Maghera first into MacRory semis
Danske Bank MacRory Cup quarter-final
St Patrick’s Maghera 1-10 St Patrick’s Academy Dungannon 0-4
ST PATRICK’S Maghera became the first team through to the Danske Bank MacRory Cup semi-final after a confident performance last night in the Loup.
The south Derry team was sharper in their movement both on and off the ball and secured their passage to the last four with a 32nd minute goal from Alec Doherty after good work from Conleth McGuckian.
That score put Maghera into a 1-5 to 0-2 lead and the Academy were as good as gone with only Ronan McHugh causing any kind of bother up front.
In fact Dungannon went 22 minutes of the second half before adding to their first half total, Neil Kilpatrick lifting over his second free. Although Ryan McCabe quickly added a good score from 35m, it still left them 1-8 to 0-4 adrift and Maghera regained their composure for Daithi McLaughlin and Alec Doherty to complete the scoring.
Conleth McGuckian opened the scoring witb a point after 90 seconds, Maghera able to run through three phases before they found the opening.
By the 10th minute Alec Doherty, Enda Downey and Fintan Bradley had opened up a 0-4 to 0-1 lead with Ronan McHugh making a good run to point for the Academy.
Although there were no further scores until Ethan Doherty found Enda Downey in space in the 21st minute and the Academy had shot a couple of poor wides, there was never a sense that the Tyrone school could pull off a shock.
After Doherty’s goal to open the second half scoring, there followed a few excellent points for Maghera, McLaughlin, McHugh, Downey and sub Hawe involved in speedy moves on the left wing.
In the end it was a tame enough exit from the Academy with only their defence coming out of the game with much credit, while Maghera, who played without injured captain Conleth McShane, will find tougher challenges ahead of them.
The other three quarter-final ties are all scheduled for this Saturday in Clones (1pm), Scotstown (2.30pm) and the Athletic Grounds Armagh (5pm)
Maghera : C Convery, R McFaul, A McGuckin, P McLaughlin, E Mulholland, C Milne, O Downey, T McHugh, P Shivers, E Doherty, F Bradley (0-2), D McLaughlin (0-2), C McGuckian (0-‘1), A Doherty (1-3, 0-1 free), E Downey (0-2)
Subs : E Hawe for C McGuckian (37), PJ McAleese for E Downey (58)
St Patrick’s Academy Dungannon: L Quinn, C Begley, M McCusker, S McGeary, L Kilpatrick, C Devlin, O McHugh, M O’Neill, R Duffin, T McCormack, N Kilpatrick (0-2 free), O McGee, S Daly, R McHugh (0-1), R McCabe (0-1)
Subs: S Donnelly for O McGee (42), L Donnelly for S Daly (47 black card), L Ferguson for R McHugh (49), N McMurray for M O’Neill (55), L Conlon for S McGeary (59)
Referee: P Falloon (Down)
Picture cutesy of Michael McMullan on Twitter @malmcmullan
