PICS BY SEAN TROWLEN
Danske Bank Gallagher Cup semi-final
St Patrick’s Maghera 3-12 St Killian’s Garron Tower 3-5
ST Patrick’s Maghera established a significant half-time advantage in the first of the Danske Bank Gallagher Cup semi-finals in Ballymena yesterday to fend off a wind-assisted St Killian’s Garron Tower in the second half.
St Killian’s only scored once against the breeze, a pointed free from Morgan McNaughton, but they coped well with the constant pressure from Maghera with goalie Seve Trowlen in superb form.
Maghera turned around at the break with a lead of seven points, but their failure to hit the net left them a little vulnerable for a comeback from the Tower. No fewer than seven players contributed the eight points with Harry McCloskey on two scores.
St Killian’s were more in the game with the breeze behind them but found Maghera difficult to handle on the counter-attack.
Quentin Farren was the first goal-scorer in the second half and, although Morgan McNaughton hit back with a goal for the Tower, Patrick O’Loughlin stretched Maghera’s lead with a second goal. Again St Killian’s hit back, with a goal from Tiarnán McAleenan, but Feargal Convery broke for a third Maghera goal ten minutes from time.
Once more the Tower came back with a goal from Niall McAuley, but they still couldn’t close the gap of seven points that had been there from the break. Ryan Murray. Quentin Farren and Feargal Convery were the stars for Maghera while Morgan McNaughton and goalie Seve Trowlen stood out for the Tower.
St Patrick’s will find out their opponents in next week’s final after the second semi-final today (FRIDAY) in Dunsilly at 1pm between St Mary’s CBGS Belfast and Cross & Passion Ballycastle. CPC, winners of the Danske Bank MacNamee Cup with this team last season, will be favourites to set up a repeat of the MacNamee decider.
St Patrick’s: Q Farren 1-1, P O’Loughlin and F Convery 1-0 each, H McCloskey and R Murray 0-2 each, D Boyle, T McKenna, D McGarrity, A Mulholland, M McGrath, M Duffin and D Kearney 0-1 each.
St Killian’s: M McNaughton 1-3, T McAleenan and N McAuley 1-0 each, C Haughey 0-2.
