Another big win for Academy in MacRory

Saturday 30th 11am in Rossa GAC Magherafelt
Danske Bank MacRory Cup
St Patrick’s Academy 6-7 Cathair Dhoire 0-11
ST PATRICK’S Academy comfortably wrapped up the points from this game in Magherafelt on Saturday during the opening half but it was a last minute free from Luke Donnelly that really counted in this Danske MacRory Cup tie.
That late point gave them a slightly better score difference than St Macartan’s Monaghan (55 v 54) which means that they top the group and will now re-enter the competition at the quarter-final stage in February avoiding the two eliminator rounds in January. And in January they will contest the semi-finals of the MacCormack Cup.
St Macartan’s will get a bye through the first elimination round and then take part in the second elimination round on the last weekend of January.
Meanwhile Cathair Dhoire after this defeat will have to play Patrician High Carrickmacross in mid-January. However they will be able to take a couple of positives from this game, particularly the performance of Shea Browne who turned in a fine hour’s football and registered six points. Liam Connelly did well with four points and the team total of 11 white flags was a good return.
However the Academy were able to open them up quite easily for goals and scored four during the first half including early ones from Ryan Carmichael and Sean McLaughlin.
Cathair Dhoire replied with a couple of points and Luke Donnelly hit back with two for the Academy who finished the half with two more goals, from Donnelly and Shea Daly.
Although Browne kept slogging away, Paddy McKearney and Liam McLoughlin added Academy goals during the third quarter and they were out of sight.
The Academy’s last two games were too easy for them and it is doubtful if Ciaran Gourley and his management team have found out a lot about the team. January and early February will tell a truer story of a team that has hit 22 goals in their three group games.
St Patrick’s Academy : Ryan Carmichael (1-3), Luke Donnelly (1-3), Sean McLaughlin (1-0), Shea Daly (1-0), Patrick McKearney (1-0), Liam McLoughlin (1-0), Eoghan Donnelly (0-1)
St Columb’s : Shea Browne (0-6), Liam Connelly (0-4), Michael Lynch (0-1)