THE dates and venues have been announced for three of the quarter-final play-offs in the MacRory Cup.
Teams that finished in second place in their qualification groups automatically get choice of venue and St Colman’s, Newry – with a record 19 titles – will play in Páirc Esler on Friday, January 18 (2pm) against Holy Trinity, Cookstown.
Holy Trinity are making their MacRory Cup bow this season after collecting the MacLarnon Cup for the first time last March and then adding the Paddy Drummond Cup in April in Croke Park.
The Cookstown school survived an eliminator against St Paul’s, Bessbrook at the end of November, coming through 1-11 to 1-10.
Mark Devlinmissed that game after being sidelined following a red card in their last group game against Maghera, while full-back Caolan Mulgrew was black-carded in the first few minutes. Holy Trinity should be back to full strength for the visit to Newry.
There are two quarter-final play-offs the following Wednesday with St Macartan’s, Monaghan facing Abbey CBS, Newry in Clones (2pm).
The other game, between holders St Ronan’s, Lurgan and Patrician, Carrickmacross is still in search of a venue.
Abbey were the surprise packets of the eliminators at the end of November. They produced a white-knuckle ride in the Loup before sending last season’s beaten finalists St Mary’s, Magherafelt packing on a 1-7 to 0-9 scoreline.
The last of the play-offs will have a noon throw-in in O’Donnell Park, Letterkenny on Saturday, January 26 with St Eunan’s hoping that home advantage will help them put St Patrick’s Academy to the sword.
St Eunan’s impressed for the most part in their qualification group, winning against Carrickmacross and Bessbrook, but falling by a margin of three points to St Patrick’s, Armagh.
The Academy came third in a tough group in which they lost to Enniskillen and St Colman’s (the latter despite hitting 1-18).
But they did beat Abbey CBS in their opening game and returned to winning ways at the end of November with a very comfortable 7-20 to 0-7 win over St Mary’s CBGS, Belfast.
The winners of the four games will go through to the quarter-finals to be played between Wednesday, February 6 and and Saturday, February 10, with Omagh CBS; St Patrick’s, Armagh; St Michael’s, Enniskillen and St Patrick’s, Maghera already qualified.
Meanwhile the quarter-finals of the three other senior competitions – the Danske Bank Markey, O’Doherty and Ward Cups, will take place over the course of the week beginning Monday, January 14.
The Danske Bank MacLarnon Cup quarter-finals are scheduled for the week beginning January 28.
