Danske Bank Foresters Cup final: Cross & Passion Ballycastle 1-15 St Louis Ballymena 1-12
AN excellent start to the second half helped Cross and Passion, Ballycastle immensely in eclipsing this derby Danske Bank Foresters’ Cup final in Cloughmills yesterday afternoon.
Ryan Hill pointed a free from 45 metres and Michael McGarry quickly added a second point.
Then, in the 34th minute, the pair combined to send livewire corner-forward Conor McBride through for a goal.
Those three scores put the eventual winners 1-13 to 0-6 clear of St Louis, Ballymena, but more importantly it slowed up the latter’s attempts to get going with wind-assistance during the second half.
As he had done earlier in the week, Seaan Elliott threatened to beat Ballycastle on his own, the Dunloy forward accumulating 10 points over the hour, although crucially none of these came from open play.
He broke through on several occasions, most notably just before the break and again 11 minutes into the second half and had the pace to pull away from the chasing defenders, but he carried the sliotar into the tackle and the goal chance was lost.
Nevertheless when he gained possession there was heightened expectation around the ground.
His defence did reasonably well, particularly after the break, but in the 10 minutes before it Conor McBride finished off good Ballycastle moves with well-taken points and in hindsight it opened the game up for them.
Although CPC opened well with the first four points, including a pair for full-forward Ryan McFarline, St Louis and Seaan Elliott had slowed them up and they led by just 0-6 to 0-5 from Elliott after 20 minutes.
Ahead by 0-11 to 0-6 at the break, the early second half onslaught doubled the gap between the sides by the 34th minute.
When St Louis eventually got going they ate into the lead with a series of Elliott frees and singles from Oisin McErlean and Ruairi Mullan, while Michael McGarry split the Ballymena posts in reply.
But time was running out on St Louis – until Eoin Daly pounced on a long ball and kicked the sliotar to the net for 1-14 to 1-12 scoreline with three minutes of playing time left.
However, Ballycastle hit back with Conor McBride shooting his sixth point of the game, a score to give them breathing space and one that also delivered the Player of the Match award, just ahead of team colleagues Oisin McAuley and Tiarnan McGlynn and the mercurial Seaan Elliot for St Louis.
Cross & Passion: R McAllister, C Donnelly, T McGlynn, E óg NcGarry, S McAuley, O McAuley capt., C Hargan, R Hill 0-3 frees, C Butler, M McGarry 0-3, E O’Hara, P Boyle, C McBride 1-6, R McFarline 0-2, R McMullan 0-1; Subs: M O’Boyle for P Boyle (39), S Brogan for R McMullan (53)
St Louis: A Mooney, C Mooney, E McCusker, R McCloskey, E McGrath, C McFadden, R McCann, Shane O’Boyle, E Daly 1-0, P McGilligan 0-1, S O’Neill, O McErlean 0-1, R Mullan 0-1, S Elliott 0-9 (all frees), D McCloskey; Subs: C McQuillan for R McCann (45), J McCoy for R Mullan (45), C McGarry for D McCloskey (53)
Referee: Sean McGuigan (Slaughtneil)
Dalton Cup final: St Patrick’s Maghera 4-12 St Patrick’s Cavan 3-8
A CLINICAL second half display by St Patrick’s, Maghera saw them power their way to the Dalton Cup in glorious sunshine yesterday at the Athletic Grounds.
Trailing by a two points at half-time, Jodie McDermott and Michael Mulholland turned up the heat in the Maghera engine room after the break, while Raymond Dillon and Luke Diamond attacked at will to give the Derry side the drive to go for glory.
The Cavan men struck first with an early Liam McEntee point and a fifth minute goal from the impressive Donal McSorley. Dillon scored the first Maghera point and played Gary Scott in for goal and the sides were level after 12 minutes.
Two Michael Mulholland frees put Maghera two points ahead before Cavan centre-back Ronan Trainor ran through for a fantastic individual point.
Philip Smith capitalised on a defensive slip to drill home a second Cavan goal, but they didn’t make their period of dominance count.
Early in the second-half, Maghera took control with McDermott and Mulholland ruling the skies. The duo also rolled up their sleeves and worked back to track the Cavan runners.
Fergal Coyle crashed home a fine goal in the 33rd minute at the end of a fine Maghera move to put his side ahead. McDermott tagged on two frees as the game began to swing away from the Breffni men.
Daithí Shiels replied for Cavan but as the game went on it was Maghera who grew stronger. Midway through the half, Jodie McDermott slammed to the bottom corner for a third Maghera goal.
Cavan, with McSorley heavily involved, came back with a fight. Ayodele fired an unstoppable shot to the top corner of the net, reducing the gap to just two points with eight minutes to go, but Maghera lifted another gear with a goal from Shea McKenna and a point from substitute Cathal Chambers
Maghera: C Craig, R Dillon 0-1, A McGonigle, A McLaughlin; P McGurk, C Downey, P McCullagh; J McDermott 1-3 (3f), M Mulholland 0-5 (4f); S McKenna 1-1, S McLaughlin 0-1, L Diamond; F Coyle 1-0, G Scott 1-0, C Mullan; Subs: C Chambers 0-1 for G Scott (53), D McGill for P McCullagh (62)
Cavan: C Donohoe, J McBreen, A Butt, O O’Reilly; B Monaghan, R Trainor 0-1, C Smith; P Smyth 1-0, R Ayodele 1-0; C Clarke, E Sheha, D Shiels 0-2; L McEntee 0-1, B Tierney, D McSorley 1-3, (3f); Subs: M McDermott for C Clarke (29), P Kilkenny for E Sheha (53)
Referee: K Faloon (Armagh)
PATRICIAN High Carrickmacross reached the final of the Danske Bank Brock Cup yesterday with a 2-12 to 1-12 victory over St Patrick’s, Maghera
