Maghera edge past Gaelcholaiste Dhoire in opener

St Patrick’s edge past Gaelcholaiste Dhoire in Mageean Cup derby opener

St Patrick’s Maghera 2-21 Gaelcholaiste Dhoire 2-17

Fourteen-time champions St Patrick’s Maghera survived a massive scare to edge past Dungiven rivals Gaelcholáiste Dhoire on a scoreline of 2-21 to 2-17 in the Danske Bank Mageean Cup Group B Round 1 clash, played before a huge crowd at Páirc Chaoimhín Uí Loinsigh on Saturday afternoon.
In a dramatic finale, St Patrick’s clawed their way back from eight points down to secure a precious opening two points in their bid to capture their first Ulster Senior A Hurling Championship since last lifting the Danske Bank Mageean Cup in 2017.

The game was a repeat of last year’s quarter-final, when the Maghera men coasted to a resounding 3-15 to 0-6 victory in what was Gaelcholáiste’s first-ever season at this level.
However, this encounter was anything but a repeat, with the Derry newcomers firmly in control for long stretches until the closing stages. The introduction of super-sub Pádraig O’Kane completely turned the game on its head, the Kevin Lynches starlet firing 1-3 to swing the balance back in favour of the Maghera heavyweights.
Both sides were backboned by a strong Kevin Lynches contingent, with the quartet of O’Kane, Ó hÉireamhóinn, Emmet Óg Mac Íomhaire, and Peadar Pio Ó Duibhne accounting for a combined total of 3-19.

Ballinascreen’s Jude O’Conaire gave Gaelcholáiste’s challenge the perfect boost when he found the net in the seventh minute, putting the Dungiven men 1-3 to 0-2 ahead. O’Conaire, Emmet Óg Mac Íomhaire, and Cathair Ó Baoil stretched the lead to eight by the quarter-hour mark with well-taken points from play.
St Pat’s scoring drought was finally broken in the eighteenth minute by a brace from Peadar Pio Ó Duibhne and was followed by a tidy effort from Slaughtneil’s PJ Glover.
Dylan Ó hÉireamhóinn was unerring from placed balls throughout for the Dungiven men, finishing with an impressive tally of 0-12. He clipped over two frees to round out the half for Gaelcholaiste.
However, St Pat’s responded with four unanswered points from Fionn Cartin and Odhrán Doherty to leave O’Conaire’s early goal as the difference at the break, the scoreboard reading 1-10 to 0-10 in Gaelcholáiste’s favour.

Mac Íomhaire buried Gaelcholáiste’s second goal of the afternoon midway through the second half to push the gap to six, with the score standing at 2-13 to 0-13. However, a fortuitous strike from Peadar Pio Ó Duibhne clawed the fourteen-time champions back into contention, leaving just a goal between the sides.
Gaelcholáiste will rue their wastefulness, with O’Conaire going close to finding the net on a couple of occasions before the introduction of Pádraig O’Kane changed everything. The powerful inside forward completely transformed the game, hitting three points from play before rattling the net with a late goal to edge St Pat’s in front with just minutes remaining.
As the clock ticked into the red, a dropping free was expertly saved by Donnacha Collins, and the final whistle blew on a landmark Derry schools derby.
Both sides will now face the reigning Mageean and All-Ireland B champions, Cross and Passion Ballycastle, in their respective final group games. St Pat’s will take on the Antrim men next Tuesday, knowing that a win would likely secure their direct passage to the semi-final stages.

While his side fell short in the end, Gaelcholáiste manager and two-time All-Ireland club winner with Cuala, Cian Waldron, reflected on the significance of the game beyond the final scoreline.
“I thought we really put it up to them, but it was a fantastic game. There was a huge crowd here to watch it, and we’ve never led St Pat’s in a Mageean Cup game before, so it’s brilliant for Derry hurling,” he said.

“St Pat’s are a really strong team, and the result today lets our lads know that they are in with a chance. It’s only our second year playing in the Mageean Cup, and we know it’s going to be a really tight championship. This was a brilliant game for Derry hurling, and we now know that we are not far off it.
St Patrick’s Maghera: Donnacha Collins (Lavey), Odhran Burke (Banagher), Ultan McCloskey (Kevin Lynches), Conor McKenna (Kevin Lynches), Daithi McCloskey (Kevin Lynches), Odhran Doherty (Slaughtneil), Cailean Gallagher (Kevin Lynches), Niall McNicholl (Kevin Lynches), PJ Glover (Slaughtneil), Cathal McCloskey (Slaughtneil), Darragh O’Neill (Kevin Lynches), Rian Collins (Lavey), Sean O’Kane (Kevin Lynches), Fionn Cartin (Banagher), Peadar Pio O Duibhne (Kevin Lynches)

Scorers: Padraig O’Kane 1-3, Rian Collins 0-6 (5fs), Peadar Pio O Duibhne 1-3, Fionn Cartin 0-4, Sean O’Kane 0-1, PJ Glover 0-1, Odhran Doherty 0-2, Cailean Gallagher 0-1
Gaelcholáiste Dhoire: Caomhan Ó hÉireamhóinn (Kevin Lynches), Dylan Ó Ceallaigh (Ballinascreen), Lorcan Ó Muirí (Ballinascreen), Déaglán Ó Ceallaigh (Kevin Lynches), Cormac Ó Catháin (St Finbarrs), Daire Ó Lochlainn (Swatragh), Killian Ó Dubhghaill-Ó Cinnéide (Ballinascreen), Oisin Mag Uiginn (Slaughtneil), Conan Ó Giolláin (Kevin Lynches), Dylan Ó hÉireamhóinn (Kevin Lynches), Emmet Óg Mac Íomhaire (Kevin Lynches), Cathair Ó Baoill (Slaughtneil), Aaron Mag Uiginn (Kevin Lynches), Ciaran Ó Muirí-Mac Uilliam (Ballinascreen), Jude Ó Conaire (Ballinascreen)

Scorers: Dylan Ó hÉireamhóinn 0-12 (11fs), Emmet Óg Mac Íomhaire 1-1, Cathair Ó Baoill 0-2, Jude Ó Conaire 1-2

Referee: Tarlach Conway (Ballinascreen)

 

By Éanna Mackey