Danske Bank MacLarnon Cup quarter-final
Abbey VS, Donegal 2-14 Aquinas Grammar 1-5
ABBEY Vocational School from Donegal town sent out a message to the three teams remaining in the Danske Bank MacLarnon Cup with this comfortable quarter-final victory over Aquinas at Garvaghey.
They led by 2-6 to 0-1 at the break and were never going to be reeled in during the second half, despite a penalty strike from Declan McArdle narrowing the gap on the re-start.
For Aquinas it was a tale of two penalties. The first one came after Abbey had taken a three-point lead and might have given them a foothold in the game. However, Daniel McGinty kept his eye on the ball and saved well.
By the time McArdle’s spot kick hit the net after seven minutes of the second half, Abbey were very much in control and were able to kick on with a series of points.
Peter Mulgrew registered the Belfast side’s only score of the first half in the 20th minute, but by that stage goals from Conor Meehan and Conor McCahill had given Abbey a comfortable lead and they finished out the half with scores from Meehan, Senan Carr and Tiarnan McBride for an advantage of 11 points at the break.
The teams had hit two points each before the second penalty arrived. Although McArdle netted, it made no real impression on the scoreboard and Meehan, who finished with 1-7, and the Carrs kept the scoreboard moving for the Donegal side.
While Ben Christie put in a superb hour for Aquinas, Abbey looked to have a good all-round team with Callum McCrea, Kevin Muldoon and forwards Senan and Turlough Carr and Conor McCahill particularly prominent.
The Donegal side now face St Patrick’s, Downpatrick in the semi-final, with Monday the probably date for that. The first semi-final, an all-Belfast affair between last year’s beaten finalists Rathmore Grammar and Our Lady & St Patrick’s, Knock, goes ahead tomorrow in Coláiste Feirste (4pm).
Abbey C Meehan 1-7; C McCahill 1-1; T McBride & S Carr 0-2 each; T Carr & C McCrea 0-1 each
Aquinas D McArdle 1-1; P Mulgrew; J Watson, D Leggett & JJ Huggins 0-1 each
Danske Bank Faul Cup semi-finals
Scoil Mhuire, Buncrana 0-11 Largy College, Clones 2-4
St Aidan’s, Cootehill 2-8 Pobalscoil, Ghaoth Dóbhair 3-4
SCOIL Mhuire, Buncrana and St Aidan’s, Cootehill will contest the Danske Bank Faul Cup final at the start of February after both hit late points to edge through tightly-fought semi-finals yesterday afternoon.
The Inis Eoghain boys looked in trouble in the dying minutes when Largy College goalscorer Caolán Clerkin had an opening to shoot the lead point. However, the ball dropped short and, although Largy picked up the loose ball, they lost possession and Scoil Mhuire broke for player-of-the-match Billy Duffy to hit a superb winning point.
In truth Buncrana deserved the victory having led for most of the game. A goal from Caolán Clerkin in the 24th minute pulled the teams level. However, points from Dylan Mulholland and Duffy saw Scoil Mhuire close out the half to lead by 0-7 to 1-3 at the break.
The Donegal side had stretched their lead with a Mulholland point before Clerkin fired home his second goal midway through the second half. Scoil Mhuire hit back with points from Sean McLaughlin and Conor Graham to move ahead. But Noel McGinty levelled the tie going into injury-time before Duffy stepped up to see them Buncrana through.
Jake White prevented a Donegal double victory when he rescued St Aidan’s, Cootehill at the end of their encounter with Gaoth Dobhair at Garvaghey.
A second goal from Colm Ó Dochartaigh put Pobalscoil Ghaoth Dóbhair three points up with five minutes left on the clock. Cootehill, however, earned a penalty and White stroked it home before adding a late point from play to turn the game on its head.
White had pointed twice in the opening half as his team led by 0-4 to a goal from Crónán Mac Pháidín at the break.
Colm Ó Dochartaigh edged An Phobalscoil ahead with a goal in the 35th minute only for a goal from Ben Brennan to level for the Cavan boys 10 minutes from time.
Ó Dochartaigh’s second strike looked to have given Gaoth Dóbhair the advantage, but White refused to throw in the towel and grabbed the equaliser on 58 minutes and then the winner two minutes later.
Scoil Mhuire B Duffy 0-4; S McLaughlin & D Mulholland 0-3 each; C Graham 0-1
Largy C Clerkin 1-1; N McGinty 0-3; C Greenan 0-1
St Aidan’s J White 1-5; B Brennan 1-1; S Shelvey & A Metlovas 0-1 each
Pobalscoil C Ó Dochartaigh 2-2; C Mac Pháidín 1-0; P Mac Giolla Bhríde 0-2