CPC regain Mageean Cup after extra time blitz

ON NOVEMBER 22nd 2019 CPC PRODUCED THE GOODS IN EXTRA TIME TO SEE OFF THE CHALLENGE OF ST MARY’S AT THE DUB ARENA. IT TOOK A MAGNIFICENT STRIKE FROM A MICHAEL O’BOYLE INJURY TIME FREE TO BRING THE GAME TO EXTRA TIME, BUT THE BALLYCASTLE SCHOOL REALLY TURNED IT ON IN EXTRA TIME AS THEY OUTSOCORED ST MARY’S BY 2-08 TO 0-00 IN THE TWENTY MINUTES THAT WERE ADDED

Danske Bank Mageean Cup final (AET)

CPC Ballycastle 3-18 St Mary’s CBGS 1-10

By John McIlwaine

Cross & Passion regained the Danske Bank Mageean Cup after a five year absence when they outscored their opponents St Mary’s CBGS 2-8 to 0-0 in a bizarre twenty minutes of extra time in Friday evening’s final at the Dub Arena. After trailing for most of the normal sixty minutes and looking second best for long periods it took a magnificent strike from a Michael O’Boyle injury time free from all of 80 meters to bring the game to extra time.

After watching the close nature of normal time the big crowd of supporters at the QUB venue must surely have been expecting extra time to continue in a similar vein, but incredibly CPC took complete control and when substitutes Conor O’Mullan and Cailin O’Connor grabbed goals during a blistering six minute spell which also produced five points, there was no way back for the luckless St Mary’s side. In the end fourteen points separated the teams as the shell shocked Glen Road side failed to raise a flag. It was one of those “If I hadn’t seen that with my own eyes I would not have believed it” events.

**Substitute Caolan O’Connor jumps for joy after scoring his team’s third goal in the first period of extra time**

Both teams looked nervous as the game got underway in slippery underfoot conditions. Despite a good start which saw corner forward Christy McGarry hit a fine opening point it was St Mary’s who had the better of the opening half. Gary McIlhatton brought St Mary’s level and though CPC responded well with points from Fergal McKiernan and Michael O’Boyle Dannan McKeogh and Coalan McKernan came back with two of St Mary’s to tie the scores at 3 apiece. Joe McToal picked off a neat point to edge the Ballycastle school ahead but St Mary’s hit the front when McKeogh fired a penalty to the CPC net to put his team 1-3 to 0-4 ahead.

Joe McToal reduced the gap to the minimum but St Mary’s hit back when Daire Murphy sent over a free late in the half to send his team to the dressing rooms at half time two points to the good on 1-4 to 0-5.

When St Mary’s increased their lead to three early in the second half with another pointed free from Murphy they appeared to be in a strong position but CPC responded well and points from a Michael O’Boyle free plus one from his Oisins club mate Shea McDonnell (who had just been introduced as a second half substitute) closed the gap to one. With Enda Og McGarry now operating at centre back for the Ballycastle school things began to happen for CPC and when McDonnell’s shot for goal was blocked down minutes later corner forward Rian McMullan drilled the ball low to the St Mary’s net.

**Rian McMullan celebrates after scoring CPC’s opening goal**

Two points in arrears St Mary’s responded well and after Murphy and O’Boyle traded points Caolan Duffin cut the gap to one before the excellent St Mary’s midfielder Eoin Trainor tied up the scores with a point from play. The Belfast boys then enjoyed a spell of dominance only to be denied by a brilliant save by CPC goalkeeper Tiernan Smyth and the width of the crossbar on another occasion. However they did hit points through Caolan McKernan and Caolan Duffin to go two ahead with five minutes of normal time still to play. It was backs to the wall time for CPC but to their credit they dug deep and two well struck points from Michael O’Boyle frees, the latter a magnificent strike, brought the game to extra time.

**CPC’s Seamus McAuley receives the Man of the Match award**

What unfolded during the first period of extra time was truly sensational as everything fell perfectly into place for CPC. Substitutes Conor O’Mullan and Cailin O’Connor plundered the goals and with the shackles off the points flowed with ease. The gap was out to eleven by half time and after the change of ends they added three more, the final one coming at the end of bursting run by Oggie McGarry that put the seal on the victory.

**St Mary’s Caolan McKernan breaks out of defence**

CROSS AND PASSION: T Smyth; R McClean, E McGarry (0-1), R Laverty; C McGlynn, J McAllister, C McKinley; S McAuley (0-1), S Brogan; J McToal (0-2), F McKiernan (0-3), M O’Boyle (0-6, all frees); R McMullan (1-2, 0-1 free), O McGrath, C McGarry (0-1). Subs: D Devlin for S Brogan (HT), S McDonnell (0-2, 1 free)) for O McGrath (34), C O’Mullan (1-0) for J McToal (51), J McGowan for C McKinley (59), C O’Connor (1-0) for J McAllister (60)

ST MARY’S: A Mullan, O May, D Murray, D Wilson; C Boyle, C McKernan (0-2 frees), D Churchill; E Trainor (0-1), A McLean; R Murray, G McIlhatton (0-1), D Delaney; C Duffin (0-2), D Murphy (0-3 frees), D McKeogh (1-1, 1-0 pen, 0-1 free). Subs: R Crossan for D McKeogh (17), F Mervyn for A McLean (41).

REFEREE: Colin Murray (Down)