Danske Bank Mageean Cup quarter-finalSt Killian’s Garron Tower 3-22 St Patrick’s Maghera 2-20
St Killian’s Garron Tower pulled off the shock of the season on Tuesday at Waterfoot, home of Oisins GAC, sending reigning Danske Bank Mageean Cup champions St Patrick’s Maghera out after a hard fought battle.
The holders threw everything at the Tower in the opening 24 minutes, leaning heavily on experienced campaigners PJ Glover and Seran O’Kane to build a 0-11 to 0-5 lead. St Killian’s refused to panic, keeping the scoreboard ticking through reliable dead-ball accuracy, including an opening-minute strike from centre-back Ben Duncan.
Then, the Tower ignited. In a blistering 25th-minute move that changed the entire complexion of the game, Christopher Leech tore through the Maghera defence to expertly set up Donncha Laverty, who ruthlessly rattled the net. Laverty had just flashed over a point seconds earlier, and his goal sparked a stunning momentum shift. Three pressure frees from McNaughton and a sensational score from towering defender Rian Laverty saw St Killian’s roar into the lead.
Maghera were handed a lifeline however just before the break, when a free brought forward for dissent allowed Glover to score, before a scrambled Owen O’Neill goal against the run of play gave the holders a 1-12 to 1-11 half-time edge, though a good few fans on both sides, recording scores on their phone apps, though it should have been 1-13 to 1-10.
As things turned out it didn’t matter in the end as St Killian’s emerged for the second half with ferocious intensity, throwing everything they had at the champions. Dylan and Connlaoth McNaughton, along with Kian McGarrel, fired over three rapid-fire points inside two minutes. When the unstoppable Donncha Laverty buried his second goal of the afternoon to make it 2-14 to 1-14, the Tower were in control.
McGarrel and McNaughton continued to punish the faltering Maghera defence before the defining blow landed in the 43rd minute. Cahir McCambridge was hauled down, and McNaughton stepped up to confidently bury the resulting penalty straight down the middle for St Killian’s third goal.
A panicked Maghera were awarded a penalty of their own a minute later, but Glover dragged his shot inches wide of the post. Capitalising instantly, Leech and McNaughton tagged on further points to stretch the Tower’s lead to a commanding 3-19 to 1-15.
Maghera kept plugging away and five late points and a 64th-minute goal from the excellent Glover had the Tower fans a little concerned, but the Tower rearguard repelled any late threat to see out a famous victory.
St Killian’s now march on to the semi-finals, waiting to face the winner of Friday’s clash between St Mary’s CBGS and St Patrick’s Keady
St Killian’s : Charlie McNaughton, Rian Laverty 0-1, Paddy Morgan, Niall McKeown, Cadhan Grahan, Ben Duncan 0-1f, Ronan Magee, Christopher Leech 0-1, Kian McGarel 0-2, Donnacha Laverty 2-1, Dylan McNaughton 0-2, Ciaran McCann, Cahir McCambridge 0-1, Conlaoth McNaughton 1-12, 1-0 pen, 10fs, Jake Laffin 0-1
Subs: O Mooney for C McCambridge (51), Conor Kerr for C Leech (56), Charlie Black for P Morgan (60), Cormac McMullan for J Laffin (60+2), PJ Kelly for R Magee (60+4)
St Patrick’s Maghera: Fionn Wallace, Peadar Pio Peoples, Dara McKaigue, Declan McEldowney, Cathal McCloskey, Ultan McCloskey, Cailean Gallagher 0-1, Ryan Tohill, Dan McEldowney, Peadar Kelly, PJ Glover 1-11, 0-9fs, Sean O’Kane 0-5, Owen O’Neill 1-1, Fionn Cartin 0-2, Ronan O’Loughlin 0-1
Subs: Oisin Burke for R Tohill (HT), Thomas Leadon for O O’Neill (41), Dara McKenna for Declan McEldowney(43), Cathal Duggan for P Kelly (49)
Referee: Owen Elliott
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