Forresters Cup
St. Killian’s Garron Tower 2-10 St. Patrick’s Maghera 0-7
Second half goals from Patrick McIlwaine and Seanie McIntosh eased St. Killian’s Garron Tower to victory over a weakened St. Patrick’s Maghera in the Forresters Cup meeting on the 4G surface at Allen Park this afternoon.
Playing into the breeze in the opening half St. Killian’s put themselves in a strong position with Niall McGarrell and Killian McNaughton shooting them into an early lead with points in the 5th and 6th minutes.
Niall Dougan got St. Patrick’s on their way and Peter McCullough added a couple of long range frees with McCullough’s long range striking a feature of the Maghera play but unfortunately a number of his efforts veered wide of the target.
The North Antrim side continued to look dangerous with Seanie McIntosh pointing a 10th minute free and followed with another from play as the Tower continued to enjoy the better of the exchanges and by half time they looked to have put themselves in a strong position.
With the wind behind them St. Killian’s took control after the break with Padraig McKillop pointing a 50 meter free but St. Patrick’s had a great opportunity to get back on terms when they were awarded a penalty in the 9th minute.
Peter McCullagh outpaced the Garron Tower defence but was dragged down by keeper Colum McKeegan who was awarded a yellow card. McCullagh picked himself up to take the award himself but his shot was easily dealt with by the St. Killian’s keeper and cleared to safety.
That was as close to a score as St. Patrick’s got and Patrick McIlwaine got on the end of a long delivery from Jack Leech to finish to the net in the 12th minute and when Seanie McIntosh added another, eight minutes later it was all over.
The Derry College failed to score in the second half but will have another chance of keeping their Forresters Cup hopes alive when they take on St. Louis Ballymena in the quarter-final but on this performance St. Killian’s look serious contenders for the title.
St. Killian’s: Colum McKeegan, Aidan McSparran, Archie McSparran, Ben O’Boyle, Jack Leech, Padraig McKillop, Mark McSparran, Shane McKenna, Odhran Gillan, Seanie McIntosh, Daniel Kearney, Josh Scanell, Patrick McIlwaine, Niall McGarrell, Killian McNaughton. Subs: Ronan Rodgers for Ben O’Boyle, Matthew McCann for Killian McNaughton, Caolan Lennon for Seanie McIntosh, Michael Quinn for Aidan McSparran
St. Patrick’s Maghera: Patrick Reed, Eoin Hasson, Thomas O’Neill, PJ McVeigh, Paul Og Turner, James Friel, Patrick Browner, Setanta McLaughlin, Shea McKenna, Cormac Mullan, Connor Murtagh, Charlie McCloskey, Ben Bradley, Niall Duggan, Peter McCullagh. Subs: Ryan McElhinney for B Bradley, Lorcan McAuley for C McCloskey.
Referee: Eoin Elliott (All Saints)
