Leonard Cup semi-final
St. Louis Ballymena 7-17 Cross & Passion 2-1
A Ronan McCollum inspired St. Louis had just too much know how and fire power for a young inexperienced Cross & Passion in this Leonard Cup semi-final at cold but sunny Cloughmills this evening.
The Loughgiel youngster contributed 2-7 of his sides total and with Oisin McCamphill, Pearse Patterson and Jack McCloskey was a constant threat to an over worked Cross & Passion defence throughout.
The Kintullagh lads had this one put to bed by half time when they led 3-10 to 1-0 and they went on to add another 4-7 in the second half despite the best efforts of the Ballycastle side for whom Mark Christie in goals, Tiernan Heggarty, Conin Sheridan, Darragh Kelly, Oran Donnelly and Liam Walker gave it everything.
St. Louis hit the first three points of the game through Pearse Patterson, Ronan McCollum and Oisin McCamphill before going 1-3 in front when a cross field shot from Oisin McCamphill ended in the corner of the net with Pearse Patterson lurking to apply the finishing touch if required.
Ronan McCollum was opening up the Cross & Passion defence with his direct running and he split the uprights with Oisin McCamphill and Darra Martin adding two more to move the Ballymena side 1-6 to 0-0 ahead by the 11th minute.
The Ballycastle side had been under constant pressure but Liam Walker gave them a glimmer of hope when he soloed through to lob Ciaran McQuillan in the St. Louis goal and open his side’s account with a goal at the end of the opening quarter.
The Cross & Passion respite was short lived however as the Kintullagh side came storming back and it took a couple of excellent saves from Mark Christie to deny them and the impressive McCollum pointed a free before adding goal number two with four minutes remaining to the break.
Oisin McCamphill added another before the break with St. Louis leading by 16 points and it looked a long way back for their opponents with the Ballymena side looking to have one foot already in next week’s final.
It didn’t get much better for the Ballycastle side after the break though they continued to battle for every ball but found it hard to penetrate a St. Louis defence where Michael Trainor, Fintan Brady, Kevin O’Boyle and Darra Martin gave nothing away.
They did manage the first score of the half when a long free from Oran Donnelly sailed all the way to the Ballymena net in the 5th minute but the St. Louis response was immediate as Oisin McCamphill hit the net at the other end.
Cross & Passion replied with a point from Liam Walker but it was to be their final score of the game as St. Louis began to turn the screw again and goals from T.P. McGurk, Oisin McCamphill and Pearse Patterson saw them move out of sight by the 19th minute.
Patterson’s goal brought their tally to seven and ended the goal rush but they went on to add a flurry of points with Ronan McCollum, Jack McCloskey, Darragh Patterson, Aodhan McGarry and Tom McFerran all on target.
St. Louis: Ciaran McQuillan, Conan McMullan, Michael Trainor, Fintan Brady, Conor Laverty, Kevin O’Boyle, Darra Martin, Aodhan McGarry, Darragh Patterson, Tom McFerran (0-2), Oisin McCamphill (2-1), Ronan McCollum (2-7), Jack McCloskey (0-3), Pearse Patterson (2-1), T.P. McGurk (1-3). Subs: Luke McFerran, Ryan Thom, Niall McIlhatton, Archie McGreavey, Diarmuid Casey, Tony McCann, Sean Moore
Cross & Passion: Mark Christie, Charlie O’Hagan, Tiernan Heggarty, Cathair Donnelly, Somairle Mathers, Conin Sheridan, Ben O’Kane, Darragh Kelly, Gavin McToal, Conor Donnelly, Oran Donnelly (1-0), Liam Walker (1-1), Darragh Donnelly, Ben McGarry, Thiago McGarry. Subs: Roan McGarry, Eoin McGarry, Liam Glackin.
Referee: Vincent Boyle (Dunloy)
Ronan McCollum who scored 2-7 ion his side’s win over Cross & Passion in Cloughmills today
