First MacLarnon Title For St.Josephs

Friday 10.02.2023

Club Life

St.Josephs Donaghmore 4-10 Rathmore Grammar 1-3

History was made at the Dub in Belfast on Friday night when St.Josephs Donaghmore collected the MacLarnon Cup for the first time in their history with victory over Rathmore Grammar.

Sixteen points separated the two sides at the final whistle but that doesn’t tell the whole story as it was only in the second half that the Tyrone lads managed to pull away from their opponents. The Antrim school got off to the best possible start with a 4^th minute goal from Garrett Cowan. Donaghmore struggled to make an impact against a well marshalled Rathmore defence who obviously had their homework done. Cormac Drayne eventually opened St.Josephs account in the 17^th minute before the same layer converted a free. Darragh Donaghy then levelled matters before midfielder John McKenna put the Tyrone lads in front. In first half injury time a barren spell for Rathmore came to an end when Rory McErlean converted a free to leave it all square at the break, 0-4 to 1-1.

Early in the second half Donaghy went past a couple of challenges before giving the winners a lead that they were never to lose before a fine effort with the outside of the boot from Drayne left two between the sides. The winners already looked to have upped the tempo and when the ball came back off the post Noah Grimes reacted first to send it to the net to give the winners some breathing space.

McErlean swapped points with Conn Sweeney and McKenna before wing half back Conor O’Neill hit a superb point from out on the left wing. It was all Donaghmore at this stage and in the 51^st minute they grabbed their second goal through Drayne. Three minutes later Donaghy sent a free straight to the net before O’Neill put the icing on the cake with a well taken goal late on. McErlean had the final say of the game for Rathmore from another free on a night when they didn’t manage a single point from play.