Danske Bank Mageean Cup semi-final: St Killian’s, Garron Tower
2-17 Cross & Passion, Ballycastle 1-15 (aet)
ST KILLIAN’S, Garron Tower are through to their first ever Danske Bank Mageean Cup final after a rousing derby semi-final with Cross & Passion, Ballycastle at Ballymena.
Francis 'Fred' McCurry was the Garron Tower hero with a goal deep into injury-time to bring the game to extra time during which St Killian’s put their stamp on the tie to end a semi-final hoodoo where they lost in two of the last three seasons to Cross & Passion.
It was a tough encounter from the start, but the eventual winners got off to the better start with points from James Morgan, David Kilgore and Ed McQuillan, followed by an 8th minute goal from Christy McLaughlin when he scooped the sliotar over the advancing John Francis Connolly for a 1-3 to 0-1 lead.
Cross & Passion upped the ante though and, despite facing the strong breeze, hit four points in succession - two from Ryan Hill frees - before Ed McQuillan got St Killian’s going again with a point.
A 1-5 to 0-6 interval lead looked vulnerable especially as Darren McGowan narrowed the gap with a Ballycastle point right from the second half throw-in.
However, St Killian’s gradually got to grips with the wind and responded to lead 1-8 to 0-9, before a long ball from Scott Walsh seemed to go all the way to their net.
Declan Smyth from a great solo-run and sub Michael McGarry put CPC three up, but McCurry swept home a very late goal to bring it to extra time.
James Morgan with four scores, three of them frees, put St Killian’s 2-14 to 1-14 ahead at the break in extra time and substitutes Finlay Walker and Sean McKay put the game out of Ballycastle’s reach in the second period.
MATCH STATS
St Killian’s: P McMullan, C O’Loan, L Gillan, C O’Connor, S Magill, S O’Connor (capt.), F McCurry (1-1), D Black, E McQuillan (0-3), R McCambridge, C McAteer (0-1), L Morgan, C McLaughlin (1-0), D Kilgore (0-1), J Morgan (0-7, 0-6 frees); Subs: F Walker (0-1) for C McLaughlin (37), T Scally for C O’Loan (50), S McKay (0-2) for L Morgan (56), L Morgan (0-1) for D Black (70), D Black for F McCurry (75), N Allen for J Morgan (78).
Cross & Passion: JF Connolly, N McCormick, C Blair, O McMullan, D McGowan (0-1), B McQuillan, S Walsh (1-1), C Boyd (0-1), C Butler, C McHenry (0-1), D Smyth (0-1), C McHugh, R Hill (0-7 frees), C McIlhatton, R Molloy; Subs: O McAuley for O McMullan (42), M McGarry (0-3) for C McHenry (48), O Kearney for R Molloy (65), O Falloona for D McGowan (75).
Referee: B Toland (Lámh Dhearg)
Danske Bank Mageean Cup semi-final: St Mary’s CBS, Belfast 0-20 St Louis', Ballymena 1-12
HOLDERS St Louis', Ballymena’s grip on the Mageean Cup was only loosened by St Mary’s CBS, Belfast during the last-quarter of this semi-final after midfielder Sean McFadden saw red.
They still held a single point lead, but they were facing into the stiff breeze in Glengormley and a player down. Tiarnan Murphy popped over a free for St Mary’s and, once Paddy Doyle put them ahead in the 48th minute, the Ballymena resistance was broken.
However for long periods they looked like springing a surprise on a team that has won at ever level through their school careers - especially after Conal Doherty-Cunning moved out of the corner to around centre-forward where he started to fire over points.
St Louis' went ahead in the 15th minute with a goal from Darren McGowan and pushed on to lead 1-9 to 0-7 at the break with Doherty-Cunning raising six flags and his Dunloy club-mate Seaan Elliott landing three points.
St Mary’s worked hard against the breeze but depended on frees from Shea Shannon (0-4) to stay in touch. They edged closer during the third quarter with Tiarnan Murphy now on frees and after the dismissal kept adding the points to eventually avenge last year’s final defeat.
Sean Wilson and Aodhan O’Brien worked well in defence, while captain CJ McKenna got through a lot of work at midfield.
MATCH STATS
St Louis': A Mooney, R McNaughton, C Kinsella, P Graffin, A Crawford, R McGarry, C McFadden, L McCann, S McFadden, A McNeilly, C Neeson, A McGrath, S Elliott (0-4), D Fagan (1-0), C Cunning (0-8, 0-4 frees); Sub: D Mallon for D Fagan (45).
Referee: C Murray (Down).
