Corn Uan Uladh semi-final.
St Killian’s Garron Tower 2-15 St Louis Ballymena 2-9
A strong second quarter by St Killian’s set them up for a win over St Louis Ballymena in Thursday’s semi-final of the Corn Uan Uladh at Fr Healy Park, Loughgiel. The Ballymena school had started strongly and early points from Aoife McKenna and Orlaith Gould put them in a strong position. Kady McNeill dragged St Killians back to level, but St Louis went back ahead with the first goal of the game through Eimhear McCloskey. Things looked promising for the Ballymena school, but they did not score again for the rest of the first half as the Tower produced a strong run-in to the break. Eva McNeill started the revival with two pointed frees and one from play by Leona Gillan as they opened a six point gap by half time.
St Louis started the second half strongly and soon reduced the half time deficit with a goal from Erin McMullan and points from Lola Storrie and Eimhear McCloskey. At this stage it looked like it could go either way but the Tower came back with five points without reply to regain control of the game.
They hit back with three points inside three minutes, two from Eva McNeill frees and one from Leona Gillan, before Cara McNaughton’s shot for a point dipped into the net at the left hand post after 14 minutes.
Erin McMullan’s goal, along with points from Lola Storrie and Eimhear McCloskey, brought the gap down to two points after 40 minutes, but, as they had done in the first half, St Killian’s upped their game once more with five unanswered points and they sealed victory in the 53rd minute when Amy McAlister took a pass from Leona Gillan to strike their second goal.
St Louis never gave up the fight and finished strongly with five of the last six points, including two from McCloskey, but there was no back and the girls from the Tower go through to their third final in a row.
The will play the winners of Saturday’s second semi-final which sees holders Maghera come up against CPC at Ahoghill at 1pm
St Killian’s scorers-
A McAlister (1-3), C McNaughton (1-0), E McNeill (0-6, 4 fs), K McNeill (0-3), L Gillan (0-1), C Thompson (0-1), T Black (0-1).
St Louis scorers
E McCloskey (1-3, 0-2fs), E McMullan (1-2), L Storrie (0-2), O Gould (0-1), A McKenna (0-1), A Smith (0-1).
St Killian’s: L McNaughton, L McCollum, M McAllister, E McCann, E McNaughton, L Black, E Ward, E McNeill, L Gillan, C McNaughton, K McNeill, A McAlister, R Black capt., C Thompson, S Carey.
Subs: T Black for S Carey, M McKeegan for R Black.
St Louis: K McGilligan, H Friel, E Lee, A Neeson, C O’Boyle, C Crawford, C Burns, C Scullion, O Gould capt., R Quinn, L Storrie, A McKenna, C McKeever, E McMullan, E McCloskey.
Subs: A Smith for A McKenna, G Duffin for L Storrie.
Referee: O Elliott.
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