ST Mary’s CBGS will play St Killian’s Garron Tower in the Danske Bank Leonard Cup final in a fortnight after an unexpectedly comfortable win over St Patrick’s Maghera at Dunsilly yesterday.
First half goals from Darren Delander, Conal Dempsey and Shea McGarry did the damage and the Glen Road side led by 3-16 to 0-1 at the break.
Maghera battled hard in the second half, but St Mary’s were in command and further goals from Jay Gault and Daire Jemfrey (two) sealed a comprehensive victory.
St Mary’s: D Jemfrey 2-3, J Gault 1-3, D Delander 1-2, C Dempsey 1-1, S McGarry 1-1, J Ward 0-4, K McCann 0-3, C Mulligan 0-2, C McCann 0-2, A Kennedy 0-1
First half goals from Donnacha Laverty and Conal Og Trainor gave St Killian’s the edge in the opening half, the St Louis goal coming from Jack McQuillan as the Tower boys went in at the break leading by 2-7 to 1-5. When they started the second half with two quick goals from Connloath McNaughton and Cahir McCambridge St Louis had a mountain to climb, but the Ballymena boys kept on battling and reduced their 12 point deficit to just four by the time the final whistle sounded.
Laverty’s goal came after just five minutes and put St Killian’s two clear and James McGarry had hit the opening point for St Louis and the Ballymena school went back ahead when corner forward Jack McQuillan hit the net in the 6th minute. It was score for score until Trainor’s goal put St Killian’s back in front and late points from Killian McNaughton and Donacha Laverty gave the Tower a four point lead at the break.
Goals from McNaughton and McCambridge at the start of the second half swung the game firmly in St Killian’s favour but four in a row from St Louis full forward James McGarry brought his team right back into contention. However Connlaoth McNaughton struck the Tower’s fifth goal and they held on through the last quarter to seal the win.
St. Mary’s CBGS further enhanced the sporting facilities on their Glen Road site on Thursday afternoon after opening their state-of-the-art ball-wall.
In coming GAA President Jarlath Burns was amongst many dignitaries that attended the event.
School principal Siobhan Kelly and John Hart of Sport NI spoke of their delight at the new addition to St. Mary’s sporting facilities.
Burns also addressed attendees, including local club representees- who will also benefit in the evenings.
He spoke of his desire to see hurling promoted further within clubs around Ireland ahead of beginning his tenure as President.
BBC Sport presenter Thomas Kane then hosted a Q&A with St. Mary’s Head of PE Conor Hynds, past-pupils Kevin Gamble (Chairman of South Antrim GAA and Director of Féile an Phobail) and Jim Magilton (MacRory Cup winner, former NI International and current manager of Cliftonville) and Burns.
St. Mary’s Leonard Cup panel were the first to avail of the new facility under the watchful eye of managers Mr Austin and Mr McVeigh.
Also keeping an eye on the current crop of hurling talent were other past pupils from the school that are on the Antrim football and hurling panels.
There is no doubt that the Ball Wall will prove a popular attraction for pupils and throughout the school day and teams and the clubs in Belfast will greatly benefit.
Cushendall scored a runaway win over St Enda’s in Sunday’s final of the Under 19B Hurling Championship at Dunsilly on Sunday with a team that featured a few of last week’s Senior Championship winning side.
The signs were clear from an early stage when midfielder Ausin Birt got his team’s first goal after forty seconds, which was followed by a point from Niall McGarel. St Enda’s centre forward Ronan Eager pulled a point back for the Glengormley side but two goals and a point from senior star Joseph McLaughlin and one from team captain Padraig McKillop in a five minute spell put the Ruairis in control.
However St Enda’s got back into the game with three goals between the eighteenth and twenty third minute as Frank Kane (2) and Ronan Eager hit the target and at half time there was just five poins between the sides.
The second half was all Cushendall as they regained control and further goals from Joseph McLaughlin, Ciaran Sharpe, Killian McNaughton and Niall McGarel, while Lorcan McCann pulled one back for St Enda’s.
County chairman Ciaran McCavana presents the Under 19b Hurling Cup to Cushendall captain Padraig McKillop
Glenariffe-Glenravel won the Under 19 A Hurling final when they beat Ballycastle in a hard fought decider in perfect conditions at Cushendun on Sunday. Trailing by 0-9 to 0-4 at half time Ballycastle closed to within two five minutes after the restart, but Glenariffe-Glenravel were always able to find a reply and kept their noses in front right through the third quarter. The key score came on 53 minutes when Glenariffe-Glenravel substitute Niall Hynds was rugby tackled in the large square and Brogan O’Connor fired home the resultant penalty to give his team some breathing space and they pushed on from there to win by eight in the end.
Glenariffe-Glenravel’s Orrin O’Connor sends over a point
Playing towards the sea end in the opening half the winners were on top from the start and midfielder Odhran Gillan put them in front in the first minute. They had chances to increase their lead but man of the match Orrin O’Connor was off target with a couple of frees, and it was a further five minutes before left half forward Cormac McKeown got their second score, a fine point on the run, and when he repeated the dose three minutes later thing looked more promising. Ballycastle opened their account when centre forward Conor Donnelly hit a great point from out in the left corner in the tenth minute and the gap was down to one when Criostia McAuley sent one over from a free.
Criostia McAuley who led the scoring for Ballycastle
Peadar McDonnell came back with a point from play for Glenariffe-Glenravel as his team started to get on top, and though Orrin O’Connor was off target again from a free he found his touch by the 20th minute and added two from frees and one from a 65 as they pushed on to lead by 0-9 to 0-5 at half time.
A Conor Donnelly point in the first minute of the second half was the tonic Ballycastle needed and when Crioistai ‘Bamba’ McAuley added two from frees soon afterwards the gap was down to two. The gap went from two to three on three different occasions in the next ten minutes as McAuley’s scores in the 39th, 45th and 50th minutes were answered by Cormac McKeown, Orrin O’Connor and Brogan O’Connor as the winners just kept their noses in front.
Cormac McKeown solos towards the Ballycastle goal
A great score by James Bakewell got it back two again going down the home straight and the game was in the balance, but when second half substitute Niall Hynds won a great high ball in the Ballycastle square he was dragged down from behind and referee Brendan Toland pointed to the spot. Brogan O’Connor and drilled the ball low to the corner of the net, and the shot had to be good as he Castle netminder Anthony Mullan came within an inch of saving it with a spectacular dive.
Cormac Donnelly came back with a long range point for Ballycastle, but the goal had given the Glenariffe-Glenravel side a bit of breathing space and Orrin O’Connor tacked on another point after Cormac McKeown had been pulled back going through. ‘Bamba’ McAuley hit his seventh point of the game with two minutes left to play but Orrin O’Connor had the final say for the winners as he raised his ninth white flag to seal the win.
Brendan Totten preseents the cup to Glenariffe-Glenravel captain Daniel Kearney
Anthony Mullan, Patrick McAlonan, Cian Baudant, Colm Kelly, James Bakewell, Orran Donnelly, Jack Colgan, Darragh Kelly, Cathair Donnelly, Conor Donnelly, Tiernan Heggarty, Niall McClean, Criostia McAuley, Gavin McToal.
Referee – Brendan Toland (Lamh Dhearg)
Ballycastle goalkeeper Adam Mullan gets across to try and block Brogan O’Connor’s penalty shot, but O’Connor’s shot hopped off the ground and over Mullan’s hurl to end up in the back of the net
