By 
St Pat’s Academy 0-8 Abbey CBS 0-12
A SIXTH Ulster Schools MacRory Cup title evaded the grasp of St Patrick’s Dungannon as they failed to find their mojo in this underwhelming final replay at the Athletic Grounds on Friday night.
Having surrendered a nine point half-time cushion in the first instalment the previous weekend, the Academy couldn’t muster the same attacking potency second time around, though you couldn’t question their heart or determination.
The four point winning margin probably doesn’t fully reflect Abbey’s superiority on the night, their challenge superbly led by the likes of Daniel McKernan, Dara Havern and captain Diarmaid O’Rourke.
Charlie Mulligan, Davin McKeown and Liam McGeary produced stoic displays across the pitch for the Academy as they grimly hung onto the coat-tails of their opponents, but you couldn’t quarrel that the better, more cohesive side, won out.
The Newry boys dominated this disappointing encounter for the most part, their control around the middle sector of the pitch ensuring that the Academy attack fed off scraps in the main.
Yes they did chisel out a couple of goal chances across the duration of the match, but in fairness Abbey were also presented with similar opportunities themselves at the other end which they failed to avail of.
Dungannon trailed 0-6 to 0-2 at the break after a frenetic but scrappy first period, as they struggled to establish any attacking cohesion or fluency.
Their only scores arrived in the opening three minutes via Jonah Feeney (after 12 seconds) and Liam McGeary with a free. However any suggestion they could repeat the scoring blitzkrieg they conjured up in the first game were quickly dashed.
Diarmaid O’Rourke thumped over a great left footed effort to get Newry up and running, before slipping over the equalising free shortly afterwards.
Scores were thin on the ground during the opening quarter though it took a top notch save by St Pat’s keeper Ronan Donnelly to turn aside McKernan’s piledriver at his near post, after the Abbey marksman gave Ross Daly the slip.
There was a laboured and cagey pattern to the exchanges before Abbey belatedly began to translate their evident control into points on the board. A purposeful burst by Daniel Carr paved the way for O’Rourke to swivel sharply and split the posts and the captain then got his fourth of the game with a free.
Things could have been worse for Dungannon if only for Donnelly’s latest heroics in saving from Charlie McGrath but when Daniel McKernan blasted over an excellent two pointer in the 23rd minute Newry had eased four to the good.
In the run-up to half-time it seemed that Dungannon were springing into life. Jonah Feeney teed up Eoin Long coming at full-pelt but his effort screwed off target (one of six St Pat’s wides in the half).
Then Davin McKeown bulldozed through and having seen his initial attempt smothered by keeper James McBennett he couldn’t scramble the rebound across the line amid a scrum, with ref Joe McQuillan eventually penalising the Dungannon skipper.
Eoin Long (free) and midfielder Michael Hughes each split the posts to halve the deficit soon after the restart but Dungannon could never really build up a head of steam as Abbey reasserted control, gobbling up countless Academy kickouts to remain in the ascendancy.
The impressive McKernan steered over a ‘mark’, after plucking a high ball out of the air and O’Rourke converted another close range free.
Oisin Byrne then cut loose to fist a score as the Abbey eased into a 0-9 to 0-4 lead at the three quarter mark.
That remained the gap after Liam McGeary and O’Rourke traded scores and while the Academy industry could not be faulted, it appeared their resistance was beginning to wilt.
Charlie McGrath sliced through to slip over another Newry score, leaving Dungannon desperately chasing a goal heading into the final few minutes.
After Eoin Long tagged on a free, McGeary barnstormed through looking to hit the net but his effort whistled over the bar.
McKeown then left just a score between the sides as he rifled over, however a fisted McKernan point proved to be the insurance score for the Newry boys.
Scorers
St Pat’s Dungannon:
Liam McGeary (0-3,1f), Eoin Long (0-2,2f), Davin McKeown, Michael Hughes, Jonah Feeney (0-1 each)
Abbey CBS:
Diarmaid O’Rourke (0-6,3f), Daniel McKernan (0-4,1tp, 1m), Charlie McGrath, Oisin Byrne (0-1 each)
Teams
St Pat’s Dungannon:
Ronan Donnelly, Charlie Mulligan, Matthew Daly, Paddy Park, Colm Diver, Ross Daly, Davin McKeown, James Mulgrew, Michael Hughes, Darragh Devlin, Aodhan Quinn, Jonah Feeney, Lorcan McMurray, Eoin Long, Liam McGeary. Subs used: Odhrain Scully for M Daly (46 mins), Dara O’Hagan for R Daly (46), Charlie Maguire for J Feeney (50), Ruairi O’Neill for M Hughes (54)
Abbey CBS:
James McBennett, Finn Madine, Conor Laverty, Cathal Burns, Michael O’Neill, Diarmaid O’Rourke , Fergus Toole, Keelan McEntee, Dara Havern, Oisin Byrne, Charlie McGrath, Daniel McKernan, Odhran Reel, Daniel Carr, Jack O’Mahoney. Subs used: Ryan O’Hare for O Reel (53mins), Tiarnan O’Neill for M O’Neill (60)
Referee: Joe McQuillan (Cavan)
