Superior St Paul’s show Abbey exit
Tuesday, 12 February 2013
ST PAUL’S Blaine Malone plucks a ball from the night sky at Pairc Esler on Friday.
St Paul's High School Bessbrook 1-9.
ST PAUL'S sent a message to the remaining teams in the MacRory Cup by disposing of former Champions Abbey CBS at Páirc Esler last Friday night.
St Paul's are now through to the semi-finals in what is their first year competing in the MacRory Cup. They will face either St Patrick's Academy, Dungannon, or St Macartan's of Monaghan as they vie for a place in the final.
It is a huge achievement for the school and one that was thoroughly deserved on the basis of their performance against the Abbey.
Abbey Manager Jody Gormley identified Oisin McEvoy's red card in the 46th minute as the seminal moment of the match. At that stage the Abbey had reduced the deficit between the sides to just one point but the truth was that St Paul's were the better side for the majority of the match. Had the Bessbrook side taken the chances presented to them, particularly in the first half, the game would have been over as a contest at that stage.
As it was, St Paul's grew stronger in the closing stages and won with five points to spare but not before Conor Nugent was dismissed for two yellow cards as the game headed into injury time.
The game proved to be a poor spectacle with conditions underfoot testing both sets of players. St Paul's adapted quickest when Ciaron O'Hanlon pointed after only 20 seconds.
The Abbey though soon caught up and points from Conor Martin and Callum Cumiskey put the Newry side in front.
Referee Cathal O'Hagan tried to stamp his authority on the game by issuing early yellow cards but it only resulted in bookings for challenges that did not warrant such action and the game became disjointed as a result.
Despite the interruptions Donagh McAleenan was able to put the Abbey into a two-point lead on 12 minutes. O'Hanlon though ensured only one point separated the sides when he tapped over on 15 minutes.
At that point St Paul's should have assumed a comfortable lead but they amassed a lot of wides, many of which were scoreable.
Still, they were able to wrestle the lead from the Abbey on 24 minutes when O'Hanlon found the back of the net. Gregory McCabe launched a long ball in towards the square which Caolan McCullough palmed down for O'Hanlon who somehow squeezed the ball past Tiarnán O'Brien in the Abbey goal.
There was time for O'Hanlon to add a free before the break so that St Paul's led 1-3 to 0-3 at the interval.
Conal Gallagher immediately reduced the arrears after the re-start. Callum Cumiskey then converted a free for the Abbey but an excellent score by Cormac Toner gave St Paul's some breathing space.
The Abbey though were definitely more productive in the second half and Conor Martin reduced the arrears to just one point. Then Oisin McEvoy received his marching orders for a needlessly high challenge on Caolan McCullough which was as dangerous as it was needless.
The referee missed the challenged but dismissed the Abbey defender after being alerted to the indiscretion by his linesman. There was a suggestion that the linesman was prompted into action by the St Paul's manager but irrespective of how the decision was reached, it appeared to be the correct one.
From that point onwards, St Paul's took over and a point from Conor Nugent and two terrific long-range points from Connaire Mackin and Gregory McCabe gave the Bessbrook team breathing space.
In the final minutes substitute Miceal McNamee and Cormac Toner increased the gap between the sides and when Toner was dismissed for a second yellow card it was of little consequence. All the Abbey could muster at that stage was an injury-time point from Eoin McParland.
St Mark's had secured victory and now have every reason to think that a MacRory Cup final in their first season in the competition is something they can achieve.
ST PAUL'S: Sean McDonnell, Jamie Cosgrove, Peter Campbell, Kyle Mallon, Aaron McKay, Daniel Nugent, Gregory McCabe (0-1), Cormac Toner (0-2), Blaine Malone, Eoghan Burns, Fionnan Burns, Connaire Mackin (0-1), Conor Nugent (0-1), Ciaron O'Hanlon (1-3, 1f) and Caolan McCullough. Subs used: Caolan McConville for Blaine Malone and Miceal McNamee (0-1) for Fionnan Burns.
ABBEY: Tiarnán O'Brien, Oisin McEvoy, Conor Hoey, Aaron Beattie, Ryan Magee, Cathair McKinney, Patrick Reel, Niall McKevitt, Daniel McCarthy, Terry Morgan, Tadgh Murdock, Donagh McAleenan (0-1), Conor Martin (0-2), Callum Cumiskey (0-2, 2f) and Conal Gallagher (0-1). Subs used: Conor Doyle for Cathair McKinney, Patrick McEntegart for Patrick Reel, Eoin McParland (0-1) for Terry Morgan and Sean Cooper for Donagh McAleenan,
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