CaCaptains Paul McAreavey (Our Lady’s & St Pats) and Dubhaltach Wilson (St Mary’s CBGS) with referee,  Brendan Toland (lamh Dhearg)

OL&SPK 3-13-1-13 St. Mary’s CBGS

Danske Bank Gallagher Cup

By Kevin Herron

Our Lady’s and St Pat’s Knock turned Group A of the Danske Bank Gallagher Cup on its head with a   3-13-1-13 win over St. Mary’s at Knock this afternoon.

St. Mary’s CBGS travelled across town looking to complete their group stage unbeaten after victories against Cross and Passion and Divis – while Knock were looking to recover from a one-point defeat to Cross and Passion in their opening encounter.

Niall Fallon opened the scoring on a bright sunny day in Knock with a point inside the first sixty seconds, though Eoin Pucci converted a free to level.

St. Mary’s regained the lead with a superb point from midfielder Malachi McCluskey but Our Lady’s and St Pat’s replied again through Rory Corcoran.

For the third time in the opening six minutes St. Mary’s lead as Fallon hit his second point with a dipping shot – though Knock replied for a third time through Jarleth McCollum.

Our Lady’s and St Pat’s Knock took the lead for the first time after eight minutes as full-forward James Clarke popped the ball over the bar to put his side 0-04-0-03 in front.

Dubhaltach Wilson should have levelled the scores up but his free crashed off the large post and out to safety and Knock stretched their lead midway through the half as James Clarke converted a free.

Eoin Pucci hit his sides fourth score on the spin to give Knock a 0-06-0-03 lead however half-forward Niall McGarry ended thirteen minute period without a score for St. Mary’s CBGS and Dubhaltach Wilson then converted a free to make it a one-point game.

Three minutes before the break the opening goal arrived and it fell to the dominant hosts as Jarleth McCollum rifled past Cathair Carberry in the St. Mary’s CBGS goal to put his side 1-06-0-05 ahead.

James Clarke and Conor Boyle exchanged scores before the break but it was Our Lady and St Pat’s who were firmly in the ascendancy at the break – 1-07-0-06 in front.

St. Mary’s CBGS opened the second-half scoring through a Dubhaltach Wilson free though goal scorer Jarleth McCollum responded to bring his tally to 1-02 for the afternoon and restore Knock’s four-point lead.

Full-forward James Clarke then stretched his sides lead with a point and St. Mary’s CBGS were cursing their luck as corner-forward Wilson saw his effort crash off the underside of the bar – though referee Brendan Toland called play back for an advantage at the St. Gall’s forward converted the resulting free.

Wilson should have had St. Mary’s CBGS first goal of the game shortly after but the corner-forward flashed the ball across the face of goal and inches wide.

Instead it was club mate Niall Fallon who flicked the ball into the net from close range after the Knock goalkeeper attempted to bat a clearance to safety and the match was back in the balance as Our Lady’s and St Pat’s led 1-09-1-08.

The pendulum had swung back into the path of St. Mary’s CBGS and the Glen Road side took the lead for the first time since the fifth minute thanks to back to back converted frees from Dubhaltach Wilson.

Though the visitors were forced to defend deep and with ten minutes to go – Our Lady and St Pat’s half-back Peter McAreavey popped the ball over the bar to level the sides for the fifth time in the encounter at 1-10-1-10.

Eight minutes from time Our Lady and St Pat’s Knock scrambled home a second goal as Matthew Dorrian flicked the ball past Cathair Carberry.

Niall Fallon responded with his third point of the afternoon for St. Mary’s CBGS though Rory Corcoran restored his side’s three-point advantage, 2-11-1-11.

Dubhaltach Wilson again reduced arrears but Eoin Pucci converted a free and Our Lady’s and St Pat’s clinched victory as Dorrian flicked the ball to the net for a second time after a scramble in the St. Mary’s penalty box.

St. Mary’s CBGS were running out time and Dubhaltach Wilson could only manage another converted free – his seventh of the afternoon, but it was victors Knock who conjured up the final score through James Clarke as they ran out 3-13-1-13 winners at the full-time whistle.

St. Mary’s must wait on the outcome of the other two games between Our Lady and St Pat’s Knock and Divis and Cross and Passion v Divis before knowing whether they will face a quarter-final clash or advance as group winners to the semi-final.