Red High reach first Mageean Final
Finn Turpin as the hero for St Patrick’s Grammar Downpatrick last night, as his goal in the dying moments sealed a historic win for the Down side and secured a first ever appearance in the Danske Bank Mageean Cup Final.
Credit must also go to St Louis’ Ballymena who played their part in an exciting and tense game, which ebbed and flowed throughout, and was only decided in the closing moments by a moment of brilliance.
Ballymena were the first side to find the net, with sharpshooter Jack McCloskey cutting through the Downpatrick defence to fire in off the post.
The lead was short lived however, as three minutes later Portaferry GAC star Tom McGrattan fired to the roof of the Ballymena net to give his side a one point lead. A sublime sideline cut from All Saints GAC man Aodhan McGarry was undoubtedly the score of the half, as Ballymena edged ahead 1-11 to 1-10 at the break.
The second half brought more of the same, with Ballygalget‘s Oisin Coulter dropping deep for Downpatrick and having a great influence on the game.
Downpatrick were 1 ahead at the water break, Pearse Smyth scoring with a fine effort. Then came a period of no scores for 11 minutes, as both sides fought tooth and nail to gain the upper hand. In the end, it was Downpatrick who broke the deadlock with Turpin’s vital goal.
Final Score
St Patrick’s Downpatrick 2-17
St Louis’ Ballymena 1-17
St Patrick’s: P Smyth 0-2 frees, J Ruddy, R O’Neill, D Coulter, S Mageean, D Mallon, C Lenaghan, T Connolly 0-1, F Turpin 1-2, M Dorrian 0-1, A Connolly, T McGrattan 1-9 (5f), O Coulter 0-2, R McGrath, S McCarthy.
Subs: F MacManus for A Connolly (21), LMcCabe for S McCarthy (43), F Casey for R McGrath (58).
St Louis: C Mullan, D Martin 0-1, K O’Boyle, P Patterson, D McMullan 0-2 (1f), CDickson, C McCloskey, F Henry, A McGarry 0-2 (1 sideline), R McQuillan 0-1, C Higgins, D Patterson 0-1 free, R McCollum 0-5 (1f), J McCloskey 1-4 (4f), O McCamphill.
Subs: T McFerran 0-1 for O McCamphill (45)
Referee : K Parke
