Abbey Vocational reach MacRory Cup final

Last year’s MacLarnon winners maintained their 100 per cent record in this year’s competition as they saw off

Danske Bank MacRory Cup semi-final

Abbey Vocational School 0-12 Southwest Donegal 0-10

LESS than 18 months after entering the Danske Bank MacLarnon Cup for the first time, Abbey Vocational from Donegal town have reached next month’s MacRory Cup final.

They led their neighbours, Southwest Donegal, from pillar to post on Saturday in Fr Tierney Park, Ballyshannon to reach an historic milestone, not just for the school, but for Donegal as well as it’s the first time since 1961 that a school from the county will contest the MacRory decider.

Abbey were excellent in the opening half, playing into the breeze and turning around at half-time with a 0-7 to 0-3 lead. They played the more cohesive football, with Tiarnan McBride and Conor McCahill central to every attacking move, both carrying the ball inside the 20-metre line before shooting or laying off the pass for a colleague.

By contrast, Southwest went for shots from distance that only paid off on a couple of occasions.

Nevertheless, the amalgamated team raised their game after the break and in added time had a chance to snatch an unlikely draw or even a winner.

McCahill opened the scoring after five minutes and then pointed a free that Kevin Muldoon had won. Alex Cunnea responded with a point at the other end, but his team were being pushed on to the back-foot time and again as Abbey made it 0-5 to 0-1 after 22 minutes with points from Oisin Doherty (two) and McCahill.

Aaron Neely hit back with a point from distance before Eoghan Gallagher, one of just two Abbey players not from the Four Masters club, finished a 60-metre run with a point. Cian Gavigan then released McCahill to score his fourth point of the half.

Just before the break, there was a scare for Abbey in their own goal area when a long ball from Shane Callaghan dropped short and Cathal Gallagher got a hand to the bounce to send it over when it could easily have ended in the net.

Southwest needed a good start to the second half and Shane Callaghan gave them one with two early points and then Eoghan Gallagher and sub Patrick O’Donnell swapped scores.

At this stage, Southwest looked to have the upper hand, but Abbey came back with points from distance from Turlough Carr and Oisin Doherty. Then Muldoon did the donkey work for Doherty to put five between the teams.

Although Cunnea responded with a point, Turlough Carr stroked over a free from distance and, with 51 minutes gone and a lead of 0-12 to 0-7, the game looked over.

Southwest, however, surged forward and picked off points from Callaghan (free) and Aaron Neely and then Oisin Diver hit the crossbar with Lewis McCaughan beaten. They just couldn’t get the goal they needed, though, and had to be satisfied with a late point from Danny Brown.

Abbey Vocational C McCahill (1f) & O Doherty (1f) 0-4 each; Turlough Carr 0-2 (0-1f); E Gallagher 0-2

Southwest Donegal S Callaghan 0-4 (0-2f); A Cunnea & A Neely 0-2 each; P O’Donnell & D Brown (f) 0-1 each

By Séamas McAleenan published in The Irish News January 25, 2025 at 9:28pm GMT