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Schools
St. Patrick’s hurlers edged out in tight semi-final
St. Patrick’s Maghera 3.05 St. Mary’s Belfast 3.11
The GAA season at St Patrick’s Maghera recently had the U14 hurlers competing in the Gallagher Cup semi-final against traditional old adversaries St. Mary’s Belfast. A tremendously spirited effort from the Derry boys kept the game in the balance throughout the hour but the Belfast side had just a slight edge in the scoring stakes and it is they who will compete against Ballycastle in the Gallagher Cup Final. St Patrick’s though can take pride in the effort and skill shown by their Year 10 boys and will no doubt look forward to avenging this defeat in the years ahead.
When looking back the Maghera boys will rue a number of scoring chances which went astray at different stages during the game. This was especially true in the opening half when St Mary’s grabbed an important first half goal to steady their nerves and help give some space on the scoreboard from a very tenacious St Patrick’s side. That goal would help St Mary’s establish their 1-04 to 0-02 half time lead but the real battle for control of the game was in the midfield area. Half-forwards Meehaul McGrath and Conor Convery grabbed Maghera’s points and with centre back Paul Gunning dominating the play, midfielders Conor Cassidy and Jack English gave excellent displays of winning good possession but also working very hard to close down the Belfast attacks. Gunning, Cassidy and Covery recently won Brock Cup football medals with the College and they were determined not to lose out on another final appearance. The Quinns, Sean and Cathal, along with Gabriel Farren and Liam O’Hara gave good support to those in the midfield diamond but despite the work-rate and effort of McGrath, Convery and Paul Cassidy St Patrick’s found it difficult to break through the Belfast defence and faced that five point deficit at half-time.
The second half brought a reorganised Maghera forward line and again the defence and midfield were battling very impressively to prevent St Mary’s stretching their lead. The speedy Paul McNeill was doing well at half forward while Ciaran McCloy and Aodhan McKenna gave good support to new full forward Paul Cassidy. With the defensive efforts of the St Patrick’s team making life difficult for their opponents they needed scores to further their challenge for the Gallagher Cup final. Playing a more direct style and with the slight breeze on their backs St Patrick’s found new target man Paul Cassidy in fine form – he went on to grab 2-2 in the second half – but although Maghera scores were more forthcoming St Mary’s were able to answer in kind as they broke through the Maghera defence, leaving impressive goalkeeper, Jonathan O’Dwyer, with little chance as they replied with 2 goals to maintain their 5point lead. Credit though to a spirited St Patrick’s group as they again pushed their opponents back and, despite a third Belfast goal, Maghera were able reply with an excellent follow-up finish from rampaging midfielder Jack English to cut the lead to 4 points. With a final appearance looming though St Mary’s began to find their point scoring range and they were able to keep the hard-working St Patrick’s team at bay as the game entered it’s closing moments and Maghera were unable to find the scores to close the gap established in the opening half.
Disappointment for the young St Patrick’s hurlers but they will feel well able to compete in this U14 age group at Ulster Colleges level and will hope for a future chance to avenge this defeat – certainly an achievable target given the effort and commitment shown by the players in this game.
St Patrick’s Maghera:
Jonathan O’Dwyer, Gabriel Farren, Damian Cassidy, Sean Quinn, Liam O’Hara, Paul Gunning, Cathal Quinn, Conor Cassidy, Jack English(1-0), Paul Cassidy(2-2), Meehaul McGrath(0-2), Conor Convery(0-1), Paul McNeill, Ciaran McCloy, Aodhan McKenna
Subs: Jason Feng for C.McCloy, Conor Murphy for A.McKenna
Oisin Glass, Michael McCloskey, Zak El-Alouai, Conor Grieve, Fiontan McGilligan, Garrett Duggan
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Ulster Colleges’ Year 8 Football
Joy and disappointment for St. Patrick’s Maghera
Year 8 B Final
St. Patrick’s Maghera B 2-05 St. Mary’s Belfast B 1-03
The Year 8 footballers of St Patrick’s Maghera travelled with a forty strong group of players to Belfast on Saturday past for the annual Martin O’Farrell Cup competition and the Colleges’ Football Shield event. The group were entered in A and B competitions in the event hosted by St. Mary’s CBGS, Belfast on their school pitches. With the sun blazing down the grounds were in excellent condition for the host of school teams which had gathered from all over the province for blitz type competitions across four different levels.
