Academy Win Final Mac Rory Cup Playoff

Monday 09.01.2023

Football

St Patrick’s Academy Dungannon recovered from a poor start to defeat St Michael’s Enniskillen in the final qualifying game of the Mac Rory Cup at Derrylin on Monday afternoon.

Played in front of a sizeable crowd and in difficult conditions the Academy conceded 2-1 inside the first seven minutes and looked to be in real bother. However the Tyrone school refused to panic and soon settled to the task. In spite of playing into the wind during the opening half and chasing a deficit they reached the break leading 2-5 to 2-4.

A third goal, this time inside the opening minute of the second half, knocked the heart out of the Enniskillen lads and Dungannon ran out deserving 3-11 to 2-8 winners.

Michael Browne opened the scoring for Enniskillen four minutes into the game before Matthew Mc Dermott and Browne both found the net to put their side seven clear and seemingly in control.

The Academy rose to the challenge however and restricted their opponents to only three further first half points while hitting 2-5 to go off at the break leading by one. Ronan Cassidy (3), Luke Neeson and Ben Cullen were among the points while Sean Hughes and Theo Lowe both exploited space in the Enniskillen defence to find the net for their side.

Finn Spence gave the Academy the perfect start to the second half with a goal inside the first minute. St Pat’s grew in confidence and bossed the game to such an extent that they could have won by more. Ben Cullen, Sean Hughes and Ryan Lavery added points to stretch the lead before Browne pointed for St Mick’s. Lavery responded with his second point since coming on before Caolan Brennan added to the Enniskillen tally to keep them in the game with twelve minutes remaining.

Ronan Cassidy, who was excellent throughout, hit three in a row to seal the win for Dungannon even though Conor O’Hanlon rounded off the scoring with two late points for St Michael’s.

Final Score: Dungannon Academy 3-11, St Michael’s Enniskillen 2-8.

Dungannon scorers: R Cassidy 0-6 (3F), S Hughes 1-1, T Lowe 1-0, F Spence 1-0, L Neeson 0-1, B Cullen 0-1, S Fay 0-1, R Lavery 0-1

Enniskillen scorers: M Burns 1-3 (1-1 F), M McDermott 1-1, C O’Hanlon 0-3, C Brennan 0-1

Referee: M McNally, Monaghan