Red High into MacLarnon quarter-final

Danske Bank MacLarnon Cup
Round 2 Eliminator
St Patrick’s Downpatrick 1-11 Carndonagh CS 0-8
ST PATRICK’S Downpatrick are right back in the race to retain the Danske Bank MacLarnon Cup after this Round Two Eliminator in Faughanvale yesterday when they put their pre-Christmas form behind them to bag a spot in the quarter-finals.
The Red High nailed that knock-out spot despite having Dermot Donaldson red-carded midway through the opening half. In fairness they had already made their mark on the game and were leading by 0-8 to 0-0.
That moved to 0-10 to 0-3 by the break with Eoin Rooney and Lorcan Guiness lording Carndonagh in defence. Tom Smyth in midfield and Odhran Sherry in a free role around the middle picked up a lot of possession and distributed it well with Chris McElroy, Tom Savage, Smyth and Ronan Connor (from frees) registering a string of points to put them in command of the tie.
Carndonagh struggled to make an impression on the game and relied totally on frees from Luke Doherty and Tiernan McDonald to keep in touch.
They were edging a little closer midway through the second half when the key moment arrived with Christopher McDaid put through one-on-one with Peter Kearney. But the big Downpatrick net-minder was up to the task and saved.
That would have levelled the tie and the momentum gained might have swung it Carndonagh’s way. Instead Downpatrick got their second wind and the game was put to bed five minutes from time when Tom Smyth race through to find the net.
It turned out to be a great day for Downpatrick with De La Salle College, who share a site with St Patrick’s, edging an extra time thriller with Coláiste Oiriall in the Danske Bank Ward Cup.
De La Salle led by 1-15 to 2-8 towards the end of normal time, but conceded four points in a row and the game went into extra time.
Cathal Laverty’s goal gave De La Salle a single point advantage at half time and then a strike from Con Farrell put them two points up at the death with Oiriall awarded a 13 metres free in added time.
The shot was beat out and over the bar for Downpatrick to make it through to the next round on a 3-17 to 2-19 score-line
St Patrick’s : Peter Kearney, Eoin Rooney, Lorcan Guiness, Caolan Murray, Odhran Barlow, Aodan Harney, Tom Smyth (1-2), Oran Cunningham, Conor Murray, Tom Savage (0-2), Ronan Connor (0-4), Dermot Donaldson, Chris McElroy (0-2), Tom McNeill 0-1, Odhran Sherry.
Subs Oran Gormley for Tom McNeill, Conn Murnin for Chris McElroy
Carndonagh : Oran Raymond, Darrach O’Connor, Ronan Kelly, Rory Lynch, Peter McCallion, Adam McGonigle, David McGonigle, Oisin Devlin, Gavin McDaid, Christy McDaid, Luke Doherty (0-3), Tiernan McDonald (0-4), Conor O’Neill, Brian Houghton, Matthew Brennan (0-1)