Danske Bank Mageean Cup Group B, round two
Cross & Passion, Ballycastle 3-16 St Killian’s, Garron Tower 3-10
Tournament favourites Cross & Passion College secured their place in the semi-final of the Danske Bank Mageean Cup when they beat holders St Killian’s in Tuesday’s round robin game in Cushendun. In a well contested game a strong finish to each half proved the difference for the Ballycastle college, two goals in the last seven minutes of the first half and a string of well taken points in the second.
With both teams short a few players you got the impression that neither side wanted to show their full hand at times, but having said that there times when it was very close to championship pace, and both teams deserve credit for the hurling they produced in far from favourable weather conditions
Playing inland in the first half St Killian’s had first use of the driving rain, but they were slow to start and the Ballycastle school held the upper hand in the early stages and a brace apiece from top scorer Conor Donnelly and Roan McGarry saw them open up a 0-4 to 0-01 lead. However the Tower boys started to claw their way back into the game and with John Scullion and Callagh Mooney showing well the edged their way back to level with twenty minutes gone.
Things looked a lot brighter for them when Thomas McLaughlin and Odhran Gillan grabbed goals apiece, but CPC impressed in the way they were able to react and they hit back with goals from Oisin McCallin and Conor Donnelly to cut their deficit to a single point at the break.
With the wind now in their favour most observers expected CPC to take control but St Killian’s dug in both sides share six points evenly during the next fifteen minutes. A Dylan McNaughton goal saw the Tower open up a four point gap and for a while looked like it could go either way, but just as they had done in last weeks’ opening game against St Pat’s Maghara, they were able to find and an extra gear when it was needed and scored freely in the last ten minutes, Conor Donnelly grabbing his second goal of the game, while McCallin, Roan McGarry and Ronan Fitzgerald all chipping in to give their team a six point win…. and a place in the semis.
Scorers
CPC C Donnelly 2-5; O McCallin 1-2; R McGarry 0-5 (0-4f); C Crawford, C Johnson & R Fitzgerald 0-1 each
St Killian’s T McLaughlin 1-5 (0-5f); O Gillan 1-1; D McNaughton 1-0; N McLaughlin, A Campbell, C Leech and C McIntosh 0-1 each
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