Penalties can’t derail the Academy in MacRory

Danske Bank MacRory Cup

St Patrick’s Academy Dungannon 1-13 Abbey CBS Newry 3-4

HOW WELL St Patrick’s Academy reacted to the two penalty goals probably was the main reason that they came away from this Danske Bank MacRory Cup group game in O’Neill Park Dungannon with both league points.

Jamie Martin both earned and converted a penalty in the opening minute for Abbey CBS, but the Academy bounced back and scored the next nine points before the 20th minute.

Then they conceded a second penalty in the 34th minute, John McGovern taken down in the area and Martin again planting the ball in the back of the net. That edged Abbey into a 3-2 to 0-10 lead, but the Academy came back with 1-2 to take control of the tie and see the game out with over nine minutes of injury-time added.

For Abbey it will have been a frustrating afternoon. Aidan McGovern did well at full-back and sub Sean Campbell tightened up the half-back line, while Callum O’Hare at midfield and John McGovern up front had their moments, but overall, despite getting three goals at good times, they couldn’t push on.

The Academy management will have been happy enough; good performances from a number of players including Conal Devlin, Tomás McCormack and Shane Donnelly, and good heart after the set-backs. However there is also a lot of worry after the injury to Luke Ferguson as he scored their goal necessitated a delay of almost 10 minutes while he was removed from the field.

In response to that early penalty goal, goalie Lorcán Quinn helped the revival by arrowing three first half frees through the Abbey posts. Ryan McCabe and Ronan McHugh also tagged on three points each and they led 0-9 to 1-0 after 19 minutes.

Abbey then scored their second goal, Ronan McCarthy shepherding the ball past Quinn in the 21st minute. But they couldn’t add to it and Quinn and John McGovern swopped points before the break.
On the re-start, McGovern pointed from play before he won Abbey a second penalty which Martin calmly despatched. They looked like digging in after that score and it took the Academy 17 minutes to open their second half account through Ronan McHugh.

Ronan Duffin gave them the lead shortly before a shot from Tomás McCormack fell short and Luke Ferguson forced it home although his bravery cost him what looked like a serious enough injury.
When play resumed the Academy remained in control and saw the game out.

St Patrick’s Academy : Luke Ferguson (1-0), Lorcán Quinn (0-4 frees), Ryan McCabe (0-4), Ronan McHugh (0-3, 0-2 frees), Luke Donnelly (0-1 free), Louis Conlon (0-1).

Abbey CBS : Jamie Martin (2-0 pens), Ronan McCarthy (1-0), John McGovern (0-2), Daragh O’Callaghan (0-1), Callum O’Hare (0-1).