St.Colmans Into MacRory Cup Final

Saturday 29.02.2020

Club

St.Colmans Newry 0-16 St.Pats Armagh 0-12
St.Colmans Newry are back in another Danske Bank MacRory Cup final after seeing off a stern challenge from St.Pats Armagh at the Athletic Grounds on Friday evening.

It was a hugely entertaining encounter between two well drilled sides with little between them throughout  but in the home straight Cathal Murray’s charges got the decisive scores when it mattered most to set up a title shoot out with St.Pats Maghera on St.Patricks Day.

Only a point separated the two sides at the break with the Newry school marginally ahead at 0-6 to 0-5 but no doubt Armagh would have been the happier as they hit the final three scores.

Mark McKeever opened the scoring for St.Pats Armagh from a free but Colmans were soon on level terms thanks to a placed ball conversion from full forward Andrew Gilmore.

McKeever then hit a fine effort from play but again Newry wasted no time in responding through Ronan Fitzpatrick. St.Colmans then enjoyed a purple patch as they took over in the key areas in the field.

Andrew Crimmins hit a brilliant score from out on the left wing before Fitzpatrick weighed in with an outstanding point from distance with the outside of his boot.

In the 16th minute St.Colmans were awarded a penalty when Crimmins was fouled by Callum McKee but the Armagh keeper redeemed himself with a superb save via the crossbar from Andrew Gilmore.

St.Colmans had their tails up at this stage and Padraig Clamcy fired over a point from forty metres out to leave it 0-6 to 0-2. Armagh looked to be in trouble at that stage but they regrouped approaching the interval.

Wing half back Sean Quigley joined the attack to split the posts before Oisin Conaty got his name on the scoresheet as well. McKeever then took a mark which he converted to leave it all to play for in the second period.

Conaty levelled matters within sixty seconds of the restart but Crimmins restored Colmans advantage with a terrific effort from out on the wing. Ryan Bradley hit a good equaliser despite being under pressure before James Walsh and Gilmore exchanged scores.

A McKeever free edged Armagh back in front but Colmans replied with an outstanding mark with the outside of his boot from substitute Eamon Brown. At that stage centre half forward Cian McLoughlin really came to the fore for the winners with five of their last six scores.

His first was a great effort from play and he weighed in with a number of frees as well. Armagh lost Michael McGleenan to a black card and moments later it was fourteen aside after Liam Fearon collected a second yellow. McLoughlin nailed two frees either side of a point from play from Brown as Armagh finished with thirteen players after Quigley was black carded.

St.Pats Armagh: C McKee, O Guy, L Camarra, A Harney, S Quigley (0-1), C Toner, L McKenna, S Donaghy, K McCann, O Conaty (0-2), R Bradley (0-1), J Walsh (0-2), M McKeever (0-6, 3F, 1M), M McGleenan, O Houlahan. Subs: K Robinson for Houlahan, M Lennon for McKenna

St.Colmans Newry: P McAteer, R Campbell, T Magee, R French, M Hynes, S O’Hare, P McGrane, L Fearon, C Lyons, R Fitzpatrick (0-2), P Clancy (0-1), C McLoughlin (0-5, 3F), D McCarthy, R Fitzpatrick, A Gilmore (0-4, 2F, 0-1 pen), A Crimmins (0-2). Subs: E Brown (0-2, 1M) for Fitzpatrick

Referee: B Cassidy, Derry