By 
ULSTER SCHOOLS MACRORY CUP
St Joseph’s Donaghmore 2-15 St Patrick’s Dungannon 3-12
A CRACKING local derby in the Danske Bank MacRory Cup at Eglish on Friday afternoon finished honours even between St Joseph’s Donaghmore and St Patrick’s Academy Dungannon.
The result maintains Dungannon’s unbeaten record and keeps them top of the league, but St Joseph’s were left to wonder how they didn’t inflict a defeat on them.
They played some superb football and were five points up with time running out but the Academy managed to dig out a result.
Donaghmore had the wind at their backs in the first half and the game was only two minutes old when they were awarded a penalty following a foul on Caolan McKee. Adam Cushnahan stepped up to take the kick but it was pushed over the bar by Academy keeper Ronan Donnelly.
Dungannon’s response was significant. Ciaran McCloskey did well to deny Aodhan Quinn but Matthew Daly palmed the rebound to the net. Quinn extended Dungannon’s advantage as Donaghmore were guilty of poor shooting in the opening quarter.
Dungannon struggled with their restarts and Donaghmore assumed control for the second quarter. Adam Cushnahan fisted over, followed by a Finnbar Quinn point, a sweetly struck Ronan Lowe two pointer but St Joseph’s back in front.
Cushnahan found his range with a two-point free off the ground in the 22nd minute before a Daire Devlin score and following Larry Shields bursting through and another Cushnahan free saw Donaghmore reeling off nine points in succession.
A late Charlie Maguire free reduced the deficit to five at the break.
Dungannon who had already won their opening two group games, emerged with more intensity and were rewarded when Maguire poked home at the back post after Liam McGeary’s initial shot had caused a goal mouth scramble.
Donaghmore responded immediately with Ruairi O’Neill and Finbar Quinn both on target.
James Mulgrew started to gain a foothold in the game and drove through the centre twice in quick succession to reduce the lead to two, with 20 remaining.
Ultan Quinn got a timely score for St Joseph’s before Charlie Maguire punished them from placed balls to level the game before Maguire edged Dungannon in front as we entered the final quarter.
Donaghmore refused to relent and Ultan Quinn levelled the game before more drama Finbar Quinn was fouled in the act of scoring, this time Cushnahan gave Donnelly no chance as he rolled his penalty to the net with eight minutes left.
Cushnahan extended the lead as Dungannon were punished for a three up breach.
With two minutes left, an Eoin Long brace of free halved the deficit but Donaghmore looked like they had secured the win as Larry Shields found the net at the third attempt in the final minute of normal time.
In the third minute of added time Colm Diver was fouled and Liam McGeary’s penalty left two between them.
With time almost up, Daire Devlin went up the other end but his fisted effort dropped short. In the scramble that followed it was cleared off the line and Dungannon raced forward, launching it goalbound. McCloskey did well to bravely punch the ball out for a 45.
Still trailing by two, Dungannon went short and Aodhan Quinn split the posts from beyond the arc to draw the game, with the final kick in the sixth minute of added time.
Scorers
St Joseph’s: Adam Cushnahan 1-6 (1-5f), Larry Shields 1-1, Finbar Quinn, Ultan Quinn, Ronan Lowe 0-2 each, Darragh Devlin and Ruairi O’Neill 0-1 each.
St Patrick’s: Charlie Maguire 1-5 (0-4f), Matthew Daly 1-0, Aodhan Quinn 0-3, Liam McGeary 1-0 (1-0 f), Eoin Long 0-2 (0-2f), James Mulgrew 0-2.
