St Mary's, Magherafelt .....................0-10 St Macartan's, Monaghan ..................1-5
ST MARY'S, Magherafelt picked up their first points in the Danske Bank MacRory Cup when they outscored St Macartan's, Monaghan 0-7 to 0-2 in the opening half yesterday evening, writes Séamas McAleenan.
That margin at the break was enough to secure the points on a wind-swept pitch with each team playing extra players back in their defence.
The Magherafelt defence was sound and disciplined with Donal Carey, Niall Keenan and Michael Donnelly prominent and St Macartan's only broke them for two points from Eimhin Morahan frees, while three Dean Teague frees were among their own seven first half scores.
Conor Small and Matthew Flood traded points in the low-scoring third quarter, before Monaghan got a glimmer of hope with Morahan converting a 46th minute penalty after Jamie Smyth had been hauled down in the area.
However, 'the Sem' couldn't get any closer over the final 15 minutes with Conor Small pointing twice each answered by first Eimhin Morahan and then Francis Hughes. St Macartan's next game is on Saturday against St Paul's Bessbrook, while the Convent face St Patrick's Cavan on Monday. St Mary's: C Small 0-4 (0-1 free), D Teague 0-3 (frees), T O'Kane 0-1, D Coyle 0-1 (free), P Burke 0-1 St Macartan's: E Morahan 1-3 (1-0 pen, 0-3 frees), F Hughes 0-1, M Flood 0-1