The St. Patrick’s B team faced a league type competition with the top team after four games claiming the Football Shield. The St Patrick’s boys duly began their series of games with an opening victory over St Patrick’s Dungannon and followed this up with a second victory over neighbours St Pius X Magherafelt. James McGilligan was in excellent form in defence and he had good support from Padraig Fullerton, Conal McErlean and Matthew Ferguson. With two wins secured St Patrick’s were well positioned to challenege for honours and against St Michael’s Enniskillen midfielders Dara and Cormac McPeake dominated the game with Conal Darragh, Shay McMath and Raymond Duggan ensuring the possession won was translated into scores. This produced a third win on the trot and only the hosts St Mary’s Belfast stood between the team and the chance to collect the silverware. Three successive victories, confidence high, defence, midfield and forwards all working hard to support each other all over the field – there was only going to be one winner and St Patrick’s completed their run to the Football Shield honours as they became the only team in the competition to win all four games played. This was an excellent performance from a really honest, hardworking group of players and will surely give St Patrick’s the foundations on which to defend their Nannery Cup title in Year 9.
St Patrick’s B Team:
Oran Rafferty, Peadar Coyle, Patrick Turner , Padraig Fullerton, Conal McErlean Matthew Ferguson, James McGilligan, Cormac McPeake, Dara McPeake
Raymond Duggan, Shay McMath, Darragh Cartin, Conal Darragh, Ryan McGillian Karl Mullan, Diarmuid Bryson, Joseph Grant, Niall Gallagher, Fintan O’Kane, Dara Higgins
Year 8 A Final
St. Patrick’s Maghera A 1-03 St. Patrick’s Dungannon 4-04
Unfortunately for St Patrick’s there was to be no double victory celebration as the College A team were defeated in the final of their event after a very impressive second half performance from regular adversaries St Patrick’s Dungannon – this despite the Maghera boys leading at half-time. The day began with the eight competing teams divided in to two groups of four - each team to play three league games and top two in each group going to the semi-finals. St Patrick’s began very impressively and opened their campaign with well earned victories over St Patrick’s Downpatrick and St Mary’s Magherafelt, goal keeper Gearoid McLaughlin making excellent point blank saves in both games as the Maghera team held both opponents scoreless. Pauric McNicholl, Aidan Toner and Shea Downey were playing very well in defence while Conor Glass and Michael Mullan were dominant in midfield – Ryan McElwee and Paul Tohill grabbing regular scores in forwards. The final group game against Abbey CBS saw St Patrick’s come from behind at half time to secure their third straight victory. That winning streak continued in to the semi-final where neighbours St Pius X, Magherfelt were defeated while Dungannon overcame Abbey CBS – champions in the previous two years.
Maghera began the final very well but tended to overplay the ball when scores were on and found themselves only two points up at the break, the Tyrone school wiping out that lead with a penalty goal at the start of the second half. Maghera responded but again missed chances and overplaying the ball close to goals allowed Dungannon off the hook and they turned over possession to rattle two quick goals for a commanding lead. With a good lead Dungannon adopted a ‘Tyrone’ type defence which Maghera simply could not penetrate to leave Dungannon worthy Year 8 Football Champions. St Patrick’s will hope to learn from this defeat in the year’s ahead with their Dungannon opponents sure to be working hard to maintain their chances of victory in the D’Alton Cup in Year 9.
St Patrick’s A Team
Gearoid McLaughlin, Jason McCoy, Jack McErlean , Aidan Toner, Shea Downey Pauric McNicholl, Francis Kearney, Conor Glass, Michael Mullan, Patrick Kearney Jack Doherty, Sean Brunton, Ryan McElwee, Marc McClenaghan, Paul Tohill
Shane Talbot, Hugh McGurk, Eoghan Young, Eoghain McCloskey
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St Mary's Draperstown and St Patrick's Glen have, between them, raised nearly £1000 for the Oak Leaf Cycle Slam. A great credit to all involved. For all the latest information check out the Cycle Slam page by clicking here .
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Ulster Colleges Brock Cup (U15.5 Football) Champions 2010. Report below.
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Read more...
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St Patrick's College,Maghera won this years Year 9 Nannery Cup competition with victory over St Patrick's Academy dungannon on a scoreline of 4:12 to 1:5. Congratulations and well done to all involved.
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