Danske Bank MacRory Cup
St Mary’s Magherafelt 3-4 Omagh CBS 1-9
from Kevin Kelly in Ballinderry
St Mary’s Magherafelt upset the formbook at Ballinderry on Friday night when they had a fully merited win over a fancied Omagh CBS to book their place in the Danske Bank MacRory Cup semi-finals.
It was St Mary’s who led by the minimum margin at the break, 1-2 to 0-4, with their more direct style of play paying dividends although Magherafelt full back Sean Kelly came to his side’s rescue in the opening moments to thwart a PT Cunningham goal effort.
We had to wait until the 12th minute for the opening score, an Omagh point from centre half back Cahair Goodwin, before Cunningham doubled their advantage. Good work from Declan Cassidy set up Kevin Small for Magherafelt’s opening score before the Derry school were awarded a 20th minute penalty.
Cassidy played the ball to Cormac Murphy who went past four challenges before being brought down by Peadar Mullan, Small expertly tucking in away to the bottom right hand corner of the net.
Daniel Bradley added a point from a free but Omagh finished the half with efforts from Eoighan Keenan and Oisin Donnelly to keep them well in the hunt.
Whatever was said to Omagh in the changing rooms certainly had the desired effect as within fifteen seconds Odhran Rafferty blasted the ball to the roof of the net. Man of the match Cassidy was unlucky not to respond in kind at the other end of the field when his shot cannoned off the bar.
Goodwin, Peter óg McCartan and Rafferty all tagged on points as Omagh made it 1-3 without reply within ten minutes of the restart. They led by five points at that stage but they failed to kick on.
Magherafelt dug deep with Small converting a free before the same player found the net after a pass from Cassidy. That was in the 47th minute and moments later Omagh were dealt another blow when Damian McGuigan was straight red-carded.
Peadar Mullan got a much needed point for Omagh but the momentum was all with St Mary’s with Cassidy finishing off a brilliant move with an excellent goal.
Goodwin got on the end of a high ball to punch the equaliser but in injury time Small kicked a superb winner while Goodwin was straight red-carded right at the death.
St Mary’s Magherafelt: O Lynch, C Devlin, S Kelly, M Loughran, D Cassidy (1-0), C McCluskey, E Kelly, K McCann, T Donaghy, A Connolly, L Quinn, S McErlean, D Bradley (0-1, 1f), K Small (2-3, 1-0 pen, 1f), C Murphy.
Subs: T McAteer for McCann, C Donnelly for Bradley
Omagh CBS: B Gallen, C Breen, E Byrne, P Mullan (0-1), D McGuigan, C Goodwin (0-3), P Og McCartan (0-1), E Keenan (0-1), E Donnelly, T Murray, PT Cunningham (0-1), R McCusker, J McGurk, O Rafferty (1-1), O Donnelly (0-1).
Referee: P Faloon, Down
