Maghera take spoils in MacRory

Section C

St Ronan’s, Lurgan 1-4 V St Patrick’s, Maghera 0-9

THERE was always the chance that St Ronan’s might break at the end of the game as they had done at the close of the first half and grab a match-winning goal, but St Patrick’s, Maghera had heeded the earlier warning and held out for their second victory in Section C.

Conditions were far from ideal in St Paul’s Park and, in any case, this was never likely to be a game of open football.

James McCooe pointed in the first minute for St Ronan’s, but their only other score of the first half came a minute from the end.

In between, Maghera hit five points unanswered, with two of them coming from midfielder Odhrán Doherty, including a superb one from distance.Maghera were building for a sixth point in the 29th minute when Lurgan broke up their attack and raced down the field for Aodhán Henderson to expertly finish to the net.

McCooe levelled the game at 0-5 to 1-2 in the third minute of the second half, but again there was a long spell before St Ronan’s scored again.

Maghera added another three points through Daragh McGonigle, Marc McGurk and sub Dara O’Kane, with McGonigle’s shot goal-bound brilliantly turned over by Lurgan goalie Liam Carroll.

Although Callum McKerr and McCooe landed late points, Pádraig Haran secured the points for Maghera with a point in added time.

The last games in the group will see Maghera and their Cavan namesakes in a head-to-head to top the group, while St Ronan’s and St Michael’s, Enniskillen will battle it out at the foot of the table.

Scorers

St Ronan’s A Henderson 1-0; J McCooe 0-3; C McKerr 0-1

Maghera M McGurk & O Doherty 0-2 each; C McCloskey (f), G McIvor, D McGonigle, D O’Kane & P Haran 0-1 each