Corn Uan Uladh semi-final
St Patrick’s, Maghera 3-11 St Killian’s, Garron Tower 2-7
ST Patrick’s, Maghera stayed on course for a fourth successive Corn Uan Uladh title in Lavey last night, but they got a stiff enough challenge from St Killian’s whom they had beaten in the last three finals.
The Garron Tower girls got off to a shaky start and Maghera had already hit two goals and three points before Eva McNeill opened their account from a free in the 14th minute.
Mary Threse McCullagh scored the opening goal and Aoibh Mulholland added a second, while Emma Quinn landed three frees during that early dominance from the holders.
St Killian’s were more settled over the second quarter helped by a goal in the 24th minute when Eva McNeill’s long free was broken for Clíodhna Thompson to hit the Maghera net.
Orla McCartney and Eva McNeill traded late points for the holders to lead by 2-6 to 1-3 at the break.
Thompson, and then McNeill, closed the gap with points early in the second half, but McCartney and Quinn (from a free) cancelled those scores.
Then Eva McNeill drove a shot from long range into the area where Leona Gillan may have got a touch to deflect a second Tower goal to lower the gap to a single point.
Back came Maghera immediately and it took a brilliant save from Laoiseach McNaughton to deny Aoibh Mulholland. However, Emma Quinn pointed the resultant 45. There were another couple of goal chances, but the Tower defence smothered them.
Ten minutes from time, just four points separated the teams. Then Aoife McWilliams caught the sliotar perfectly to score a third Maghera goal and really the result was safe from that point.
Emma Quinn added a free, before Clíodhna Thompson raced through at the other end and her shot went inches over the bar.
McNeill tagged on a point from a free, but Quinn responded at the other end to leave Maghera comfortably through to the final on the second weekend of January.
Cross and Passion, Ballycastle are now the only team that can prevent a fourth successive title coming to the Coleraine Road.
St Patrick’s E Quinn 0-8 (7fs); A Mulholland 1-1; MT McCullagh & A McWilliams 1-0 each; O McCartney 0-2
St Killian’s E McNeill 1-5 (0-5f); C Thompson 1-2
Referee R O’Reilly
