St Mary’s impress to reach Mageean final

Danske Bank Mageean Cup semi final

St Mary’s CBGS Belfast 3-18 St Louis Ballymena 0-7 YESTERDAY in Dunsilly, St Mary’s CBGS Belfast powered their way past St Louis Ballymena and into next Friday evening’s Danske Bank Mageean Cup final.

The Glen Road boys trailed 0-3 to 0-2 after ten minutes play following Ballymena points from Eoin McFerran, Shane O’Boyle and free-taker Colla McDonnell. But even at that point the movement in their forward line was proving difficult to control.

Daire Murphy edged St Mary’s ahead with two points before the midway point of the first half and then Caolán Ó Duifín struck for two goals inside four minutes to take them clear of the mid-Antrim challengers.
Two Colla McDonnell frees before the break provided a glimmer of hope for St Louis who turned around 2-7 to 0-5 in arrears – but to face the stiff breeze.

Ruairí Murray fired over two good scores on the re-start as St Mary’s pulled away to lead 2-16 to 0-5 after 50 minutes.

They then began to run the bench and Ronan Crossan put down a marker scoring a point with his first possession and then in the 55th minute he cut in along the end line to tap home St Mary’s third goal.
The focus now switches to preparation to take on Cross and Passion Ballycastle at the Dub next Friday.

St Mary’s : A Mullan, O May, D Murray, D Wilson, C Boyle, C McKernan (0-3, 0-2 frees), D Churchill, E Trainor (0-1), A McLean, C Ó Duifin (2-1), G McIlhatton (0-1), R Murray (0-3), D Delaney, D Murphy (0-3), D McKeogh (0-6, 0-5 frees).

Subs : R Crossan (1-1) for D Delaney, M Toner for A McLean, D Magee for O May.
St Louis : P Doherty, L Mulholland, D McMullan, R McCartney, F Henry, R McCloskey (0-1 free), R McKillop, C Dickson, S O’Boyle (0-1), E McFerran (0-1), C Higgins, R McQuillan, P Dougan, R McCollum (0-1 free) C McDonnell (0-3 frees).

Subs : C McCloskey for E McFerran, S McCusker for C McDonnell, D Donaghy for R McQuillan.

Referee : Sean McGuigan (Slaughtneil)