Ulster School Danske Bank Hurling
St Mary’s CBGS 5-15 Gaelcholáiste Dhoire 3-17
Spectators at Dunsilly were treated to an absolute classic as St. Mary’s CBGS edged out Gaelcholáiste Dhoire in a remarkably high-scoring and fiercely contested Gallagher Cup quarter-final. Both teams displayed total commitment and first-class hurling from the first whistle to the last, but it was an unforgettable Man of the Match performance from St. Mary’s goalkeeper Aidan Holbrook that ultimately proved the difference, securing a thrilling 5-15 to 3-17 victory.
Despite playing into a strong breeze in the opening period, St. Mary’s remained highly competitive in a half characterized by intense, top-tier hurling and frequent scoring. St. Mary’s opened the scoring in the third minute with a point from play by Lorcan O’Rawe. Gaelcholáiste Dhoire responded swiftly, showcasing their sharp attacking threat with back-to-back points from Odwan Ó Giollain. The game’s first green flag was raised in the eighth minute when St. Mary’s Dylan Hand McCallin finished a brilliant individual effort. Gaelcholáiste Dhoire struck back three minutes later, with Odwan Ó Giollain finding the back of the net, followed quickly by another point from play to extend their tally.
At the other end, Aidan Holbrook signaled his intent for the afternoon with a fantastic save under pressure in the twelfth minute. Following points from St. Mary’s Dara Ward and Gaelcholáiste Dhoire’s Felix Mac Oscar, the game exploded with three goals in three minutes. Odwan Ó Giollain netted his second with a great individual finish for Gaelcholáiste Dhoire, but Dylan Hand McCallin answered immediately, scoring a brilliant individual goal under intense pressure for St. Mary’s. Following a long-range free from Gaelcholáiste Dhoire’s Charlie Ó Muirí, St. Mary’s Anton Corr sent a long-range shot toward the goal, which was fumbled into the net by Gaelcholáiste Dhoire goalkeeper Fionnan Ó Beart.
A flurry of points followed, with Seán Ó Ceallaigh and Damhnaic Ó Ceallaigh scoring for Gaelcholáiste Dhoire, while Ben Gamble, Frazer McGivern, Emmet Rainey, and Lorcan O’Rawe kept the scoreboard ticking for the Belfast side. A defensive error allowed Gaelcholáiste Dhoire’s Cathair Ó Ceallaigh to snatch a goal in the twenty-fifth minute, but St. Mary’s finished the half strong. After another brilliant save by Holbrook, Ben Gamble saw his initial goal attempt saved before finishing the rebound to the net, leaving the half-time score at St. Mary’s 4-7, Gaelcholáiste Dhoire 3-8.
The second half continued the breathless pace. Gaelcholáiste Dhoire came out firing, registering quick points from Brogan Ó Dughaill / Ó Cinneide and Damhnaic Ó Ceallaigh. St. Mary’s maintained their advantage through a Daire Burke free and a superb point under pressure from Anton Corr, while Felix Mac Oscar and Odwan Ó Giollain kept Gaelcholáiste Dhoire right on their heels. In the fortieth minute, Lorcan O’Rawe fired over a spectacular point from far out on the left wing for St. Mary’s.
However, the defining moments of the second half belonged to Aidan Holbrook. The St. Mary’s shot-stopper produced a brilliant save in the forty-first minute, and later, an unbelievable point-blank stop in the forty-sixth minute that kept his team’s momentum alive. Between those saves, Gaelcholáiste Dhoire secured points from Odwan Ó Giollain and an unidentified player, but St. Mary’s found their crucial fifth goal in the forty-fourth minute when Frazer McGivern provided a fantastic finish from play. Down the final stretch, points from Damhnaic Ó Ceallaigh and a free from Brogan Ó Dughaill / Ó Cinneide kept Gaelcholáiste Dhoire in the hunt. However, St. Mary’s demonstrated excellent composure to close out the game. Emmet Rainey, Lorcan O’Rawe, Dara Ward, and Dylan Hand McCallin all added points, before Anton Corr capped off the thrilling contest with a super long-range strike in the fifty-eighth minute.
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St. Mary’s CBGS – 1 Aidan Holbrook, 2 Fionntan Burns, 3 Oliver Crossan, 4 Anthony Brennan, 5 Eoghan Herron, 6 Darragh Loughran, 7 Oran McCann, 8 Ben Gamble, 9 Anton Corr, 10 Frazer McGivern, 11 Dara Ward, 12 Daire Burke, 13 Emmet Rainey, 14 Dylan Hand McCallin, and 15 Lorcan O’Rawe.
Gaelcholáiste Dhoire – 1 Fionnan Ó Beart, 2 Gara Mac Bhoscaidh, 3 Eanan Kolbohm, 4 Cahir Buistir, 5 Oisín Ó Coinn, 6 Brogan Ó Dughaill / Ó Cinneide, 7 Micheal Mac Ghiolla Domhnaigh, 8 Ultan Ó Ceallaigh, 9 Charlie Ó Muirí, 10 Liam Ó Cleirigh, 11 Cathair Ó Ceallaigh, 12 Damhnaic Ó Ceallaigh, 13 Odwan Ó Giollain, 14 Seán Ó Ceallaigh, and 15 Felix Mac Oscar.
Referee – Brendan Totten