Main picture Cross & Passion’s Cillian Cunning whose goal early in extra time set his team up for victory
Cross & Passion College, Ballycastle qualified for the Foresters Cup final when they beat Ardscoil Phádraig Keady in Thursday’s semi-final at the Meadowbank Sports Centre, Magherfelt. However they Ballycastle side needed extra time, and a little bit of luck, before they got over the line against an excellent Keady side.
Keady made a bright start, opening the scoring through Shea McCloskey, but CPC responded immediately with Paidi O’Kane pointing. It remained tight throughout the first half, with both sides working tirelessly and exchanging scores.
At the interval, CPC held a narrow 0-9 to 0-8 lead.
CPC built an early cushion in the second half, but Keady’s direct approach paid off when a high delivery into the square was finished to the net to level the game. Keady midfielder Caoimhin Mone was accurate from placed balls, showing great composure under high pressure. The back and forth game would finish level at the end of normal time.
Full-time: Cross & Passion College 0-19 St Patrick’s Keady 1-16.
Extra time proved decisive and the fact that Keady had lost their full-back to a second yellow card in the last minute of normal time was undoubtedly a boost for the Ballycastle school. They took full advantage when Cillian Cunning broke through and struck an early goal to give CPC momentum, and they added important points through Cahir McCloskey and Paidi O’Kane to extend their advantage.
Keady responded with a goal to keep the contest alive, but CPC managed the closing stages effectively, maintaining a five point lead to secure their place in the Foresters final.
Cross and Passion:
1 Ruairi Laverty
2 Peadar Doherty
3 Aaron Gillan
4 Cormac Bailey
5 Joe Deery
6 Oran Baudant
7 Lorcan Murtagh 0-1
8 Charlie McAuley 0-6
9 Peter Laverty
10 Damian Laverty
11 Patrick Campbell 0-2
12 Cillian Cunning 1-0
13 Cahir McCloskey 0-3
14 Paidi O’Kane 0-10
15 Ronan Elliott 0-2
Subs used:
Cahir McErlean
Cormac Scanlon
Ardscoil Phádraig, Keady
1 Fabian Hughes
2 Cain McCann
3 Johnny Loughran
4 Charlie Doyle
5 Harry Fox
6 Aaron Monaghan
7 Peter O’Callaghan
8 Caoimhin Mone
9 Ruairi Mullan
10 Caolan Carr
11 Sé McConnell
12 Peadar Donnelly
13 Eoghan Mallon
14 Shea McCloskey
15 Keegan McCann
Subs used:
Darragh McElroy
John McGeown
TO SEE MORE PHOTOS FROM THIS GAME CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW
https://myalbum.com/album/yRBb6gpo358YJy/?invite=a60bed3b-2c06-445c-905b-d25fa660ef0a