Danske Bank Mageean Cup, Section A
St. Marys CBGS 1-12-1-11 Gaelcholáiste Doire
From Kevin Herron at Pairc Rossa
Sean Og McLaren’s injury time point ensured that St Mary’s would be playing Mageean Cup hurling after Halloween in their 1-12-1-11 comeback win against Gaelcholáiste Doire at Rossa Park on Monday afternoon.
St Mary’s made the short trip across to the Shaws Road knowing that a one-point victory would see them overtake Our Lady and St Patrick’s Knock into third place with Gaelcholáiste’s victory over Knock giving them reasonable breathing space ahead of their final group clash.
The visitors opted to play with the strong breeze in the opening half and it paid dividents with Dylan O’hÉireamhóin restoring early parity from a free after Darren Delander had drew first blood for St Mary’s.
Cathal O’Mianáin flashed a point over and on the 6th minute full-forward Ciarán Ó Muiri-Mac Ulliam rifled high to the net to give his side a 1-02-0-01 lead.
A brace of points from Emmet Og Mac íomhair in quick succession pulled them further clear and Cian Ó Dughaill-Ó Cinnéide converted a free.
Sean Og McLaren converted two frees in-between a fine Peadar Pio Ó Dhuibhne score but the Derry outfit tagged on four unanswered points to move ahead by double figures.
Finbar Ó Muiri popped over his first of the afternoon, Ó Dughaill-Ó Cinnéide landed his second free of the half and quickfire points from Daire Ó Lochlainn and Cathal O’Mianáin stretched the advantage further.
St. Mary’s would claw back a goal before the break, Darren Delander fed the ball back from the by-line and Fintan McKinney gathered, and his shot took a deflection on its way past Caoimhin Ó hEireamhóin to make it 1-10-1-03 at the interval.
The Glen Road outfit were wasteful in the early stages of the second period and were kept at bay until the 37th minute when Sean Og McLaren landed his third free of the afternoon.
Substitute Oisin Boyle then landed a fine point after his introduction from the bench, but Jude Ó Conaire popped over at the other end to leave the margin at six.
The game was scoreless for ten minutes it suited Gaelcholáiste Doire- though Daire Jemfrey floated over from play, McLaren conjured up fourth free and Caolan Wilson dropped over a fine point to half the margin with five minutes remaining.
A further point from Conal Short reduced arrears further as St. Mary’s sensed they were on a cusp on comeback.
Cian Ó Dughaill-Ó Cinnéide missed the chance to open up a three-point gap when his free tailed wide and Sean Og McLaren wasn’t so wasteful at the other end, sending successive opportunities either side of the hour mark over the bar to ensure it was all square at 1-11 apiece.
St. Mary’s were in desperate need of a winning score, and it would arrive in the third minute of added time, Odhran Donnelly picked up the ball in the corner and fed Shea Burns, but the angle against him and under pressure Burns opted to work it further in field where eventually it would arrive to Sean Og McLaren- to pop over and give his side a slender advantage.
They looked to have saw the remainder of time out, however a late free gave Gaelcholáiste Doire the chance to level with what would prove the final puck, and luckily for St. Mary’s it was a chance the Derry side failed to capitalise on as McLaren’s only point from play sealed the victory that saw them overtake Our Lady and St Patrick’s Knock on scoring difference and move into the quarter-final after the Halloween break.
The last remaining group game in Section B sees St Pat’s Maghera take on St Killian’s with the winners facing St. Mary’s in the quarter-final and the 3rd placed team facing Gaelcholáiste Doire.
St. Mary’s CBGS scorers: Sean Og McLaren (0-7, 0-6f), Fintan McKinney (1-0), Caolan Wilson (0-1), Oisin Boyle (0-1), Darren Delander (0-1), Daire Jemfrey (0-1), Conal Short (0-1).
Gaelcholáiste Doire scorers: Ciarán Ó Muiri-Mac Ulliam (1-0), Cathal O’Mianáin (0-2), Emmet Og Mac íomhair (0-2), Cian Ó Dughaill-Ó Cinnéide (0-2f), Dylan O’hÉireamhóin (0-1f), Finbar Ó Muiri (0-1), Daire Ó Lochlainn (0-1), Jude Ó Conaire (0-1), Peadar Pio Ó Dhuibhne (0-1).
Referee: Colm McDonald (St Galls)