Three last quarter goals sink Holy Trinity
Danske Bank MacRory Cup Playoff
From Kevin Kelly in Páirc Esler
St Colman’s Newry 4-8 Holy Trinity Cookstown 1-10
St Colman’s Newry justified their favourites tag to advance to the quarter-finals of the Dans-ke Bank MacRory Cup but not before they were given a serious challenge by Holy Trinity Cookstown in this playoff at Páirc Esler yesterday afternoon.
Going into the final quarter the winners only held a slender two points advantage and while they failed to raise another white flag they did find the net three times to put the game be-yond the reach of their opponents.
The first two of those goals were the result of Holy Trinity coughing up possession and they paid the price as St Colman’s set up a date with further Tyrone opponents in the form of MacCormack Cup finalists Omagh CBS.
Holy Trinity were out of the traps quickly with All-star forward Tiernan Quinn converting a free followed by a superb effort from play on his way to a personal haul of 0-8.
St Colman’s opened their account in the 4th minute and they did it in style as Adam Crim-mons and Cian McLoughlin combined for the latter to cut in from the left wing before off-loading to full forward Eamon Brown who smashed the ball into the roof of the net.
Midfielder Thomas Close converted three frees with Brown also on target from play to leave the Newry lads 1-4 to 0-2 in front after only a dozen minutes. Any thoughts that they were going to canter to victory though were quickly dispelled with Quinn a threat every time he was in possession.
He went past three tackles to land a brilliant score and after converting a free he was on target from play as well. Crimmons responded with a fine point for St Colman’s but that was can-celled out by a fisted effort from hard working Holy Trinity midfielder Shane Murphy.
Brown converted two frees but either side of those scores Murphy fired over an outstanding point with the outside of the boot as they sides went in at the break with the score-board reading 1-7 to 0-7.
Quinn scored from a placed ball on the re-start and when he won possession from the next kick out a goal was on the cards as he fisted the ball to Eunan Devlin but the centre half for-ward lost his footing at the wrong time.
Another Quinn free though reduced the deficit to the minimum and it was very much game on at thisstage. Wing half back Patrick Brooks got forward for a much needed St Colman’s score as the contest entered the final quarter.
Holy Trinity were then caught out taking one pass too many in their defence and when McLoughlin played the ball to Eoghan Byrne the midfielder fired to the net for a crucial score.
Two minutes later it was effectively game over when Andrew Gilmore first timed the ball to the net after a flicked effort from Crimmons had come back off the post.
Tempers then became frayed and when calm was restored referee Kevin Faloon brandished straight red cards to St Colman’s defender Peter Sweeney and Holy Trinity attacker Mark Devlin.
Holy Trinity substitute Tiernan Mackle punched in a late goal but St Colman’s had the final say when they ended a flowing attack with Patsy Finnegan squaring the ball for Brooks to palm home.
St Colman’s Newry: C Smyth, R French, P Sweeney, L Branagan, P McGrane, D Fegan, P Brooks (1-1), E Byrne (1-0), T Close (0-3 frees), A Crimmons (0-1), P Finnegan, D McCarthy, C McLoughlin, E Brown (1-3, 0-2 frees), A Gilmore (1-0)
Subs: D Magill for McGrane, L Fearon for Byrne, R Campbell for McLoughlin, P Clancy for Brown
Holy Trinity Cookstown: C Loane, Patrick Quinn, C Mulgrew, E Gallagher, Thomas Mackle, Tarlach Quinn, N Devlin, S Murphy (0-2), P Lagan, Paul Quinn, E Devlin, M Devlin, Tiernan Quinn (0-8, 0-5 frees), O Mulgrew, N Connolly.
Subs: Tiernan Mackle (1-0) for Connolly, A O’Loughlin for E Devlin, S Quinn for Paul Quinn, C McGarrity for Thomas Mackle, C McGarrity for Patrick Quinn, E O’Neill for Tar-lach Quinn
Referee: K Faloon, Armagh
