Ulster College’s-Gallagher Cup semi-final
St. Louis 10-15 Cross & Passion 1-6
Loughgiel’s Ronan McCollum was the star of the show as St. Louis Ballymena proved much too strong for a Cross & Passion side who, to their credit never gave up, in this Gallagher Cup semi-final played at Loughgiel today.
The excellent number 13 led the Ballycastle defence a merry dance to finish with a personal tally of 6-7, showing outrageous skill in the execution of a couple of them. He was just one of a lively Kintullagh attack with Oisin McCamphill, Tom McFerran, Dara Martin and TP McGurk carrying the game to Cross & Passion and all finding the net.
The game was as good as over at half time when the Ballymena side led 7-7 to 1-4 but that scoreline doesn’t do credit to Cross & Passion who missed a first half penalty while Ciaran McQuillan in the St. Louis goals pulled off a couple of excellent saves.
Ronan McCollum got St. Louis off to a good start with an early goal and followed with a point before Dara Kelly responded with Cross & Passion’s opening point with five minutes gone. The Ballymena side were slowly taking control however and goals from TP McGurk and Ronan McCollum saw them move 3-4 to 0-3 ahead at the end of the opening quarter.
Kevin O’Boyle drives St. Louis home from mid-field
The St. Louis defence was giving nothing away with Kevin O’Boyle driving them forward from mid-field while McCollum continued to split the posts both from play and from the placed ball while Jack McCloskey, TP MGurk and Oisin McCamphill all found the target with Conal Elliott and Tiernan Heggarty replying for Cross & Passion.
Ronan McCollum showed great persistence to score his side’s fourth goal after the Ballycastle defence failed to clear and he was to add two more before half time to put the game out of reach of the opposition.
Dara Kelly did manage to breech the St. Louis defence when he fired his free through a crowded goalmouth with four minute of the half remaining and a Liam Mullen point concluded their first half scoring.
There was no respite for the Ballycastle side after the break though they never stopped battling but Jack McCloskey extended the St. Louis lead with a point in the third minute and Ronan McCollum added two more from frees by the 10th minute.
Dara Martin, St. Louis breaks clear of Charlie O’Hagan and Odhran Donnelly, Cross & Passion
Dara Martin got in for a 12th minute goal as large gaps began to appear in a tiring Cross & Passion defence and as the Ballymena side continued to press Oisin McCamphill fired home goal number nine as the floodgates opened.
Kevin O’Boyle, who had worked tirelessly throughout got the point his efforts deserved with Oisin McCamphill adding two more and Ronan McCollum put the icing on a great personal performance with his sixth goal.
St. Louis will now meet St. Patrick’s Maghera in next week’s final and they are sure to face a much stiffer test from a side who defeated a fancied St. Killian’s Garron Tower in yesterday’s other semi-final. The Maghera side had a member of the management team at today’s game and will have marked McCollum down as someone in need of special attention.
St. Louis: Ciaran McQuillan, Tony McCann, Pearse Patterson, Conan McAuley, Sean Moore, Aodhan McGarry, Conor Laverty, Dara Patterson, Kevin O’Boyle (0-1), Tom McFerran (1-1), Oisin McCamphill (1-3), Darra Martin (1-1), Ronan McCollum (6-7), T.P. McGurk (1-1), Jack McCloskey 0-2. Subs Used: Cahir Gormley, Conor Duffin, Tyrone Mitchell (0-1), Niall McIlhatton, Luke McFerran, Niall McIlhatton
Cross & Passion: Mark Christie, Cathair Donnelly, Conin Shanden, Charlie O’Hagan, Tiago McGarry, Odhran Donnelly, Somhaile Mallers, Kieran McGarry, Liam Mullen (0-2), Dara Kelly (1-1), Conal Elliott (0-1), Tiernan Heggarty, Oisin Healy, Ben O’Kane, Ciaran McToal
Referee: Sean McGuigan (Slaughtneil)
St. Louis star performer, Ronan McCollum who scored 6-7 against Cross & Passion