O’Boyle Hat-trick sees St Louis into semi

Danske Bank Mageean Cup quarter-final
St Louis Ballymena 5-6 St Patrick’s Maghera 1-9
ST LOUIS Ballymena always held the upper hand yesterday in this tough Danske Bank Mageean Cup quarter-final in Ahoghill despite Maghera opening strongly to lead by 0-3 to 0-1 after ten minutes.
Rory McCloskey was a huge presence at midfield for St Louis with Daire McMullan and Conor Dickson dominant at the back and Shane O’Boyle an excellent target man up front.
O’Boyle had scored that early Ballymena point and the sliotar broke from him in the 12th minute for Colla McDonnell to slot home the opening goal.
However minutes later Ryan McGill cut in along the end line to goal for Maghera. Their lead was short-lived though with McDonnell and O’Boyle pointing for St Louis and a couple of minutes later O’Boyle buried a fine goal.
Maghera closed the gap just before the break with two points from Shea Cassidy, one from play and the other a 65. But they still trailed by 2-4 to 1-5 at the turnover.
Early in the second half Jamie Duggan narrowed the gap with a skilful point and Cassidy from two frees swopped points with Colla McDonnell and Ronan McCollam.
There was a lot of pressure from Maghera during this period, but Ballymena were holding firm and they managed to break for Shane O’Boyle to score his second goal after 48 minutes.
PJ McAleese responded with a point from play but Maghera couldn’t get any closer and the game was up for them six minutes from time when Rory McCloskey converted a penalty goal. The mid-Antrim side iced the cake a couple of minutes from time when they broke from defence again and Shane O’Boyle completed his hat-trick.
St Louis will now play St Mary’s CBGS Belfast in the semi-final next Thursday afternoon, while the north Antrim derby between Cross and Passion Ballycastle and St Killian’s Garron Tower will be on Tuesday. The final is scheduled for Friday 22nd at the Dub.
St Louis : P Doherty, L Mulholland, D McMullan, R McCartney, F Henry, R McCloskey 1-2, 1-0 pen, 0-1 free, R McKillop, C Dickson, E McFerran, R McQuillan, P Dougan, C Scullion, R McCollum 0-1, S O’Boyle 3-2, C McDonnell 1-1.
St Patrick’s : C Henry, D McGilligan, T O’Neill, C O’Kane, J McGurk, PJ McAleese 0-1, S Mckenna, J Friel, J Duggan 0-1, Shea Cassidy 0-5, 0-3 frees, R McGill 1-1, R McPeake 0-1, S Madden.
Referee : Owen Elliott (Antrim)

Thanks to Paddy McIlwaine for the photograph