Corn Uan Uladh final

St Patrick’s Maghera v St Killian’s Garron Tower at Portglenone

The Corn Uan Uladh Camogie final between St Pat’s Maghera and St Killian’s College Garron Tower will take place this evening at the fourth time of asking. The following preview is by Seamus McAleenan, a man who taught in both schools during his career, first appeared in the Irish News on the day the game was originally set for.

Throw-in time this evening is 6pm

St Pat’s and St Killian’s teams who met early in the season in the final of the Ulster Schools 7-A-Sides blitz in Portglenone

By Seamus McAleenan

ST PATRICK’S Maghera won the first of their 18 Corn Uan Uladh titles in 1987. Since then they have collected an average of one every two years.

For the first quarter of a century after that breakthrough win, St Mary’s Magherafelt were not just their neighbours, but their fiercest rivalry. More recently Cross & Passion Ballycastle collected five titles, while St Louis Ballymena also reached four successive finals. Now a third north Antrim school has emerged to challenge the Maghera supremacy.

Last season St Killian’s Garron Tower reached their first decider with an unbeaten run that included victory over Maghera at the group stages. However they slumped to a 1-11 to 0-4 defeat in the final.

Their run to this year’s final is almost a carbon copy of last year’s; Maghera led them early in the head-to-head, but St Killian’s finished strongly for a narrow victory with Year 11 student Eva McNeill a star turn.

McNeill, younger sister of centre half-back Abi, was a huge presence when the two schools met a couple of weeks later in the Corn Eimhear final, before Maghera’s overall power and finishing put that result to bed.

Both teams are very recognisable from 12 months ago with survivors from the starting teams in double figures for each.

Maghera picked up four All-stars from the trials in October with Cáit Conway, Carla Collins and Orlaith Hull all very prominent in last year’s run to the All-Ireland final. Leah Cassidy, newly transferred from St Conor’s Clady, didn’t feature in the semi-final win over St Louis Ballymena, but should see action this time round.

For St Killian’s Cara O’Boyle and Orlaith McAllister collected a second All-star each while goalie Louise Mulholland also caught the selectors’ eyes.

Throw in players like Eimear Doherty, Eimear Murray and Caoimhe Chambers and Maghera are a formidable outfit that will test St Killian’s defence. That area is arguably the strongest part of the Tower team with Abi McNeill, captain Aisling Mulholland and Laura Black a tough half-back line.

In hindsight St Killian’s would have been happy enough to restrict Maghera to 1-11 in last year’s final. A return of just four points was disappointing. If the Garron Tower attack can get into the scoring groove early in the game, we could have a real thriller.

They should improve upon four points this time around, but you still feel that the Antrim side will need goals to be in with a chance of winning.

Maghera to make it back-to-back titles.