Holy Trinity Through To Markey Cup Final.

Monday 13.02.2012

Club

Holy Trinity Cookstown have made  it an all Tyrone Markey Cup final as they defeated Ballybay in the semi final this afternoon in Armagh. Below are the details of the updates we featured during the game.

With six minutes gone in the game the sides were level on a point each after Ballybay had opened the scoring. Michael Cassidy levelled the scores for Holy Trinity and since then it has been the Cookstown school who have prospered. A fine point from John Loughran and a long range free from Declan Mc Clure have helped edge  Holy Trinity 0-03 to 0-01 in front with fifteen minutes on the clock.

Playing wind assisted Holy Trinity are finding it difficult to build up a head of steam with the Monaghan school working very hard to restrict their opponents. Declan Mc Clure has landed another couple of frees and Michael Cassidy sent over a fine point to put Holy Trinity 0-06 to 0-02 ahead with half time rapidly approaching.

With the clock ticking towards injury time Clonoe’s Danny Mc Nulty came off the bench and hit the net with virtually his first touch of the game. A timely score if ever there was one and the whistle for half time blew shortly after. Holy Trinity lead at the break 1-07 to 0-03 but the Monaghan lads will be playing with the aid of a notable breeze in the second half.

The second half is well under way. Ballybay began well and landed a goal three minutes in from Shane Mc Guinness which took them well back into the game. However Holy Trinity regrouped and two excellent points from the boot of Aidan Armstrong have all but wiped out that early goal. Midway through the second half and Cookstown lead 1-09 to 1-04.

With five minutes left in the game Holy Trinity appear well placed to make it an all Tyrone Markey Cup final as they sit seven points ahead 1-12 to 1-5. Aidan Armstrong landed another fine point and Ciaran Mc Geary also got himself on the scoreline as the Tyrone students seek to close the game out.

Ballybay finished with fourteen players but could do very little to close the gap significantly in the final five minutes. They did land a sixth point but Holy Trinity held on to win by six in the end on a final score of 1-12 to 1-06 and qualify for the Markey final which it is hoped will take place next Thursday.

What is clear is that the Mc Devitt and Arthurs Cup finals at under 14 and under 16 levels will take place next Wednesday in Armagh. Holy Trinity are through to the Mc Devitt final while Coalisland St Joseph’s are through to the Arthurs Final. Hopefully we will be celebrating three Ulster Vocational Schools titles returning to Tyrone.