Rafferty Cup
St. Mary’s CBGS 2-7 Abbey Vocational School 3-14
Abbey Vocational School proved too strong for a battling St. Mary’s in this Rafferty Cup meeting at Glenavy. The Donegal side, backboned by players from Four Masters, took control of proceedings early on and never really looked in trouble.
It was St. Mary’s CBGS who opened the scoring through the impressive Keelan McCann who pointed in the 4th minute but Abbey replied through a Gethin Mosby double to take the lead after 9 minutes.
D’Angelo Ward briefly tied the contest from a well struck long range free but Abbey came roaring back through Dylan Doherty and three from the excellent Thomas Lenehan to move four ahead after 20 minutes.
St. Mary’s tried to respond and looked in for a goal but Lewis McCalmont in the Abbey goals pulled off a smart save to deny Ward and the Donegal side rubbed salt in the wound when a long delivery from Lenehan finished in the St. Mary’s net.
Abbey Vocational School were in control and it took a great save from Aaron Crean-Crilly in the 27th minute to deny Finn Gillespie as the Donegal side started to turn the screw.
It wasn’t looking good for the Glen Road side but they found a response and just a glimmer of hope as Cormac McCann fired to the Abbey net in the 29th minute with Gillespie concluding the first half scoring with a point for the Donegal side.
Half Time 1-2 TO 1-8
Trailing by six at the break, St. Mary’s needed a good start to the second half and D’Angelo Ward provided it when he pointed a long range free in the 5th minute with Cormac McCann adding a fine point from play to cut the gap to four.
Thomas Lenehan got the Abbey going again as he pointed an 8th minute free but Ward replied immediately from a free at the other end as the Donegal side continued to look threatening and Aaron Crean-Crilly pulled off an excellent save to deny Gethin Mosby.
Another Abbey goal wasn’t long in arriving however and after Thomas Carr had added a point Mosby took advantage of a defensive error to fire home from close range in the 13th minute.
Thomas Lenehan and Jamie McMonigle tagged on points with Conan Madden replying with a second goal for the Glen Road side and then unfortunate to see an effort come back of a post when a third goal looked eminent.
That was as good as it would get with Thomas Carr, Thomas Lenehan and Finn Gillespie adding point for the the Doneal college and Conasn Madden replying with a consolation point for the Antrim representatives.
A fine performance from an Abbey side back-boned by players from Four Masters, 10 of whom played in their sides win over Casement’s Portglenone in the McGirr Cup at the weekend.
St. Mary’s gave it everything and in Aaron Crean-Crilly, D’Angelo Ward, Keelan McCann, Cormac McCann and Conan Madden they had strong performers on the day.
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