Danske Bank Leonard Cup, Semi-Final 

St. Mary’s CBGS 2-14-4-13 St. Pat’s Maghera (AET)

Kevin Herron reports from the Dub 

Pics from Bert Trowlen 

St. Pat’s Maghera finished strongly in the second period of extra time to claim a spot in the Danske Bank Leonard Cup Final after defeating St. Mary’s CBGS 4-13-2-14 at the Dub on Friday afternoon. 

Matthew O’Neill’s late goal looked to have seen St. Mary’s complete a superb second half comeback in normal time, but Aodhan McCloskey kept his cool at the other end and drew the teams level at 2-11-3-08 to force extra time. 

Three scores in succession from Joseph Conway and Ronan O’Loughlin (2) had Maghera in the ascendancy during the second period of extra time but it wasn’t until O’Loughlin added his third goal of the afternoon that the game was put to bed as St. Mary’s were unable to lift themselves for the second time in a thrilling and energy zapping semi-final encounter. 

St. Pat’s were quickest off the mark in the early stages and had established a two-point lead before St. Mary responded through free-taker Padraig Kelly. 

Kelly tied things up with a fantastic point from play and then moved his side in front for the first time shortly after. 

The games opening goal fell to Maghera when Ronan O’Loughlin took possession and fired low past Dylan Hand to give his side a 1-2-0-3 lead. 

O’Loughlin added a point from play in the aftermath with Kelly replying from the placed ball. Playing against the wind St. Mary’s would have been hopeful of taking a four-point deficit at the interval, but Maghera tagged on further scores before the break. 

O’Loughlin shot over a fantastic curling shot from play, Sionan McCormack added another and on the stroke of half time O’Loughlin flashed home his second goal of the half to ensure his side held a healthy 2-5-0-4 advantage at the midway point. 

Maghera extended their advantage after the break with O’Loughlin clipping over a free, but St. Mary’s began to make inroads with Padraig Kelly sending over two points from play between a converted free. 

Both sides free-takers traded further placed balls in the aftermath and another two Kelly frees in quick succession had St. Mary’s within three=points with 12 minutes remaining (2-7-0-10). 

With little over seven minutes remaining St. Mary’s tied things up when Matthew O’Neill was placed to divert a shot low to the Maghera net and restore parity. 

Talisman O’Loughlin edged Maghea back in front from a converted free- it was cancelled out less than two minutes later though when substitute Daire Gault flicked a shot over as things remained a knife-edge. 

St. Mary’s looked to have stolen things a minute into added time when the ball was passed across goal and Matthew O’Neil steadied himself and rifled to the net to put his side 2-11-2-08 ahead. 

There was to be one last twist however as Aodhan McCloskey ran clear of the St. Mary’s defence deep into added time and showed no signs of pressure as he powered a shot past Dylan Hand to make it 2-11-3-8 and ensure extra time would be required. 

Extra time: 

The first period of extra time was a cautious affair and yielded a score a piece from either side with Matthew O’Neill’s third minute score cancelled out by a Harry McCloskey shot that dropped over to ensure things were delicately poised with the second period to play. 

Maghera stole an early march in the second period with Joseph Conway finding time and space and shoot his side ahead for the first time since the 55th minute. 

Then Ronan O’Loughlin clipped over back-to-back scores in the space of 60-seconds to make a weary St. Mary’s task a little bit tougher. 

Padraig Kelly reduced arrears with a converted free but the next score would prove the games winning in the 80th minute when Ronan O’Loughlin bore down on goal and his shot squeezed away from Dylan Hand- despite the keepers best effort and trickled over the line. 

A point from Ryan Murphy in the aftermath put six between the sides with St. Mary’s late penalty was in vein in any instance- Padraig Kelly’s attempt rose over and the final whistle immediately sounded from referee Lorenzo McMullan as Maghera jubilantly celebrated after an outstanding afternoon of hurling. 

They now met St Louis’ Ballymena in the decider with Maghera hoping to clinch their second Ulster Colleges honour at this year group – having tasted success in the Thompson Final back in Year 8. 

Danske Bank MacNamee Cup final

Cross & Passion Ballycastle 1-12 St Patrick’s Maghera 2-7

CROSS and Passion Ballycastle retained the Danske Bank MacNamee Cup in an exciting final in Allen Park, Antrim on Wednesday evening evening, a goal from Ronan Smith two minutes before half-time the key score in the contest.

In a game played in cold conditions, which included a few snow showers, both sides served up a game of excellent hurling with little separating them throughout.

Up until Smith’s strike, St Patrick’s Maghera seemed to be able to respond to everything CPC threw at them. However they went in at the break a point down, 1-7 to 1-6, and the Ballycastle boys then hit them with three points in three minutes to open a gap.

Cross & Passion just about deserved their victory as they moved the sliotar that little bit faster and more directly while Danny Cassidy in the Maghera goals denied them at least two goals in the first half and another after the break.

Maghera had a lot of possession in their opponents’ half and could have taken points to keep the score-board moving. Instead they over-elaborated and Ballycastle were able get in around them and snuff out the danger.

They were held scoreless over the last 24 minutes of play. Ballycastle only scored two frees in that period, but those two scores divided the teams at the final whistle.

Sean Johnston, one of the stars of the game for CPC, started the scoring with a point, but that was the only time Ballycastle led until Smith’s goal. Fionn Mullan responded with a point and Daithí McGarrity took a pass from Mullan to hit the net.

Although free-taker Ruairí McQuillan hit back with two scores, the goal was still the difference at the midway point of the half.

