Danske Bank MacRory Cup quarter-final
St Patrick’s, Dungannon 2-10 Patrician, Carrickmacross 2-10
(after extra-time, Dungannon won 8-7 on pens)
THERE was high drama at Pearse Park in Galbally on Saturday afternoon as St Patrick’s Academy secured the last semi-final spot in this season’s Danske Bank MacRory Cup with a dramatic penalty shoot-out win over Patrician High, Carrickmacross.
Dungannon looked to be on their way out of the competition in normal time after kicking 13 wides and trailing by five points with five minutes to play. They had enjoyed a great start to the contest hitting 1-2 without reply in the opening 10 minutes but over the next 45 minutes they added only one point.
During that time the Monaghan lads were superb and looked as though they had done enough to win, but credit to the winners who showed character to not only force extra-time but penalties as well.
Points from Sean Hughes and Finn Spence either side of a well-taken Conall Sheehy goal had Dungannon in the driving seat, especially after key Carrickmacross defender Pakie Doogan was black-carded.
It was the Monaghan lads who lifted their game and after Tomas Quinn had opened their account in the 17th minute they drew level thanks to a point from Conall Marry and a goal from Niall Meehan, all three scorers defenders. Hughes had the final say of the half from a free to leave it 1-3 to 1-2.
The first half may have been a slow-burner but that could not be said about the remainder of the contest.
Dungannon lost Hughes to an early black card and when he returned they were behind for the first time following points from Eoghan Farrelly and Cian Rafferty(2).
Hughes came back on and immediately set up Liam McGeary for a point but referee Enda Mallon disallowed it after saying he hadn’t signalled for the player to rejoin the action.
With five minutes to go, a flowing Carrickmacross move sliced open the Dungannon defence for Doogan to square for Farrelly to palm in from close range.
It looked to be the decisive score but Dungannon had other ideas. McGeary bagged a 58th-minute goal before Hughes scored from play and a free to level matters.
Three minutes into injury-time a Matthew Carolan free looked to have won it for Carrickmacross but there was still time for Hughes to hold his nerve and convert a long-range free to send the game to extra-time.
In the first period of extra-time, Carolan and Conor Holmes swapped points before Hughes and Spence put Dungannon two clear. A long-range Carolan free reduced the deficit to the minimum before Farrelly sent over the equaliser from a mark early in the second period.
Wing half-back Quinn got forward for his second point to edge the Monaghan school in front and as both sides missed chances the tension grew.
With time almost up, a fine Matthew Quinn pass saw Spence take a mark and coolly convert it to send it to a penalty shoot-out.
Both sides converted four of their five penalties to take it to sudden death and after the Academy made it four from four in sudden death, Carrickmacross missed their ninth spot kick.
Dungannon S Hughes 0-6 (0-5f); F Spence 0-3 (0-2m); C Sheehy & L McGeary 1-0 each; C Holmes 0-1
Carrickmacross E Farrelly 1-2 (0-1m); M Carolan 0-3 f; N Meehan 1-0; C Rafferty (0-1 x 45) & T Quinn 0-2 each; C Marry 0-1