St Ciarán’s reach All-Ireland final
Masita Paddy Drummond Cup semi-final
From Kevin Kelly in Mullingar for the Irish News
St Ciaran’s Ballygawley 1-16 St Mary’s CBS Carlow 3-9
St Ciaran’s Ballygawley are through to the Paddy Drummond Cup final after winning an extra time thriller with St Mary’s CBS Carlow at the St Loman’s Club in Mullingar yesterday afternoon.
It was a contest that was keenly contested from first whistle to last on a day when both sides failed to make use of the significant wind advantage.
Having just won their first Danske Bank MacLarnon title at this level on St Patrick’s Day the Tyrone lads are now looking forward to the All-Ireland final at Croke Park on April 1st and the joint management of Brendan Treanor and Fionntan Devlin was delighted afterwards.
“That win was all about character between two well matched sides,” said Brendan.
“We looked to be in control in the first half against the wind but their goal on the stroke of half-time changed all that and after that it could have gone either way.”
As both sides tired in extra time the St Ciaran’s management asked their players for one last push at half-time.
“We told the lads that they were just ten minutes away from playing at Croke Park and to take that chance by the scruff of the neck and thankfully they did it,” said Fionntan.
St Mary’s could have had a goal straight from the throw in when Jordan Morrissey burst through from midfield but his shot hit the inside of the post before being cleared.
Caoimhin O’Donnell opened the scoring and after Darragh Canavan was unlucky to hit the side netting Pascal Donaghy scored a goal in the 12th minute. Two minutes later though the Leinster champions found the net themselves through Evan Lowry.
The rest of the half belonged to St.Ciaran’s though with Donaghy, O’Donnell and Tomas Hoy all finding the range. With the last kick of the half though Lee Dunne blasted in to leave it 1-6 to 2-2.
Morrissey levelled on the re-start before Millar and Lowry exchanged points. Donaghy, Cormac Donnelly and Millar then eased St Ciaran’s three in front but a Jody Murphy goal levelled it going into the final quarter. O’Donnell and Lowry swopped points to leave it 1-12 to 3-6 at the end of normal time.
Donnelly edged St Ciaran’s in front again but Morrissey replied and after Donaghy and Lowry both registered again it was all square at the end of the first extra time period.
St Ciaran’s weren’t to be denied though as O’Donnell and Hoy put them two in front and, while they lost Donaghy to a second yellow late on, they held on despite another Lowry score.
St Ciaran’s Ballygawley – P Traynor, M Lennon, Conor Quinn, J Murray, Callum Corrigan, Cathair Quinn, Cathal Corrigan, J Oguz (0-1), D Millar (0-2), P Donaghy (1-3), C Donnelly (0-2, 1 “45”), C Traynor, T Hoy (0-3), C O’Donnell (0-5), D Canavan.
Subs – P McNeilis for Donnelly, Jason Doyle for Millar (black card), C Donnelly for Callum Corrigan, M Owens for Cathal Corrigan, T Colhoun for Conor Quinn
St Mary’s CBS Carlow – G Kieran, M Doyle, C Ryan, C Myers, D Crotty, B Coady (0-1), D Keightley, J Morrissey (0-2), R Browne, J O’Neill (0-1), R Dunphy (0-1), L Dunne (1-0), E Lowry (1-4), J Murphy (1-0), G Healy.
Subs – M Lawlor for O’Neill, C O’Neill for Keightley
Referee – N McKenna, Monaghan
