St Pat’s capture the Foresters Cup in impressive style

Danske Bank Foresters’ Cup final

St Patrick’s Maghera 3-19 St Louis Ballymena 0-11

St Louis started Thurday’s Foresters Cup final against St Pat’s in impressive fashion, hitting two points in as many minutes and for a brief spell it looked like maybe they could match hot favourites St Pat’s Maghera. However the Derry boys soon showed their true credentials and by the time St Louis got their third point, St Pat’s had eight on the board.

***Sean Fleming of Ulster Schools GAA presents the Foresters Cup to St Pat’s captain Padraig O’Kane after his team’s win over St Louis in Thursday’s final in Portglenone***

It should have been closer had Fiontan Bradley not been uncharacteristically wayward with his first four frees, but to his credit the Cushendall man recovered well and landed a series of top class scores during the remainder of the game. When he straightened his radar he helped close the gap to just three points but the score that really saw Maghera take a firm grip on the game came from corner forward Dara O’Kane who cut in from the left corner and drilled a low shot to the St Louis net.

**Fiontan Bradley who top scored for St Louis with seven points**

St Louis got the gap back to four again with points from Bradley and team captain Eddie Smyth but St Pat’s pushed on and a second goal, this time from the excellent Ruairi Biggs swung the momentum back in their favour, and when they went in at the break holding a 2-10 to 0-7 lead it was clear it was going to take something special for the Ballymena school to turn things around.

To their credit St Louis did start the second period well and got two early points, but they would get just two more scores for the remainder of the game as St Pat’s took complete control. Playing some great hurling the Maghera side went through the gears, picking off a series of great points with Rian Collins, Niall McNicholl and Padraig O’Kane and Dara Hasson leading the way, while Dara O’Kane got his second goal to put them 17 clear at the end.

St Patrick’s: D O’Kane 2-1, R Biggs 1-2, R Collins 0-5, N McNicholl 0-3, C McFlynn, P O’Kane and D Hasson 0-2 each, O Doherty and D McCloskey 0-1 each

St Louis: F Bradley 0-6, E Smyth 0-2, C McCollum, D McKay and D O’Boyle 0-1 each

St Patrick’s Maghera: O Mulholland, C McLarnon, O Burke, M McMaster, D McCloskey, P O’Kane capt, D O’Neill, N McNicholl, O Doherty, R Collins, P Bradley, R Biggs, D O’Kane, D Hasson, C McFlynn

Subs: F Cartin, R McGuckian, F Hardy.

St Louis: Conal Boyd, Joe McFadden, Aaron Doherty, Rory Blaney, Niall McCloskey, Eddie Smyth capt., Domhall McKay, Seamus McMullan, James McGarry, Eunan Curry, Fionntan Bradley, Caolan McCollum, Dylan O’Boyle, Neil Rodgers, Euan Molloy

Subs used: Cian Higgins, Robert Crooks, Ryan O’Boyle.

Referee: B Toland