Abbey romp to victory setting up Cavan clash

“Abbey romp to victory to set up St Pat’s, Cavan clash”

Danske Bank MacRory Cup Group B round five
Abbey CBS 3-16
St Patrick’s Armagh 0-5

That Abbey CBS beat St Patrick’s, Armagh last night in Burren wasn’t totally surprising. That they sailed through to a comprehensive victory certainly was and it now means that Omagh CBS top Group B as a result of their head-to-head win over Abbey CBS with St Patrick’s in third spot.

Omagh will have a home tie in the last 16 play-off round next week against Patrician High, Carrickmacross, while Abbey also have home advantage against St Patrick’s, Cavan. Armagh though will make the short trip down the road to meet the other Newry side, St Colman’s, while St Paul’s, Bessbrook will travel to Burren next Tuesday to face the holders St Patrick’s, Maghera.

Daniel Carr was the first half goalscorer in Burren last night, his three-pointer coming in the 21st minute.

However, it has to be said that his team were in control of the game well before his strike.

They led by five points before Armagh opened their account in the 14th minute through Ryan McQuade. Although Abbey didn’t score again until Carr’s goal, they took off once more with four points, including two from Diarmuid O’Rourke, to lead by 1-8 to 0-3 at the break.

Armagh scored first in the second half with another point from McQuade but it was their only score until James Daly pointed in the 58th minute.

Abbey had a few early wides before O’Rourke pointed a free and then they seemed to step up a gear.

The next score was a goal from Michael O’Neill, followed by six unanswered points, including three from O’Rourke, and then a third goal from Conal Gallagher, in the 24th minute.

Meanwhile, in last night’s Group A round three encounter, Southwest Donegal succumbed to a 1-11 to 1-6 defeat to St Michael’s, Enniskillen.

The Donegal lads trailed by six at half-time and failed to make any significant inroads in the second half against the Fermanagh outfit.

SCORERS (from Image 1)

Abbey CBS: D Carr 1-1, M O’Neill and D Gallagher 1-0 each, D O’Rourke 0-5 (1f), R O’Hare 0-3, C McGrath and F Toale 0-2 each, K McEntee, O Byrne and J Mahony 0-1 each.
St Patrick’s, Armagh: R McQuade 0-2 (1f), M Daly, C Hughes and A McGrane 0-1 each.

by SEAMUS McALEENAN published in The Irish News

Photo by Brian Hamill