Ballycastle then hit three scores in two minutes, from Iarla Gillan, Johnston and Jake Feetham to level the game. But within two minutes Maghera were on top again with points from McGarrity, Mullan and Davin Gallagher.

There was another McQuillan free before Smith’s snap-shot hit the Maghera net and on the resumption Smith and Johnston (two) stretched their lead.

Maghera hit back with a point from a Kearney free and in the 36^th minute the same player stroked a penalty to the net. Unfortunately that was their last score.

Indeed there were only two further scores in the remaining 24 minutes, both Ruairí McQuillan frees that were enough to see CPC home.

Cross & Passion: R Smith 1-1, R McQuillan 0-5 (fs), S Johnston 0-4, I Gillan and J Feetham 0-1 each

St Patrick’s: D Kearney 1-2 (1-0 pen, 2 fs), D McGarrity 1-1, Fionn Mullan 0-2, Fiontan Mullan and D Gallagher 0-1 each

CPC: O McConville, K Gillan, C McAuley, C Keenan, D McMullan, D Boyle, O O’Connell, C Bailey, I Gillan capt, R McQuillan, S Johnston, N McAuley, R Smith, J Feetham, B Murtagh

Subs: R Hennessey for C Keenan (19), J Richmond for B Murtagh (39)

St Patrick’s: D Cassidy, D Ruddy, C Ruddy, S O’Kane, R Quinn, C McNicholl capt, C Dillon, D Kearney, Daniel Boyle, Fionn Mullan, D McGarrity, D Gallagher, F Kerr, Fiontan Mullan, Danny Boyle

Sub: P Hogan for Danny Boyle (39)

Referee: Lorenzo McMullan

Alistar McGilligan presents the Danske Bank MacNamee Cup to Cross & Passion captain, Iarla Gillan

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Danske Bank Leonard Cup 

St. Mary’s CBGS 3-16-2-20 Cross and Passion 

By Kevin Herron 

Pics by Bert Trowlen

DAMIAN LAVERTY’S late free sealed a stunning second half fightback and saw Cross and Passion edge past St. Marys’ in their opening Leonard Cup encounter with a 2-20-3-16 victory on the Glen Road on Wednesday afternoon. 

The visitors had a strong opening quarter but found themselves in arrears at the break and by the 35th minute trailed 2-13-0-10, but they slowly got to grips and closed to within a point in the dying embers and held their nerve to leave with victory at the conclusion. 

Paidi O’Kane got Cross and Passion off the mark in the early stages with the Ballycastle outfit shooting into the breeze blowing towards the Monagh By-Pass end. 

A converted Matthew O’Neill free restored parity quickly and O’Neill added his first point from play shortly afterwards. 

CPC largely dominated the opening 10-minutes and it soon reflected on the scoreboard as Killian Cassidy tied things up for a second time and a converted O’Kane free edged them back ahead. 

A fine Damien Laverty score extended their advantage with O’Kane converting a further free and Tom Richmond finding aim to give their side a 0-6-0-2 lead. 

Despite Jude Gamble landing a fine point from range that was met by two in reply from the visitors courtesy of Cahir McCloskey and Ronan Elliott (free). 

The same pattern presented itself following Matthew O’Neill’s third point of the half, with Killian Cassidy sending over successive scores in less than 60-seconds as his side held a 0-10-0-4 advantage. 

The opening goal arrived midway through the opening period and it was a much needed goal for St. Mary’s. 

Matthew O’Neill headed for goal but saw his angled shot kept out by Liam McClelland, but Sian McMullan reacted quickest and flashed the loose ball to the net. 

A converted Matthew O’Neill free followed the hosts were back in business as they began to get to grips with things in attack whilst keeping the backdoor shut. 

They would keep Cross and Passion scoreless for the remainder of the half and by the 25th minute had clawed their way level after O’Neill added a further point from play and another from the placed ball. 

The Glen Road outfit led for just the second time after Gerard Delaney landed an angled score and just before the break Matthew O’Neill brought his tally to seven with another placed ball as the hosts led 1-9-0-10. 

St. Mary’s picked up where they left off before the interval with O’Neill adding to his personal tally and things would get better when Conan Mulligan raced onto a precise forward pass and had the composure to lift the ball over the keeper and it dropped in to make it 2-10-0-10. 

Jude Gamble landed a long range free, goalscorer Sian McMullan got his first point of the afternoon and Matthew O’Neill swung over his fourth from play. 

Cross and Passion ended a scoreless spell that stretched just over 20-minutes and it was a vital score as Cahir McCloskey rifled to the net to reduce arrears by a third (2-13-1-10). 

In the aftermath, Ronan Elliott converted a free and McCloskey notched his second point of proceedings. 

Successive Matthew O’Neill points- one from a free and the other from play- would restore his sides six-point advantage, though the pendulum was shifting with the game in the final quarter. 

Damian Laverty converted two frees either side of a John Og Darragh point. Darragh doubled his tally and Cahir McCloskey clipped over a 54th minute point to reduce the deficit to the bare minimum. 

The hosts looked to have given themselves a platform to victory when they netted for the third time through Cristoir McCabe, but at the other end Damian Laverty drilled a converted free to the net to make it 3-15-2-17. 

With two minutes to spare Paidi O’Kane dropped a shot over to pull his side level, though there was still time for the lead to change hands. 

St. Mary’s regained the lead through a Gerard Delaney point, though John Og Darragh popped over a further equaliser. 

It was the Ballycastle side who held their nerve at the last, earning themselves a late free that Damian Laverty converted. 

The hosts were unable to reply and force a share of the spoils as Cross and Passion held out for a 2-20-3-16 victory in what was a quality game of hurling. 

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