Danske Bank Leonard Cup final: Cross & Passion Ballycastle v St Patrick's Maghera (today, Ballymena 1.30pm)
CROSS and Passion, Ballycastle have been the team to beat at this age group after sweeping to victory in the Danske Bank Gallagher Cup final just before Christmas last year.
They were very comfortable winners over St Killian’s in that final, but struggled to put the Tower away in the Leonard semi-final played earlier this week in Cushendun.
However the only period they looked in any real danger from the Tower was around the three quarter mark when Ciarán McCann swept home a goal to close the gap to 1-4 to 1-2.
The earlier dominance of Oisin Connolly and Ashton McGarry had been countered by St Killian’s, but Connolly conjured up the response to that goal by driving his side forward and Cadhan Crawford stepped inside to find the net.
Five minutes later sub Conor Anderson made his presence felt with a brilliant left-hander to the roof of the net.
Maghera though were more emphatic winners in their semi-final a week earlier, shooting 5-14 against just five points from St Louis Ballymena. Indeed the Derry team dominated the first half to lead by 2-9 to 0-3, despite facing into the stiff breeze, both goals scored by Dara Hasson in much the same manner as Dara Kinney did for Ballycastle’s first goal in Cushendun on Tuesday.
However Maghera looked a more powerful unit right around the field with Pádraig O’Kane the general at centre-half back and his brother Seán very effective at corner forward.
Pauric Bradley and Odhrán Doherty should put pressure on Connolly in midfield while the form of Ruairí Biggs and Rian Collins will probably encourage Maghera to use the wings rather than play down the centre into Ashton McGarry’s hands.
Cross & Passion will probably have to start favourites given their success last year. But they will need to improve significantly on their semi-final performance to beat a Maghera side that lost to St Killian’s in last year’s semi-final. The Derry boys looked pretty focussed and I think they will grab their chance this time.
