Ballycastle Over the Line

Danske Bank Mageean Cup quarter-final:

Cross & Passion Ballycastle 3-20 St Mary’s CBGS Belfast 3-18 (A.E.T.)

Cross & Passion College booked a Danske Bank Mageean Cup semi-final meeting with St Louis in two weeks’ time when the edged out St Mary’s CBGS in Thursday’s quarter final at Quinn Park Ballymena. In a great game the Ballycastle school needed a late scoring burst from centre-forward Oisins McCallin to get them over the line in the second period of extra time.

The side ended level at the end of normal time, after a great equalising point from man of the match Sean Og McLaren as both teams matched each other score for score down the finishing straight. The Ballycastle school held a slender one point lead (3-17 to 3-16) at half time in extra time and it looked anyone’s game, but McCallin showed his class, despite not being in his best form, to nail four points and secure a semi-final meeting with St Louis Ballymena.

St Mary’s started the game really well and an early goal from Lewis Rafferty gave them a perfect start, but they missed a few golden chances to stretch their advantage as five shots were off target, all of them from very scoreable positions. CPC finally settled into the game and full forward Cadhan Crawford had them level when he found the net at the other end, but St Mary’s pushed on again with points from Reece McMorrow and Jay Gault and though Cahdan Crawford pulled a point back, two superb points from Sean Og McLaren saw them open up a three point gap by the end of the opening quarter.

CPC knuckled down and fired over four of the next five points, two of them from Logan McConville, to bring them level, before Cadhan Crawford grabbed his second goal of the game to open up a three point gap. At this stage it looked like the north Antrim side were getting on top but CPC hit back with points from Boyle, Rafferty and McLaren to tie things up again. A well judged pass by Paidi O’Kane set up McCallin for his team’s third goal, but once again the Belfast boys found an instant response and Rafferty grabbed his second goal to cut his team’s arrears to just two points at the short whistle. (3-08 to 2-07)

An early CPC point was followed by a goal by second half substitute Cormac McCann and the scores were tied again, and even though CPC were continuing to create chances they were denied on a couple of occasion by Eoghan Millar in the St Mary’s goal, though the CPC players may have been more production taking the simple points on offer.

The final eight minutes of the game saw an amazing shoot-out as the lead switched to and fro, each team hitting five apiece, and many of them right out of the top drawer. Charlie McAuley got two for CPC, Cadhan Crawford one and Oisin McCallin one, while Jay Gault and Oisin McLaren got two apiece for St Mary’s. McAuley’s second point in injury time looked like it would get CPC over the line but Sean Og McClaren caught Eoghan Millar’s long poc-out and tied things up to take a brilliant game to extra-time.

When St Mary’s led at half time in extra time they must have felt it was going to be their day but McCallin’s scoring burst in the second ten minute period got the holders over the line.

Darren Delander who had a great game at midfield for St Mary’s
CPC: R McShane, E Johnston, L Smyth, A Gillan, O Donnelly, D Kinney, L Connolly, L McConville 0-2, O Connolly, C Johnston 0-1, O McCallin capt 1-8 (0-7 fs), R McQuaid, P O’Kane 0-1, C Crawford 2-5 (0-2fs), E McKendry 0-1.

Subs used: C McAuley 0-2, C McCaughan

St Mary’s: E Millar, O McAuley, J Ward, E Kearney, G Maguire, C Wilson capt, D Jemfrey, D Delander, J Gault 0-5, S óg McLaren 0-6, B McMorrow 0-1, O Boyle 0-1, O McLaren 0-2 (1f), L Rafferty 2-1, F McKinney.

Subs used: C McCann 1-0, C Dempsey 0-1

 

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Pictures by John McIlwaine

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