Masita Michael Cusack Cup All-Ireland hurling final: St Mary’s, Magherafelt (Derry) v Mitchelstown CBS (Cork)
THE semi-final with Terenure College was a game that St Mary’s might well have lost on another day, but their fighting qualities remained throughout an intense encounter - their reward coming deep in added time when Lavey defender James Sargeant pointed a free to edge his team across the line.
Ulster’s Casement Cup winners have not had the rub of the green since the competition was introduced just short of a decade ago, so winning it was a huge step for St Mary’s.
That they managed it while the footballers were still involved in the MacRory Cup made that achievement all the more impressive. Only three of the hurling team were regulars in the MacRory side – Sargeant and football All-stars Niall O’Donnell and Conhuir Johnstone.
Johnstone was the scoring star of the Casement campaign, with high returns in every game. Sargeant, still a Year 12 student, chipped in with a few long-range frees in each game as well as minding the house at centre-half back. O’Donnell also pushed forward to good effect from half-back.
O’Donnell didn’t feature against Terenure as he is part of Rory Gallagher’s Derry panel, while Johnstone was well-marshalled in Dowdallshill. Johnstone also had to leave the pitch for eight minutes during the last quarter when his team was under the most intense pressure.
That meant that the rest of the team had to step up to the mark, and they all did. A different type of game lies ahead on Saturday.
Not only have the Munster champions been in contention in each final since the introduction of the competition, they have also been high scorers each year.
Mitchelstown CBS registered 1-16 in their two point victory over Athenry in the other semi-final, and seem to be following that tradition.
“We really didn’t look any further forward than the semi-final,” said St Mary’s coach and St Gall’s clubman Niall Burke.
“I was very pleased with how we performed that day - the team gave everything they had and we got over the line.
“Luke Burns broke his finger in the game and played on. He has been in a cast since and I can’t see him making it back in time for the final, which is a pity for him. Other than that we should be at full strength.
“Everyone will have to up that performance for us to have a chance against Mitchelstown. We have good hurlers in our side as well, but it has been the determination and team-work that has seen us through to the final.
“We can ask no more from the boys than to empty the tank as they did in the semi-final.”
