinascreen, with six players, while Slaughtneil and Lavey fill out the team with Dermot Donnelly, Michael Mulholland and James Crawford.
Our Lady’s and St Patrick’s, Knock have flirted with Grade A hurling over the years, but seem more comfortable at this level, although they failed to reach the Kirk final two seasons ago. They still draw quite a few from down the Ards peninsula, including the Coulters – Eoin, at centre half-back, and Cathal and Ryan up front. Between them, they scored half of Knock’s semi-final total in a 2-14 to 2-7 win over St Patrick’s, Downpatrick.
Midfielder Donal Óg Rooney won a Down intermediate medal as a half-back with his club Carryduff this season and he has been one of the driving forces of the team, forming a strong midfield partnership with Bredagh’s Seán Blaney.
St Mary’s are very dependent on their three main players for scores, while Knock have had a good range of scorers.
If the Belfast side contain Liam Quinn, Kevin Small and Ronan O Kane, they will be well on their way to taking the title in their first final appearance. If they can’t, then the Convent could be celebrating a first title.
TEAM NEWS
St Mary’s: C Prenter, D Donnelly, M Rogers, D Kelly, D Carey, P Lagan, M Mulholland, E Conway, K McCann, L Quinn, K Small, E Glass, J Crawford, R O Kane, C Donnelly; Subs: M Nelson, E Kelly, C McCann, A Reid, J McCann, A McAuley, J Kilpatrick, J McAuley, A Hughes, R Keenan, B McKinless, L Darragh, D Cassidy.
OLSP Knock: C McLornan, M McKibbin, E Kelly, M McAreavy, G Henderson, E Coulter, T Murray, S Blaney, D Óg Rooney, C Doyle, G Toal, C Coulter, L McCaughey, P Loughran, R Coulter; Subs: C Sullivan, L McKibbin, A McManus, J Watson, J McKee, S Gilmore, J Hughes, R Woods, L Collins, M Crozier
