Mageean holders out at semi-final stage

St Mary’s CBGS Belfast 0-20 St Louis Ballymena 1-12

Holders St Louis Ballymena’s grip on the Danske Bank Mageean Cup was only loosened by St Mary’s CBGS Belfast during the last quarter of this semi-final after midfielder Sean McFadden saw red.

They still held a single point lead, but they were facing into the stiff breeze in Glengormley and a player down. Tiarnan Murphy popped over a free for St Mary’s and, once Paddy Doyle put them ahead in the 48^th minute, the Ballymena resistance was broken.

However for long periods they looked like springing a surprise on a team that has won at ever level through their school careers – especially after Conal Doherty-Cunning moved out of the corner to around centre-forward where he started to fire over points.

St Louis went ahead in the 15^th minute with a goal from Darren McGowan and pushed on to lead 1-9 to 0-7 at the break with Doherty-Cunning raising six flags and his Dunloy club-mate Seaan Elliott landing three points.

St Mary’s worked hard against the breeze but depended on frees from Shea Shannon (4) to stay in touch.

They edged closer during the third quarter with Tiarnan Murphy now on frees and after the dismissal kept adding the points to eventually avenge last year’s final defeat.

Sean Wilson and Aodhan O’Brien worked well in defence, while captain CJ McKenna got through a lot of work at midfield.

St Louis : A Mooney, R McNaughton, C Kinsella, P Graffin, A Crawford, R McGarry, C McFadden, L McCann, S McFadden, A McNeilly, C Neeson, A McGrath, S Elliott 0-4, D Fagan 1-0, C Cunning 0-8, 0-4 frees.

Sub : D Mallon for D Fagan (45).

St Mary’s: P Kennedy, M Napier, N McCann, S Wilson, D McEnhill, A O’Brien, N Gibson, S Shannon 0-7, 0-4 frees, CJ McKenna capt, D Grego 0-1, C McLarnon 0-1, G Smyth, T Murphy 0-7, 0-4 frees, O O’Callaghan 0-1, P Doyle 0-2.

Subs : C Crossan 0-1 for O O’Callaghan (45), M Mallon for G Smyth (48), M Smyth for S Wilson (52).

Referee : Colin Murray (Down)