Danske Bank Gallagher Cup quarter-final
St Louis’, Ballymena 4-16 Gaelcholáiste Dhoire 1-14
A blazing start and a strong finish saw St. Louis, Ballymena advance to the semi-final of the Danske Bank Gallagher Cup when they overcame the challenge of an excellent Gaelcholaiste Dhoire in Ballymena on Thursday afternoon.
The Kintullagh side looked on their way to a comfortable victory when they raced into an early two goal lead on their own 4G pitch with Joe Casey powering through for both goal in the early exchanges.
Casey added a point to his two majors and at this stage there was only one team at the races but slowly the Dungiven College began to gain a foothold.
Gaelcholáiste dominated the middle part of the half and hit back with four points between the 38th and 46th minutes, while Ballymena goalie Harry McKay was called on to make two superb saves.
The Dungiven lads got their game together after playing second fiddle for the opening 10 minutes and closed the gap to 2-6 to 0-9 by half-time, with four of those points coming from Harry Ó Cearnaigh.
The Gaelcholaiste comeback gained further momentum with Brógan Ó Dughail-Ó Cinnéide closing the gap further with the opening score of the second half but this score appeared to waken St. Louis from their slumber.
The Ballymena side moved six clear with four unanswered points through Casey, free-taker Cody McGarry (two) and Blaney to give them some breathing space.
The visitors kept plugging away with Harry O’Cearnaigh prominent with his free taking and looked at one stage like over hauling the St. Louis lead but a double strike from half-back Harry Blaney in the 51st minute lifted the Ballymena side and they pushed on to win by 11 points in the end.
St Louis’ now face St Mary’s, Belfast in the semi-final, while the first semi-final involving St Patrick’s, Maghera and Cross & Passion, Ballycastle is pencilled in for Portglenone on Monday.
St Louis’ J Casey 2-2; H Blaney 2-1; C McGarry 0-9 (0-6f); EL Bradley 0-3 (0-2f)
Gaelcholáiste H Ó Cearnaigh 1-7 (1-6f); B Ó Dughail-Ó Cinnéide 0-3; O Ó Gilláin 0-2; O Ó Cléirigh (f) and MJ Mac Oscair 0-1 each
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