Danske Bank Mageean Cup
OLSPCK 2-21-4-14 St. Marys CBGS
Kevin Herron reports from OLSPCK
Our Lady and St Patrick’s College Knock bounced back their opening day reversal to St Louis with a hard fought 2-21-4-14 victory over St. Mary’s on home turf on Thursday afternoon.
St. Mary’s looked to have battled back to secure a share of the spoils when Sean Og McLaren landed his fourth successive free deep into added time, though Liam Blaney popped over the winner with the last action of fantastic contest in East Belfast.
Niall May and Liam Blaney exchanged early frees, but it was the hosts who were on the money in the early stages as Frank Kane and Blaney sent over scores from play.
The gap narrowed through a fine Caolan Wilson point, though Knock twice extended their advantage with Liam Blaney and Sean McCollum floated over scores to open up a three-point advantage and after Conor O’Neill back- Luke Doran dropped over an angled point.
The opening goal arrived on the 20th minute with Dara Pucci rifling low to the net from close range to give his side a 1-06-0-04 lead.
That lead stretched with a second Kane score, though St. Mary’s came back after Corey Walsh’s shot was parried by Cillian Ennis, Niall May powered home at the second time of asking.
Although Knock pulled clear again with points from Kane, Sean O’Connell and Blaney- St. Mary’s netted a minute before the break.
Ruairi McDonagh flighted the ball into the path of Sean Og McLaren and he rifled low to the net on his school debut.
Their fightback was short-lived however as Sean O’Connell was slipped in and applied the finish and a point from Ronan Donnelly in the aftermath Our Lady and St Pat’s a 2-11-2-05 lead at the interval.
A point from Liam Blaney extended the hosts lead within three minutes of the restart, but Sean Og McLaren slammed home a second goal in response, and he converted a free in-between a Kevin Grieve point.
By the 40th minute St. Mary’s snuck ahead. Michael Marlow dropped in a high ball and Shea Burns poked home from close-range to make it 4-07-2-12.
Joseph Braniff pointed to restore parity and despite Sean Og McLaren dropping over his first point from play, Liam Blaney tied things up.
Blaney landed a super long-range point to nudge his side back in front and converted a free. Corey Walsh and Frank Kane exchanged points with a second converted McLaren free leaving the bare minimum separating the sides heading down the home straight (2-17-4-10).
Three unanswered points appeared to have swung the pendulum firmly in Knock’s favour, with Doran, Blaney and Kane on song.
However, their lead was wiped out by the fourth minute of added time, St. Mary’s talisman Sean Og McLaren landing four frees in a six-minute period to tie things up at 4-14-2-20.
Neither side were happy to share the spoils and in the end Liam Blaney swung over the winner deep, deep into added time with the final puck of the game as Knock got their Mageean campaign back on track.
OKSPCK: C Ennis, T McCusker, J Dynes, R Breen, M Gilmore, M Guest, C Boyle, J Braniff (0-1), L Doran (0-2), R Donnelly (0-1), L Blaney (0-11,0-1f) F Kane (0-4), D Pucci (1-0), S O’Connell (1-1), S McCollum (1-1).
St Mary’s CBGS: O Quinn, E Kearney, S Cunningham, F McKinney, C O’Neill (0-2), M Marlow, C Short, C Walsh (0-1), E Walsh, K Grieve (0-1), C Wilson (0-1), R McDonagh, N May (1-1), S Og McLaren (2-7, 0-6f), S Burns (1-0).
Referee: Paddy Tumelty (Lámh Dhearg)