New boys grab MacRory draw
Danske Bank MacRory Cup
St Malachy’s Castlewellan 2-12 Omagh CBS 3-9
THE management teams of both St Malachy’s Castlewellan and Omagh CBS might well consider this a point lost rather than one earned in an entertaining start to this season’s Danske Bank MacRory Cup yesterday in Pearse Óg Armagh.
Omagh hit a lot of wides particularly during the opening half and then went nearly 20 minutes during the second half without a score, while the debutants battled back from seven points down at the break only to throw away a three points’ lead at the death.
The west Tyrone side had first use of the breeze but didn’t really make it count on the score-board until the ten minutes before the break when they moved away from 0-4 each to lead 2-5 to 0-4 at the turnover.
James Garrity, who was a star up front, grabbed the opening goal in the 22nd minute after a poor kick-out put the Down defence under pressure. Cormac Rodgers finished the second to the net five minutes later after he had tagged on a point.
St Malachy’s refused to roll over and within 40 seconds of the re-start quick hands worked the ball through to Conor McCrickard for the Liatroim Fontenoy to ripple the net from close range.
Although James Garrity replied with a point for Omagh, substitute Brendan McKay got the Down challenge back on track with a point and when Niall Cassidy’s penalty strike punished a foot block in the 40th minute, just the minimum separated the teams, 2-6 to 2-5.
However right from the kick out the ball was worked through the centre and Darren Treanor fired home a response from Omagh.
This seemed however to lift the Down boys and they landed the next seven points without reply including two each from Niall Cassidy and Aaron Devlin.
At that point five minutes from full time, Castlewellan looked winners in their first ever MacRory Cup tie. But Garrity ended Omagh’s barren spell with a point from a free, Liam Gray added another, and a minute from time, Garrity kept his cool to land the equaliser from around 20 metres out.
The other game in Group B, St Patrick’s Armagh v St Ronan’s, has been deferred to next Friday evening as both schools have their Fromal this FRIDAY evening.
St Malachy’s : Conor McCrickard 1-4, 0-2 frees, Niall Cassidy 1-2, 1-0 penalty, Aaron Devlin 0-2 frees, Brendan McKay 0-2, Matthew Carville 0-2.
Omagh : James Garrity 1-4, 0-3 frees, Darren Treanor 1-1, Cormac Rodgers 1-1, Caolan Slevin 0-2, Liam Gray 0-1.
