Danske Bank MacRory Cup play-offs
St Mary’s, Magherafelt 0-11 St Patrick’s, Cavan 0-6
DESPITE losing Éamon Young to a second yellow card as early as the 21st minute of this Danske Bank MacRory Cup play-off game in Rossa Park, Magherafelt, the home side, St Mary’s, went on to ease their way into a quarter-final derby with St Patrick’s, Maghera.
St Mary’s were 0-4 to 0-1 up when Young saw red, but they stretched that lead to 0-7 to 0-1 by half-time by staying on the attack and not allowing Cavan anywhere near the shooting range.
Cavan probably had two half-chances for goals, one early in the game, but it wasn’t until the second half that they took on players and pushed into areas where they could threaten scores.
However, by then it was too late and every time they hit the target, St Mary’s hit back within a minute or two with a point to maintain their advantage.
Conall Higgins opened the scoring from a free in the fifth minute and then pointed from a mark a minute later.
Another minute and Pearse O’Neill opened his account with a point from the left wing after good work from Rory Small.
Cavan didn’t get their first score until 14 minutes in when Darragh Noonan popped over after a goal chance had been closed out. But Cathair McBride fisted another Magherafelt score before Young was sent off.
St Mary’s quickly doubled their lead with frees from O’Neill and Higgins before midfielder James Sargent fired over from distance.
Two Darragh Noonan frees were the only scores of the third quarter, but Higgins responded after another good run from Small.
The exchanges livened up a little towards the end, but St Mary’s pushed on to a comfortable win and have their sights set on Maghera in Owenbeg on Friday evening.
St Mary’s C Higgins 0-5 (0-3f); P O’Neill 0-4 (0-1f); C McBride & J Sargent 0-1 each
St Patrick’s D Noonan 0-5 (0-4f); B Tully 0-1
Our Lady’s, Castleblayney 1-11 St Colman’s, Newry 0-12
THERE was high drama at the end of this game in Castleblayney on Saturday afternoon as Our Lady’s held on to defeat St Colman’s in a keenly contested encounter.
With the game in the final minute of the four additional minutes that were allotted, the Newry lads were awarded a penalty and the chance to bring the contest to extra-time but Dara Mussen sent his spot-kick over the bar.
St Colman’s were the livelier of the two sides in the opening 10 minutes and that was reflected on the scoreboard as they picked their opponents off on the counter-attack to land four unanswered points through Mussen (2), Ryan Duffy and Corey Clerkin.
The rest of the half, though, belonged to Castleblayney as they outscored their opponents 0-9 to 0-1 to the break. Max McGinnity converted five frees with Conor Burns, Mattie Duffy, Bobby McCaul and Evan Treanor on target from play.
Three minutes into the second half, McCaul finished off a flowing move to the net and Our Lady’s looked to be well on their way to the last eight.
To their credit, though, Colman’s hit back with points from Mussen, Aaron Haughey and Patrick Woods to leave them only three behind, despite having Ross Marsden red-carded in the 47th minute.
Carrickmacross lifted the siege with excellent points from ‘keeper Jamie Mooney and Canice Murphy but scores from Mussen and Clerkin left the outcome in doubt until that penalty miss with the last kick.
Our Lady’s M McGinnity 0-5f; B McCaul 1-1; C Burns, M Duffy, E Treanor, J Mooney & C Murphy 0-1 each
St Colman’s D Mussen 0-7 (0-3f, 0-1 pen); C Clerkin 0-2, R Duffy, A Haughey & P Woods 0-1 each
Patrician, Carrickmacross 5-3 St Macartan’s, Monaghan 1-8
THIS local derby turned completely on its head 10 minutes either side of half-time at Gavin Duffy Park on Saturday afternoon when Patrician High hit four goals to help them see off the challenge of St Macartan’s.
By the 22nd minute, St Macartan’s looked to be in complete control of things as they held a 1-4 to 0-1 advantage and were full value for it.
The towering Ethan Ballnetine palmed in a 17th-minute goal to go with his brace of points in the opening quarter with Eoin O’Hanlon and Tom Doherty also on target.
By that stage, all Carrickmacross had to show for their efforts was a long-range Matthew Carolan free but when Luke Povall found the net just before the break it gave them an undoubted lift as they only trailed by three.
Conor Jones split the posts within 20 seconds of the restart and the floodgates opened as defender Conor Meehan had a brace of goals and Carolan also found the net.
Carrickmacross’s tactic of defending in numbers and breaking at pace were crucial in them turning things around, with half-back duo Tomas Quinn and Pakie Doogan to the fore. David Duffy finally opened a shell-shocked Macartans’ second-half account with Sean Og McElwain adding a brace of frees, but Patrician ran out deserving winners with Darren McNally palming to the net in the final attack.
Patrician C Meehan 2-0; M Carolan 1-1 (0-1f); L Povall & D McNally 1-0 each; C Jones & C Burns (f) 0-1 each
St Macartan’s E Ballnetine 1-3 (0-2x45); S Og McElwain 0-2f; E O’Hanlon, T Doherty (m) & D Duffy 0-1 each
St Ronan’s, Lurgan 2-8 Abbey CBS, Newry 2-9
SUB Darragh Saul was the Abbey CBS hero as he held his nerve to convert a free with the last kick of the game to beat St Ronan’s, Lurgan at St Paul’s in Lurgan on Friday evening.
St Ronan’s enjoyed a good start to the contest with early goals from Maitiua McGibbon and Jack Laverygiving them a 2-2 to 0-5 half-time lead.
The second half proved to be a thrill-a-minute as two goals from Conall McGeough saw the lead change hands.
It was anybody’s game and with the contest in the 68th minute it looked set for extra-time until that last-gasp free sent Abbey CBS into the last eight, where they will meet St Joseph’s, Donaghmore.
Quarter-finals (January 9-14)
St Joseph’s, Donaghmore v Abbey CBS, Newry
St Patrick’s, Maghera v St Mary’s, Magherafelt
Omagh CBS v Our Lady’s, Castleblayney
Patrician, Carrickmacross v St Patrick’s, Dungannon
