Danske Bank Foresters Cup – Ulster Colleges Hurling
St Killian’s full-forward Oliver Kearney whose two early goals set his team on the road to victory over St Mary’s in today’s Foresters Cup semi-final at Allen Park. Pic by John McIlwaine
St Killian’s College 4-18 St Mary’s CBGS 3-7
A quick-fire start by St Killian’s which saw them put 1-3 on the board in the first five minute, an advantage they stretched to 2-5 to 0-1 after eight, saw the Garron Tower boys through to next week’s final of the Foresters Cup at the expensive of St Mary’s today at Allen Park.
Three points in as many minutes from corner-forward Fintan McQuillan, followed by a goal from full-forward Oliver Kearney got the north Antrim side off to a flyer, and though St Mary’s came back with a point from the excellent Dannan McGeough the Tower were in full flow and Padraig McKillop and McQuillan knocked over points and Kearney grabbed his second, despite playing against the breeze.
St Mary’s got themselves back into the game when corner forward Davy McGowan took advantage of slackness in the Tower defence to fire the ball home, and when midfielder Ronan Crossen knocked over two points in as many minutes, they were back in contention.
The comeback ended midway through the opening half when right half forward Ronan McAteer grabbed goals in the 14th and 16th minutes, the first one a fine finish after catching a long delivery just outside the large square and the other struck left sided off the ground from close range. Davy McGowan grabbed his second goal for St Mary’s and Danan McGeough pointed from a free to cut the gap, but two late points put St Killian’s ahead by double scores at the break – 4-8 to 2-4.
As they had done at the start of the game St Killian’s hit the ground running in the second half with two Oliver Kearney points and one each from Pearse McKeegan and Fintan McQuillan. McGeough replied for St Mary’s but three on trot from St Killian’s eased them further clear. St Mary’s came back into the game with some of their best play of the match, but they insisted on going for goals when simple points were there for the taking and the St Killian’s defence were able to scramble them away. The Belfast boys did make a breakthrough when McGowan sprinted clear for his third goal but by this stage the final spot had been decided as St Killian’s go through to play the winners of tomorrow’s second semi-final between CPC and St Pat’s Maghera.
St Killian’s : 1.James McAllister2. Donal Kearney 3. Liam McLoughlin, 4. Mark Emerson 5. Pearse McKeegan 0-1, 6. John McAllister 0-1, 7. Aidan Scullion, 8. Aidan Ritson, 9. Ciaran Black 0-2, 10. Ronan McAteer 2-0, 11. Ciaran Magill 0-3, 12. Cathal Hynds, 13. Pádraig McKillop 0-1, 14. Oliver Kearney 2-3, 15. Fionntan McQuillan 0-7.
Subs : Shea McDonnell for D Kearney (ht), Sean O’Boyle for P McKillop (45), Euan McSparran for R McAteer (45), Callum Kilgore for A Ritson (50)
St Mary’s : 1. Jay Burns 2. Owen May 3. Liam McCluskey 4. Tiernan McKenna 5. Ruairi Murray 6. Dan Murray 7. Eoin Trainor 8. Ronan Crossen 9. Danan McGeough 10. Daragh Dellany 11. Caolan O’Duffin 12. Paul Smith 13. Daragh Murphy 14 Caolan McKernan 15. Davy McGowan
Referee – Owen Elliott – All Saints
Pics by John McIlwaine