Convent shock Cavan
Danske Bank MacRory Cup Round 1 Eliminator
St Mary’s Magherafelt 0-7 St Patrick’s Cavan 0-6
A POINT from an injury time free scored by Ronan McKenna sent shock waves through the Danske Bank MacRory Cup. That score in Kingspan Breffni Park knocked out St Patrick’ Cavan, one of the pre-competition favourites after capturing the Rannafast title two seasons ago.
This was a game of missed chances which partly explains the low scoring with the south Derry visitors hitting 16 wides and St Patrick’s a further nine.
The first half delivered just four scores and Sean Duffin was the only scorer during the first 24 minutes of play. St Mary’s missing nine chances (five from frees) before the break but were still just 0-3 to 0-1 down at the turnover.
They had Johnny McErlain in the sin bin shortly before the break and that was when Cavan gained a foothold on the score-board with points from Jack Mooney, Shane Tynan and James McCahill.
Cavan added two more points after the break through captain Mark Maguire and Daryl McGurren before Ronan McKenna pointed for Magherafelt from a free and then Conor Fowley ended up in the sin bin.
But the set-back brought out the real character in Magherafelt and Johnny McErlain, Eunan McElhennon and a free from McKenna levelled the tie. They then took the lead when McKenna’s free dropped short but was still deflected over the Cavan bar.
McGurren hit back for Cavan but 30 seconds from the end of the three minutes of additional time McKenna nailed the 35m free that sends the Convent into a Round 2 Eliminator against St Macartan’s Monaghan.
St Patrick’s: Daryl McGurren (0-2,1f), Mark Maguire (0-1), James McCahill (0-1), Shane Tynan (0-1), Jack Mooney(0-1).
St Mary’s: Ronan McKenna (0-4f), Johnny McErlain (0-1), Eunan McElhennon (0-1), Sean Duffin(0-1).
This completes the lineup for the Round Two qualifiers
Danske Bank MacRory Cup Round 2 Eliminators (on or before Saturday 1st February)
St Macartan’s v St Mary’s Magherafelt
St Eunan’s Letterkenny v Patrician Carrickmacross
St Patrick’s Armagh v Abbey CBS
St Michael’s Enniskillen v Holy Trinity Cookstown
Danske Bank MacCormack Cup final (on or before Saturday 1st February)
St Colman’s Newry v Omagh CBS
