Red card helps Maghera hurlers into Paddy Buggy final

Masita All Ireland Post Primary Schools’ Paddy Buggy Cup semi-final (Senior Hurling)
St Patrick’s Maghera 2-15 CBS Mitchelstown 1-9
St Patrick’s Maghera have continued a good run for Danske Bank Mageean Cup champions in the Paddy Buggy Cup semi-finals beating Mitchelstown CBS in DCU on Saturday afternoon.
The pivotal moment of the game came fairly early on with the teams tied on 0-3 each. Mitchelstown’s centre-half back Mark Keane was upended in a tackle and while on the ground was caught by the linesman lashing out a kick at Ruairí Rafferty.
The red-card had an immediate impact with Maghera hitting the next three scores (two frees for Richie Mullan and another point for Tiarnan McHugh), as the Munster champions re-organised, but Maghera adopted very well to using the extra player and controlled most of the remaining 45 minutes.
McHugh caused the Cork defence a lot of problems and was instrumental in the goal just before the interval. He rose high to collect a long delivery, took on his player and then passed across for Fiontan Bradley to slam to the net and a 1-7 to 0-5 lead.
Justin Keating, the star of Mitchelstown’s Munster campaign, pointed on the re-start, but Maghera hit back with the next six points, two for Mullan and one each for McHugh, Ruairí Rafferty and Fiontan and Dominic Bradley.
That put them into a healthy 1-13 to 0-6 lead, but this was cut to four points when Keating burst down the middle in the 51st minute for a goal and added a point from the poc-out.
However Tiarnan McHugh restored Maghera’s superiority with a 54th minute individual goal and points from Peadar McLaughlin and Richie Mullan saw Maghera home.
The second semi-final, between Portumna CS and Coláiste Choilm Tullamore, is scheduled for Ballinasloe on Wednesday with the final in Easter week.
St Patrick’s : Tiarnan McHugh 1-3, Fiontan Bradley 1-2, Richie Mullan 0-7, 0-6 frees, Dominic Bradley 0-1, Ruairí Rafferty 0-1, Peadar McLaughlin 0-1.
Mitchelstown: Justin Keating 1-5, 0-4 frees, Cathal Harrington 0-2, Cathal O’Mahoney 0-2