Danske Bank Corn na nÓg final
St Patrick’s, Maghera 2-10 St Colman’s, Newry 1-7
THERE was high drama in injury-time of yesterday’s Danske Bank Corn na nÓg final at the Mid-Ulster Sports Arena yesterday that might well have sent the game into extra time.
Instead, Shea Savage’s well-struck penalty for St Colman’s sent St Patrick’s goalkeeper Seamus óg Woulahan the wrong way, but went agonisingly the wrong side of the post.
The Newry side’s woe was complete when Maghera won the kick-out and the ball was fed through to Pól McPeake, who stepped inside his marker and blasted to the net to seal victory.
Indeed the final didn’t start well for the Newry side with midfielder Charlie Jennings breaking his collarbone after just 90 seconds of play.
His replacement, Daniel Digney, had a good game, but from the 10th minute onwards St Colman’s were chasing the game.
Tadhg Bradley’s point put Maghera one up and, while both teams were guilty of poor shooting between then and the break, three injury-time points from St Patrick’s captain Don Mulholland left his team with a comfortable interval lead of 0-7 to 0-2.
Early in the second half, St Colman’s were back in the game when Paudie Morgan scrambled home a goal.
At the other end Fearghal McLarnon’s shot was saved by Jay Cunningham, but the ball broke for Joey Griffin to side-step Cunningham and hit the unguarded net.
Mulholland and Donnacha Collins then added points for Maghera, before St Colman’s registered four points without reply from the 48th to 55th minute to close the gap to 1-9 to 1-7.
There were two scores from Joe Gallagher and one each from Evan McElvanna and Patrick Joyce in hat period.
Maghera sub Sean O’Hara eventually stopped the run with a good point at the start of injury-time. That was followed by a super move from St Colman’s that ended when McElvanna was dragged down for a penalty.
St Colman’s couldn’t take advantage, however, and Maghera finished the game with a second goal to seal the silverware.
St Patrick’s, Maghera J Griffin 1-1; D Mulholland 0-4 (0-3f); P McPeake 1-0; D Collins 0-2; T Bradley, S McCormack & S O’Hara 0-1 each
St Colman’s, Newry P Morgan 1-0; P Joyce, J Gallagher & E McElvanna 0-2 each; H Hanna 0-1
Referee B Toland (Antrim)