St Mary’s late show nails Downpatrick

Danske Bank Foresters’ Cup Quarter-final

St Mary’s 5-16 St Patrick’s, Downpatrick 2-15

St Mary’s CBGS scored three goals and two points without reply in the last six minutes to turn this Danske Bank Foresters’ Cup quarter-final in Woodlands yesterday on its head.
Downpatrick played with the advantage of the wind in the opening half but fell behind and it took two points from Fearghal MacManus to level at 0-4 each after ten minutes.
Then came the first goal when Diarmuid Rogan volleyed Dubhaltach Wilson’s cross into the Downpatrick net.
Free-takers Tom McGrattan and Wilson did the business for their teams between then and the break by which time the Red High were just a point in arrears at 1-9 to 0-11.
Ten minutes into the second half Diarmuid Rogan supplied Dubhaltach Wilson and the St Gall’s forward hi the net to give his side a commanding 2-16 to 0-13 lead.
Tom McGrattan got Downpatrick up and running again with a goal in the 45th minute and nine minutes later a scramble in the area around the St Mary’s goal saw the ball fall for Oisin Coulter to nudge his side ahead 2-15 to 2-14.
In a frantic finish Dubhaltach Wilson levelled from a free and then claimed his second goal blasting to the roof of the net after going through one-on-one with McGrath.
Substitute Ruairi Devlin then pointed from a Wilson cut-back and put the game to bed with a goal 60 seconds later.
St Mary’s then won a penalty for a foul on Devlin. Diarmaid Rogan shot was saved by McGrath but Wilson pulled the ball across and Adam Churchill rifled to an empty net to complete the scoring.
The last quarter-final goes ahead on Friday (2pm in Cloughmills) between St Patrick’s Maghera and Cross and Passion Ballycastle who have held the title for the last three seasons.
Maghera had a number of the team involved in Saturday’s All-Ireland football semi-final in Crossmaglen, including Jodie McDermott who led this team to the Gallagher Cup title in May 2018 and scored 2-2 as the team lost after extra time in the Leonard Cup final this time last year.
James Friel, Peter McCullagh and Raymond Dillon are others doubling up on football and hurling duties.
Opponents Cross and Passion were also in action at the weekend, playing Birr in the All-Ireland senior hurling semi-finals and Christy McGarry and Oisin Elliott featured in their 0-14 to 0-7 defeat.
They, along with other useful players such as Ruairí McCormick and James Bakewell, will work hard hoping to hold on to the trophy that has been in the school cabinet now for three seasons.

St. Mary’s CBGS: C Duffy, P Moyes, S Hughes, M McCluskey, F Mervyn (0-01f), N McGarry, P Short (0-01), E McBriarity, C Boyle (0-02), A Churchill (1-03), B McCauley (0-01), D Rogan (1-02), D Wilson (2-05, 0-04f), N Fallon, R Morgan. Subs: R Devlin (1-01) for M McCluskey (HT); M McCluskey for S Hughes (51).

Red High, Downpatrick: R McGrath, O McGrattan, A Rogan, S Mageean, C Lenaghan (0-01), R O’Neill, J Ruddy, F Turpin, M Dorrian (0-02), L McCabe, T McGrattan (1-08, 0-06f), T Connolly (0-01), F Casey (0-01), O Coulter (1-00), F McManus (0-02).

Referee: Paddy Tumelty (Lamh Dhearg)