Liatroim Fontenoys Cup semi-final
St Patrick’s, Keady 6-10 St Conor’s, Kilrea/Clady 5-6
A STRONG opening half in Clonoe saw St Patrick’s, Keady through to the Liatroim Fontenoys’ Cup final and on course to collect an eighth title.
Both teams had some superb individual performances. For the winners, Aoibheann Devlin and Clodagh Lappin excelled in defence, Sorcha McKinney had a good game in midfield, while the two main scorers, Ella Toal and Caoimhe Gallogly, gave St Conor’s trouble throughout.
Mia McAleese kept her team in the hunt with some fine saves, while Grainne Campbell and Hollie Martin did well out the field for the Bann-side school, who just had too much to do in the second half.
Goals from Ella Toal, Caoimhe Gallogly (two) and Sarah Brennan had put the 2022 champions into an interval lead of 4-5 to 1-2.
The south Derry school had replied with a goal from Holly Martin and they worked themselves back into contention during the second half with goals from Jojo Darragh (two), Lucia Higgins and Aoife McGrogan.
But the south Armagh school just needed to keep the scoreboard ticking during the second half and they managed that with points at regular intervals punctuated with goals.
Gallogly completed her hat-trick in the 42nd minute and there was a late strike from Annie McGeown as Keady made it to another final.
In that final, after Halloween, they will face either St Pius X, Magherafelt, the team they beat by a point in the final two years ago, or Our Lady & St Patrick’s, Knock, who lost last year’s final to St Mary’s, Magherafelt.
That second semi-final is scheduled for Wednesday at 11.30am in Dunsilly.
Scorers
St Patrick’s C Gallogly 3-0; E Toal 1-3; A McGeown 1-2; S Beagan 1-0; A Grimley, S McKinney, T Gray & G Grimley 0-1 each
St Conor’s J Darragh 2-2; H Martin 1-2, L Higgins & A McGrogan 1-0 each; F Kerr 0-3
Ulster Schools’ Development Shield semi-finals
St Mogue’s, Bawnboy 1-5 St Louis’, Monaghan 6-3
Dominican College, Portstewart 2-8 St Louis’, Kilkeel 3-2
ST Louis’, Monaghan and Dominican Portstewart will contest the Ulster Schools’ Development Shield final the week after Halloween.
St Louis’ were the first team through following their 6-3 to 1-5 win over St Mogue’s, Bawnboy in Butlersbridge on Monday, while Tuesday afternoon’s narrow victory over St Louis’, Kilkeel in Bredagh saw Portstewart into the decider at the first attempt.
The seasiders, winners of four senior titles from 1943 up to 1962, have been out of camogie for over half-a-century and only re-entered in September.
They followed up last week’s quarter-final win over Sperrin Integrated with a three-point victory against St Louis’, Kilkeel.
A goal in the opening half from Rose McKenna sent Dominican in at the break with a 1-3 to 0-2 lead. Although Abby Connolly goaled early in the second half and the McKenna sisters added points, St Louis’ rallied and were right back in the mix following two goals from Olivia Sloan and one from Aisling Cunningham.
The gap was just a single point with three minutes to go, but Dominican’s Rose McKenna pointed a free and added another score in the next attack to secure victory.
There was better news for St Louis’, Monaghan. They led by 3-3 to 1-1 at half-time. Despite some resistance, St Louis’ pushed on and two goals from Cassie McCormack and one from Tara McCabe put the school into their first Ulster final.
