Ulster Colleges Hurling – Danske Bank Leonard Cup Final
Cross & Passion College 6-13 St Killian’s College 1-7
Cross & Passion College won the Leonard Cup at Quinn Park on Friday when they swept aside the challenge north Antrim rivals St Killian’s, Garron Tower. Leading by 0-6 to 0-3 at the end of disappointing opening half CPC hit their stride early in the second when centre forward Conor Donnelly fired the ball to the Garron Tower net within thirty second. The floodgates opened as the Ballycastle school piled on the pressure and the remainder of the half was all one way traffic as CPC full forward Roan McGarry, who had been well held in the first half, took control
Everything he touched turned to gold as he hit five goals inside 25 minutes, as well as adding some excellent point from frees and from play. But it would be wrong to suggest that this was a one man show, for all of the CPC team contributed to a great performance. Full back, Darragh Donnelly, centre forward Conor Donnelly and McGarry on the edge of the square formed a solid spine down the centre of the pitch that St Killian’s could not match.
The Tower boys, who had been excellent in their semi-final win over St Pat’s Maghera, simply could not get going. Hard as they tried nothing would work for them, but to their credit they kept battling to the bitter end, the goal they had been so desperately seeking coming with the last poc of the game.
St Killian’s had plenty of early possession but could make no impression on the scoreboard and it was Conor Donnelly who gave CPC the lead. Despite playing into the breeze the ‘Convent’ continued to pick off the scores and two more from Roan McGarry and one each from Oisin Connolly and Callum Kane had them 0-5 to 0-0 ahead by the 24th minute. It was all of 18 minutes before the Tower opened their account with a Thomas McLaughlin point and when they added two more from Oran McCambride frees thing were suddenly more promising looking. The gap was back to 0-5 to 0-3 and though Roan McGarry got the last point of the half for CPC the St Killian’s boys must have counted themselves lucky to be still in contention at just three points behind.
All that changed 30 seconds into the new half when Conor Donnelly’s goal started the ball rolling for Cross & Passion. Roan McGarry added a couple of points and the gap was out to eight but as McGarry began to run riot the gap widened by the minute. The goals just kept coming as St Killian’s struggled under the pressure and though they got a late consolation goal they must have been relieved to hear the final whistle.
Afterwards Sean Fleming of Ulster Colleges GAA presented the Leonard Cup to CPC captain Liam Glackin as the celebration were soon underway.
Cross & Passion: A Mullan, C McGarry, A Kelly, C Baudant, L Glackin capt., L Magee, R Fitzgerald 1-1, C Cane 0-1, O Connolly 0-1, C Donnelly 1-4, C Johnston 0-1, A Richmond 0-1, R McGarry 4-4 (3 fs), O McCallin
Subs : C Crawford 0-1, C Boylan, A Hughes, C McMullan, R McGilligan
St Killian’s : J McKay, J Kearney, J Scullion, O McClintock, A Campbell, C Ward, A McCambridge, C McIlwaine, C McAllister, M Furey, C Mooney 0-2, D Higgins, F McKillop, O McCambridge 1-5 (4fs), T McLaughlin
Subs: D Douthart, C McNaughton, R McAuley.
