Danske Bank MacRory Cup
November 12, 2018
Danske Bank MacRory Cup
St Colman’s Newry 4-11 St Patrick’s Academy Dungannon 1-18
DESPITE falling 1-4 to 0-1 behind at the end of the first quarter, St Colman’s Newry recovered to take the group points from this highly-entertaining Danske Bank MacRory Cup tie in Pearse Óg Armagh on Saturday morning.
Once St Colman’s got back into the game with a goal from Andrew Gilmore in the 21st minute, the teams traded scores right up until the 59th minute when Tom Close landed a 50m free to give the Newry side the lead and substitute Adam Crimmons fisted an injury-time point to put them top of Group A.
The Academy played their part in a superb game of football and could easily have taken the points as well. They started well with the goal coming from a good team move; Ryan McCabe looked to have an easy point, but he took the extra step or two and blasted to the net.
That score put them into a six points lead, but it only served to waken up St Colman’s and they then put together some excellent moves to take a 2-4 to 1-6 lead after 24 minutes, both goals well finished by Andrew Gilmore.
In the time remaining before the break, the Academy replied with points from Ronan McHugh, Luke Donnelly and Mícheál O’Neill, but St Colman’s had the last score of the half; the ball looked to be going wide, but was kept in play and from the scramble that ensued Tiarnán O’Hare forced it over the line.
Mícheál O’Neill fisted a point to tie the teams on the re-start and for the next 20 minutes the score-board ticked away for both sides, until Ryan Cunningham found Gilmore in space and he completed his hat-trick to give St Colman’s a 4-9 to 1-15 lead.
Again the Academy hit back and points from McHugh and the two Kilpatricks brought the sides level with time running out. Perhaps a draw would have been the fairest outcome at that point, but Close and sub Crimmons sealed the deal for the Newry side who now have a derby in Páirc Esler on Saturday 24th against Abbey CBS to complete their programme.
The Academy will have to dust themselves down to face St Michael’s Enniskillen four days earlier in their final game.
St Colman’s : Andrew Gilmore (3-1), Tiarnan O’Hare (1-0), Danny Magill (0-3), Tom Close (0-2 frees), Ryan Cunningham (0-1), Eoghan Byrne (0-1), Eamon Brown (0-1), Patrick Brooks (0-1), Adam Crimmons (0-1).
St Patrick’s : Ryan McCabe (1-2), Ronan McHugh (0-8, 0-4 frees), Luke Donnelly (0-2, 0-1 free), Micheál O’Neill (0-2), Neil Kilpatrick (0-2), Shane Donnelly (0-1), Lorcan Kilpatrick (0-1).
