Convent Giant-killers at it again
January 29, 2020
Danske Bank MacRory Cup Round 2 Eliminator
St Macartan’s 0-13 St Mary’s Magherafelt 2-12 AET
ST MARY’S Magherafelt delivered another Danske Bank MacRory Cup shock in Clones yesterday when they knocked out St Macartan’s Monaghan to claim a quarter-final spot next week against St Patrick’s Academy.
Ten days ago Ronan McKenna’s late free in Kinspsan Breffni Park eliminated St Patrick’s Cavan and yesterday a McKenna free in the 64th minute took the game to extra time on a 1-9 to 0-12 score-line.
Seconds earlier Tiernan Kierans had the easy option of a point to put the Sem two ahead, but he went for goal and Peter McKinney saved brilliantly to keep Magherafelt’s hopes alive. It followed two other wonder stops from the Kilrea goalie in a Player of the Match performance.
The Convent went on to control injury time with sub Callum Ormsby hitting the net to end Monaghan’s chances.
St Macartan’s played with the breeze from the throw-in and went 0-7 to 1-2 ahead at the break with a no-nonsense direct style of getting the ball into the forward line as quickly as possible.
Niall McKenna had two early points, but St Mary’s took the lead with a goal from Dan Higgins in the 16th minute only for the Sem to finish the half strongly with points from McKenna, Michael Hamill and Dylan Balantine with McKinney called on to save smartly when McKenna got in for a one-on-one.
Points from Kevin McNicholl and Aidan McCloskey levelled the game in the 49th minute at 1-7 to 0-10, but Conor McCooey and Michael Hamill edged St Macartan’s ahead and they looked like winners at that juncture.
Aidan McCluskey cut the gap to a single point before McKinney’s wonder save and Ronan McKenna’s free brought the game into extra-time.
Conhuir Johnston then put St Mary’s ahead and McKenna added a free before Dan Higgins set Ormsby up for the goal. St Mary’s were on the defensive for long periods of the second half of extra time but Johnny McErlain and Matthew McNeill stood out as the Convent claimed their quarter-final place against St Patrick’s Dungannon.
St Mary’s: P McKinney; F Diamond, M McNeill, S McSorley; E McEvoy (0-1); C Mallon (0-1), J McErlain, A McCluskey (0-2); E Quinn, D Higgins (1-1); E McElhennon (0-1), R McKenna (0-4, frees), S Duffin; C Johnston (0-1), K McNicholl (0-1).
Subs: R McEldowney for E Quinn (47), C Ormsby (1-0) for S Duffin (55), C Crozier for K McNicholl (70), J McVey for R McKenna (72), C Fowley for C Mallon (79).
St Macartan’s : D Croarkin; M Meehan, R Boyle, D Doherty; D Treanor, C Flood, A Stewart; D Ballantine (0-1), K Gallagher (0-1); C Liddle, B Ryan (0-1 free), C McCooey (0-2); M Hamill (0-2), L Power, N McKenna (0-6, 0-3 frees)
Subs: T Kierans for B Ryan (41), A Brennan for C Liddle (45), E McGinnity for A Stewart (Start ET), K McKenna for C Flood (70), T Moyna for D Treanor (79).
Referee : James Lewis (Fermanagh).
