Maghera power home in Gallagher semi-final

Danske Bank Gallagher Cup semi-final
St Patrick’s Maghera 3-18 St Killian’s Garron Tower 1-7
IT IS difficult to believe when one looks at the final score-line in this Danske Bank Gallagher Cup semi-final in Ballymena yesterday afternoon that St Killian’s Garron Tower led by 1-6 to 0-4 after four minutes of the second half and entering the last quarter, Maghera only held a single point advantage.
There was no significant impact from the elements, just an increase in tempo from a more physically powerful Maghera side for whom free-taker Peter McCullagh played a huge role, landing nine points in total and eight of those during the second half.
Earlier in the game, St Killian’s gave as good as they got and Padraig McKillop’s late point gave them an interval advantage of 0-5 to 0-4.
Seanie McIntosh fired over his second point in the 32nd minute and a minute later Colm McKeegan rifled a 30 metres free to the Maghera net.
However from then on there was only one team in the game, with James Friel kick-starting the comeback with points in the 35th and 37th minutes. Then it was over to McCullough who put his team in control by scoring the next seven Maghera points, six from frees and three of those outside the 65 metre line.
On came Jody McDermott for the last 12 minutes and he immediately tagged on two points before Maghera finished the game with three goals in the last six minutes, one each for McDermott, Thomas McKeagney and Conor Murtagh.
In reality though they were already through to a final pairing with St Mary’s CBGS Belfast long before those three goals.
St Patrick’s : Jody McDermott 1-3, Thomas McKeagney 1-1, Conor Murtagh 1-1, Peter mccullagh 0-9, 0-6 frees, James Friel 0-2, Callum O’Kane 0-1 free, Raymond Dillon 0-1.
St Killian’s : Colm McKeegan 1-0 free, Pádraig McKillop 0-2, 0-1 free, Seanie McIntosh 0-2, Daniel Kearney 0-1, Mark McSparron 0-1, Matthew McCann 0-1.