Danske Bank Irish News Cup final: Wednesday 12pm in Galbally: St Joseph’s, Donaghmore v St Ciaran’s, Ballygawley
Two teams with a phenomenal goal-scoring record through the Danske Bank Irish News Cup competition will contest the final today in Galbally.
In their five-match run to the decider, St Ciaran’s, Ballygawley hit the back of the net on no fewer than 31 occasions, while their opponents from St Joseph’s, Donaghmore got the ball over the goal-line 30 times – and yet they conceded 19 and 13 goals respectively in setting up a final that promises plenty of scores.
St Ciaran’s group at the start of the competition looked very strong, but they accounted for Loreto Coleraine before drawing with both Holy Cross, Strabane and St Columb’s, Derry, which, in theory, gave them a tougher path through the knock-outs stages.
But in both the quarter and semi-finals, which were just three days apart last week, the south Tyrone outfit scored 8-8 and 8-4 in seeing off St Louis, Kilkeel and St Joseph’s, Coalisland.
Coalisland was the team to push Donaghmore closest in their league run which also saw wins over Belfast sides, Rathmore and St Malachy’s.
St Columb’s, Derry were expected to provide a stiff quarter-final challenge but St Joseph’s opened up to record a 5-15 to 1-9 win.
That put them into a semi-final Holy Cross, Strabane.
Although the west Tyrone school fired in six goals, and took the game to a second period of extra time St Joseph’s survived with a late goal from captain Conn Sweeney and by amassing an impressive 4-15.
The finalists met in last year’s Oisin McGrath Shield semi-final and Donaghmore prevailed, although St Ciaran’s gained revenge in the JM Murphy Cup later in the summer term.
The main players for St Ciaran’s would be Conor Kerr and Dara Heatherington in defence and the prolific Sean Hughes and Conal Quinn up front, while Donaghmore have had captain Conn Sweeney, Joey Clarke, Conor O’Neill, Ronan Molloy and Leo Hughes all prominent in their successful run.
There wouldn’t appear to be too much between the teams over the past year and a half of schools’ competitions.
There is definitely plenty of scoring power in both camps and therefore the game might well be decided on how well they cope defensively.
In any case it should be an exciting game of open football.
St Joseph’s: C McCartan, J Clarke, C O’Neill, F MacNeill, S Scullion, B Hughes, J Kelly, D Cummings, MJ Mansell, S Canavan, C Sweeney, J McKenna, L Hughes, R Molloy, C Drayne
Subs: M Logan, D Wilson, C Donaghy, JP Coyle, J Corrigan, S óg Coleman, D Quinn, D Devlin, C Cunningham, J McGauley
St Ciaran’s: P Gavin, C Kerr, D McGinley, E Loughran, T McElroy, Conal Quinn, H McGinn, T McGuigan, C Donnelly, C Mellon, D Rafferty, Callum Quinn, C Kane, R O’Sullivan, C McCool
Subs: P Faulkner, D Clarke, P Corrigan, D Hetherington, S Hughes, P McAteer, R McElroy, C McKenna, A Neill
Danske Bank Paddy O’Hara Cup final: Wednesday 2pm in Ballinascreen: Loreto, Coleraine v Dean Maguirc College, Carrickmore
The defining game of the Danske Bank Paddy O’Hara Cup competition was the very first one played in the competition when Loreto, Coleraine edged home against Dean Maguirc, Carrickmore on a 2-6 to 2-4 score-line.
Neither team has suffered defeat since and meet in this afternoon’s (WEDNESDAY) final in Ballinsacreen.
Loreto however had a bit of a scare in the quarter-final from St Paul’s, Bessbrook whom they have met at the knock-out stages at this level and in the Rannafast Cup over the past couple of months in games that fell the way of the north coast school, but could also have gone the other way as well.
In the end it was a 4-11 to 3-12 victory and was followed last week by a more comfortable outing against Our Lady’s and St Patrick’s Knock when Loreto led by 0-6 to 0-3 and proceeded to control the second half with Con Kilmartin, Pearse McGonigle and Conor Mullan all showing up well.
Kilmartin is joined in the forward line by younger brother Felix and another Glenullin player Michael óg McKeown. McGonigle and Mullan both tog out for the Eoghan Rua club who supply four of the six defenders.
Dunloy can claim a further three players to the starting line-out namely goalie Piaras McGarry, full-back Sean Scullion and midfielder Cathair McCloskey.
Dean Maguirc College are through to their first final at this level and they owe a debt of gratitude to the Loughmacrory and Greencastle clubs who supply a total of nine starters and a further eight substitutes to a panel of 24 players.
The Greencastle midfield pairing of Sean Conneely and Micheal McCann has been particularly effective throughout the campaign which included recent knock-out victories over St Joseph’s, Crossmaglen and St Louis, Kilkeel.
The semi-final against Kilkeel was very cagey in the opening half which finished 0-5 to 0-2 in Carrickmore’s favour, but then opened out significantly with goals from David Morris, Mícheál McElduff and Lorcan McGarrity securing a 3-10 to 1-7 win.
Patrick Quinn and James Donaghy were two players who showed up well in both halves and were able to exercise control on proceedings.
There would not look to be much between the sides and both are well improved from the initial meeting.
It should be a very good game with perhaps Loreto’s coach from Eglish (Sean Murtagh) able to use his inside knowledge of Tyrone underage football to guide his charges through to victory.
Loreto: P McGarry, N Moloney, S Scullion, C Coyle, E Morrison, C Mullan, R Close, F Calvert, C McCloskey, C Kilmartin, P McGonigle, M óg McKeown, T Mailey, K Papachristopoulos, F Kilmartin
Subs: C McGillan, E Heaney, D McGarry, T White, C McAleese, E Boylan, P Mullan, O Walton, Z Brzozowski, A McIntyre, E McGonigle, O Clyde
Dean Maguirc: D McCrory, C Kelly, C Cuddy, C McAnespie, C Meenagh, P Quinn, T Teague, S Conneely, M McCann, M McElduff, J Donaghy, Z Devine, D Morris, L McGarrity, M Rafferty
Subs: J Toal, R Dobbs, R Fox, C Kelly, O McCallan, O Conway, J Warnock, K Mulholland, F Corcoran.
