Danske Bank MacLarnon Cup quarter-final

Fri 1st Feb, 4.30pm in MUSA Cookstown

Our Lady’s Castleblayney v St Louis Ballymena

St. Louis, Ballymena will go into tomorrow’s Danske Bank Mclarnon Cup quarter-final against Our Lady’s Castleblaney as outsiders following a less than impressive league campaign but the Kintullagh lads will not be too worried and if they can produce their A game then they are capable of causing a surprise.

Their group campaign was not impressive with losses to both St Patrick’s Keady and Downpatrick and they come into this game with nothing to lose. St Louis MacLarnon squad finished third in their group in the opening stage of the competition before Christmas.

The team suffered narrow defeats to Keady and Red High Downpatrick, but their preparation was affected by Mageean commitments and Dunloy’s progress in both Minor Football and Hurling. They finished strongly with a 7 point win over Knock to qualify for the quarter final. Since then the boys have been training hard in preparation for the Castleblayney game.

The Monaghan side haven’t exactly set their McLarnon Cup campaign alight either to date. They drew their opener with St Malachy’s  Castlewellan, coming from behind to rescue a point, but then lost to the Derry City amalgamation Cathair Dhoire in the next outing.

Like St. Louis they finished their group stage strongly however with a win over St. Pius Magherafelt before knocking Scoileanna Inis Eoghain off the top of the group with a good win just before Christmas.

They have a number of excellent individuals in their squad with  Robbie Hanratty awarded a school’s All Star while Mark Mooney, Declan Courtney and Jason Irwin are others who can cause St. Louis problems .

The return of their Mageean hurlers will certainly help the St. Louis cause and with Seaan Elliott and Anton McGrath leading their attack they are capable of getting scores. The Dunloy pair will be aided by All Saints Conor Stewart, James McDonald, Oisin Connolly and Aidan Scullion with Eoghan McCusker, Callumn Scullion and Declan Dobbin others who can influence the outcome.

The Ballymena side haven’t fared well against Monaghan colleges in the past but tomorrow’s game provides the perfect opportunity to put matters right and I expect them to push Our lady’s all the way. The action gets under way on Friday 1st February at 4:30pm at Mid Ulster Sports Arena, Cookstown so why not come along and give the Kintullagh side you’re support.

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