Danske Bank McKee Cup final
Largy College, Clones 7-15 Pobalscoil Chloich Cheanfhaola, Falcarragh 3-5
An early scoring blitz from Largy College secured their second trophy of the season at the expense of Pobalscoil Chloich Cheannfhaola in Aghayaran.
Two goals from player-of-the-match Conor Butler and one each from Adam Smyth and Ryan and Killian Lynch, all the goals coming in the opening 10 minutes, gave Largy a commanding 5-9 to 2-2 interval lead.
Aaron Doohan’s goal from a penalty right on the half-time whistle gave Falcarragh a glimmer of hope, but the gap was too wide by that stage and with the first half goalscorers alongside Tiernan O’Toole, Finian Murphy, Adam Dunwoody and sticky defender Kian Darcy-Stuck in flying form, Largy pushed on during the second half.
Ryan Lynch added his second goal midway through the half and Butler completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot soon after, while Cormac McGee tagged on a goal and a point for the north-west Donegal boys.
McGee had a good game for his team, as had Nathan Collins, Anthony Smyth and Aaron Doohan, but they never recovered from those first 10 minutes.
Largy C Butler 3-1, R Lynch 2-2, A Smyth and K Lynch 1-2 each, O Clerkin 0-2, F Murphy C Lynch, C Sheanon, C Cosgrove, A Dunwoody and K Darcy 0-1 each
Pobalscoil C McGee 2-1, A Doohan 1-2, J Hagney 0-2
Danske Bank Gallagher Cup semi-final
St Mary’s CBGS 7-18 OLSP Knock 3-5
ST Mary’s CBGS are the first team through to next week’s Danske Bank Gallagher Cup final after overcoming a slow start to dominate this clash with cross-city rivals Our Lady’s & St Patrick’s, Knock.
Colm Kane and Ruairí McElhatton swapped early goals and Kane’s second goal on 10 minutes edged Knock into a briefly held lead.
However during the second quarter, goals from Pádraig Kelly and Oisín Kelly put St Mary’s in control and, despite a goal from nippy corner-forward Michael Braniff, the Glen Road side led by 3-9 to 2-3 at the break.
Second-half goals from Jude Gamble, Finn Smyth, Shean McGarry and defender Gerard Delaney saw them home with plenty to spare.
The second semi-final is a repeat of last year’s Danske Bank MacNamee Cup final when St Patrick’s, Maghera pushed past Cross and Passion, Ballycastle, with full-forward Sean O’Hara firing home five goals and three points.
Despite the efforts of Donnacha Collins, Dan McEldowney, Dara McKaigue and forward Davin Hassan, Maghera haven’t quite hit top form in the Gallagher Cup and they lost a group game to St Mary’s.
Cross & Passion, meanwhile, topped their qualification group with Matthew Donnelly, Charlie McAuley and Dunloy forwards Pádaí O’Kane and Rónán Elliott all in excellent form.
However they again might find Maghera’s physicality an issue when the schools clash on Friday in Ballymena (1.30pm).
