Danske Bank Foresters’ Cup final: Cushendun, Wednesday 4pm
Cross and Passion, Ballycastle v St Killian’s, Garron Tower
There is something about the Danske Bank Foresters’ Cup that brings the best out of the hurlers of St Killian’s, Garron Tower.
The school will appear this afternoon in a sixth Foresters’ final in the last seven years when they attempt to dethrone holders Cross and Passion, Ballycastle.
Mind you those appearances haven’t always been translated into success with only the first two, back in 2011-12, bring home the silverware.
In this age-group, St Patrick’s, Maghera had been the team to beat down the school, but in the semi-final Ballycastle pulled them apart for a three points’ victory that was a little more comfortable than the 1-12 to 2-6 score-line suggests.
Maghera scored 2-2 of their total in the first seven minutes of the second half to turn a four points’ half time deficit into a four points’ lead. But that was their last score as the Ballycastle defence re-grouped and Loughgiel pair Cathal Hargan and Enda óg McGarry cut out the supply to Callum Murray.
Michael O’Boyle picked up a lot of ball around midfield and picked off a few scores, although the main scoring threat was the impressive Seamus McAuley shifting between full-forward and centre-forward.
Overall the most impressive point about the semi-final was the comeback and how well they game-managed the final 20 minutes.
St Killian’s, who drew their group game with Cross and Passion, bowled over St Mary’s, Belfast in the other semi-final last Thursday with a whirlwind start that saw them score 1-3 in the first five minutes and they were 2-5 to 0-1 up by the 8th minute with Oliver Kearney scoring both goals.
Indeed Kearney went on to shoot 2-3 from play, running midfielder Ciaran Black close for Player of the Match, while John McAllister, Ronan McAteer and Fiontan McQuillan all stepped up to the mark in a 4-18 to 3-8 win.
The Tower though are a young team and nine of them played in the Leonard Cup final (a year group lower) at the end of January when they lost to Cross and Passion with Michael O’Boyle scoring a glorious late point for victory.
If they can contain the scoring threat posed by O’Boyle and McAuley they have a good chance of taking this title – but they will probably need Kearney to hit his semi-final form in front of the nets, and be disciplined enough not to give away soft frees.
Probable teams:
Cross and Passion : K McAuley, M McClean, E óg McGarry, R Laverty, C McGlynn, C Hargan capt, D Devlin, C McKinley, S Brogan, M O’Boyle, E Laverty, R McMullan, J McToal, S McAuley, O McGrath.
Subs : R Millar, C O’Mullan, T Smyth, F McKiernan, C McCormick, C Henry, D McIntyre
St Killian’s : James McAllister, D Kearney, L McLoughlin, M Emerson, P McKeegan, John McAllister capt, A Scullion, A Ritson, C Black, R McAteer, C Magill, C Hynds, P McKillop, O Kearney, F McQuillan.
Subs : S McDonnell, S O’Boyle, E McSparran, C Kilgore, D Magill
