Danske Bank Gallagher Cup semi-final at Portglenone
Cross & Passion Ballycastle 3-18 St Patrick’s Maghera 3-14
A John Og Darragh goal late in Monday’s Gallagher Cup semi-final in Portglenone was the score that got the Ballycastle school over the line and into next week’s final. The big centre forward also added a point, while team captain Paidi O’Kane started the late run which swung the game back in the Ballycastle school’s favour.
Despite Rónán O’Loughlin winning and pointing a first minute free for Maghera, they were dominated by Cross & Passion Ballycastle for much of the opening half and it was goalie Shea O’Kane who really kept them in the game. Indeed it is fair to say that they were lucky to be just six points behind, 1-12 to 1-6 at the break as CPC squandered a couple of good goal chances.
Five different players contributed points in response to O’Loughlin’s opening score – Damian Laverty, Cathair McCloskey, John óg Darragh, Rónán Elliott and Tom Richmond – all from open play and all well taken scores.
Laverty then netted the opening goal in the 10th minute, after O’Kane had pulled off an excellent save from Darragh. Joseph Conway and Rónán O’Loughlin pointed frees in reply, but all the action was at the other end as points from Elliott (two) and McCloskey increased the Ballycastle lead to 1-9 to 0-4 before Páidí O’Kane hit their first point from a free in the 17th minute.
Maghera’s intensity began to increase however and Liam McErlean hit a quick point and then a goal to bring them right back into the game. Ballycastle just managed three more points during the last 13 minutes of the half while Patrick O’Loughlin’s late point gave Maghera something to fight for in the second half.
Maghera began to turn the game back in their favour after the break and with Rónán O’Loughlin firing over three points and Liam McErlean the other it was clear the Derry boys were very still very much in the the game. O’Kane and Darragh replied for CPC to ease the pressure a bit and when John Og Darragh grabbed his team’s second goal, and Paidi O’Kane added another from a free they seemed to have weathered the Maghera storm.
However Maghera showed they were far from finished and they hit back with a vengeance to score 2-4 without reply and edge ahead. Senan McCormick set up Dáithí Halloran for a goal in the 40th minute and Ronan O’Loughlin drilled a low shot low to the right corner seven minutes later.
Tony McErlean edged Maghera closer with a long range point and, with Ballycastle now under pressure, O’Loughlin pointed three frees between the 48th and 56th minutes to edge his side into the lead.
CPC were shell shocked but team captain Páidí O’Kane’s pointed from distance to bring the sides back on terms before John óg Darragh fired home his second goal. Less than a minute later the Armoy ace sent over a point and though Maghera came close on a couple of occasions the Antrim boys held out for the win that sees them through to a decider with St Louis Ballymena or St Mary’s CBGS Belfast in a couple of weeks’time.
Cross & Passion: J óg Darragh 2-4, D Laverty 1-1, P O’Kane 0-5 (4fs), R Elliott 0-4 (2fs), C McCloskey 0-2, T Richmond and C McErlean 0-1 each.
St Patrick’s: R O’Loughlin 1-8 (0-5fs), L McErlean 1-2, D Holleran 1-0, C Boyle, J Conway (f), P O’Loughlin and T McErlean 0-1 each.
Cross & Passion: Liam McClelland, Ronan McGarry, Cormac Bailey, Iarlaith O’Kane, Pearse McMullan, Lorcán Murtagh, Cahir McErlean, Páidí O’Kane, Tom Richmond, Cathair McCloskey, John óg Darragh, Ollie Joe McAlonan, Killian Cassidy, Damian Laverty, Rónán Elliot.
St. Patrick’s: Shea O’Kane, Harry McCloskey, Caolan Mullan, Aodhán Kerr, Harry McGilligan, Ryan Murphy, Jamie Ward, Senan McCormick, Rónán O’Loughlin, Liam McErlean, Conan Boyle, Tony McErlean, Joseph Conway, Dáithí Holleran, Patrick O’Loughlin.
Subs: Dáithí Scullion for A Kerr, Ben Bradley for C Boyle, C Boyle for D Scullion.
Referee: B Toland (Lámh Dhearg)
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