Academy fight back comes up short in MacRory Cup

St.Mary’s Magherafelt 2-16 St.Patrick’s  Dungannon 2-12

A SENSATIONAL third quarter at Rossa Park during which they scored 1-5 without reply saw favourites St.Mary’s Magherafeltĺ advance to the Quarter Finals of the MacRory Cup at the expense of last season’s finalists St.Patrick’s Academy Dungannon.

It was level pegging at the end of a fast moving and competitive opening period, 0-9 to 1-6, but the Academy never recovered from that blitz with their two goals late in the game only serving to put a flattering look on the final scoreline.

The Academy enjoyed a flying start with four points in as many minutes. Eoin Long collected a good ball from Joel Kerr to open the scoring from a mark after only twenty seconds before Liam McGeary doubled their advantage.

Lorcan McMurray then converted a free and moments later he collected a pass from Davin McKeown to split the posts from play.

Magherafelt looked in early trouble but in the 5th minute they were back in contention when Rory Small and Jude Beattie combined to play the ball to dangerman Eamon Young and the centre half forward finished in style low to the bottom left hand corner of the net past keeper Ronan Donnelly.

The sides were soon level when midfielder James Sargent showed great strength to hold off three challenges before fisting over the bar.

Long and Dara McGuckin traded points before Kerr fisted the lead point for Dungannon. Centre half back Luke Grant charged through to level matters before Young landed a beauty from the left wing to put his side in front for the first time at the end of the opening quarter.

Jude Beattie and McMurray shared the next four points for their respective sides to leave it all to play for in the second half. It took until the 45th minute for the Academy to open their second half account via a

McMurray free but by that stage Magherafelt were very much in the ascendancy with influential centre half back Luke Grant to the fore. MCGuckin opened the second half scoring in the first attack and after Young and Sargent had tagged on quality points team captain Rory Small placed Grant for a 35th minute goal.

For the first time there was daylight between the two sides and Magherafelt kept their foot on the gas with a point  from full back Ronan Doherty and an inspirational effort from Grant following a sixty metre rum to put them  eight clear.

With eight minutes to go the Academy were thrown a lifeline when a long ball from McMurray was caught by Conor Holmes who went past a couple of tackles before firing to the net.

Grant and Fergal Logan exchanged points with Kerr and McMurray before Holmes set up  an unlikely grandstand finish with his second goal in injury time.  Substitute Shea McCann though settled Magherafelt nerves with the insurance point.

Scorers

Magherafelt: Luke Grant (1-3), Eamon Young (1-2), Dara McGuckin (0-3), James Sargent (0-2), Jude Beattie 0-2, Fergal Logan 0-1, Ronan Doherty 0-1, Lorcan Higgins (0-1), Shea McCann (0-1)

Dungannon: Lorcan McMurray (0-6,3f),  Conor Holmes (2-0), Eoin Long (0-2,1m), Joel Kerr (0-2),  Liam McGeary (0-2)

Referee: Paul Faloon, Down