Duggan stars as St Colman’s take MacFarland

Danske Bank MacFarland Cup final
St Colman’s Newry 1-16 St Mary’s Magherafelt 1-6
ST COLMAN’s Newry, last year’s Danske Bank McGreevy Cup bridesmaids, became this year’s MacFarland Cup champions finishing off the campaign yesterday with a comfortable victory over St Mary’s Magherafelt in the final at Rossa Park in Belfast.
While it was a solid team performance from the Newry school, two players really stood head and shoulders abover the rest, centre-half back James Duggan who delivered 1-10 over the hour and midfielder Dara Rodgers, scorer of a further four points.
The pair was outstanding throughout, with good support from the full-back line and James King in particular while up front Finlay Brady and Conor Madden fought hard.
St Mary’s had strong performances from goalie Sean McAuley, Dara Young, Ronan McCallion, Charlie Curley and Benen Kelly, but they found it very difficult to cope with the twin threat of Rodgers and Duggan.
Both were prominent in the early scoring returns and St Colman’s led by 0-8 to 0-2 after 20 minutes with McAuley bringing off several stops to keep his side in the game.
Eventually though a fine solo-run and shot from Duggan delivered the St Colman’s goal and at the break they led by 1-10 to 0-2 (points from Diarmuid Mulholland and Ciaran McKenna).
St Mary’s had a much better second half and they even out-scored St Colmans 1-4 to six points. The goal from Eoin McEvoy was well worked and closed the gap at a time when Magherafelt were in the ascendancy.
However St Colman’s never looked in danger of losing the tie and they finished strongly with two points from Duggan and another from Rodgers.
St Colman’s: D White, M Duffy, J King, C King, F Kieran, J Duggan 1-10, 0-8 frees, D McCusker, D Rodgers 0-4, P Cowan, F Brady, C Madden, M Boyd, C Magee 0-1, M Rice, C McDonagh 0-1.
Subs : D Cunningham for C Magee, S O’Neill for C McDonagh, O Logan for C Madden, E Sherry for M Rice
St Mary’s : S McAuley capt., E Mullan, D Young, J Convery, R McCallion, B Kelly 0-1, N Rafferty, D Mulholland 0-2 frees, C Johnston 0-1, C Curley, C McKenna 0-1, C Graffin 0-1, M Murray 0-1, J Wilson, E McEvoy 1-0.
Subs : R McEldowney for N Rafferty, L Burns for J Wilson