Danske Bank Mageean Cup Group B, round two Cross & Passion, Ballycastle 3-16 St Killian’s, Garron Tower 3-10
CROSS and Passion, Ballycastle picked up their second victory of the group stages of the Danske Bank Mageean Cup with a strong last quarter against the holders St Killian’s, Garron Tower in Cushendun yesterday afternoon.
The win means that CPC go straight through to next month’s semi-finals, but the intensity of the exchanges suggested that the pair could well be meeting each other again in the knock-out stages.
Neither school was at full strength with Paudie Martin (CPC) and Charlie McAuley (St Killian’s) unavailable after contributing to wins for Dunloy and Cushendall respectively in the Antrim senior semi-finals at the weekend, while a couple of others from each side still have to feature.
The Tower had first use of the wind, but it took them a while to get going, Conor Donnelly and Roan McGarry each bagging two points to put CPC 0-4 to 0-1 ahead after 10 minutes. It wasn’t until Thomas McLaughlin’s goal in the 22nd minute that the holders edged ahead at 1-4 to 0-5.
Four minutes later, Odhrán Gillan fired home a second goal for St Killian’s, but Ballycastle hit back before the break with a goal each from Oisin McCallin and Conor Donnelly to leave them just a point adrift at half-time.
The third quarter didn’t make much change to the scoreboard with the teams sharing six points up until Dylan McNaughton bagged a 45th-minute goal for St Killian’s.
That score seemed to have a positive impact on their opponents, however, as CPC hit an unanswered 1-8 up to Thomas McLaughlin’s free in the 58th minute. McCallin, Donnelly and free-taker McGarry each pointed twice before Donnelly buried a 54th-minute goal that shut the door on St Killian’s.
Good performances from Reece Cunning, Anthony Mullan, Ardan Kelly, Ronan Fitzgerald and the main scorers for Cross & Passion, while Callagh Mooney, Aidan Campbell and Thomas McLaughlin looked the part for St Killian’s, who face St Patrick’s, Maghera in the next game in the group on Tuesday, October 22.
Scorers
CPC C Donnelly 2-5; O McCallin 1-2; R McGarry 0-5 (0-4f); C Crawford, C Johnson & R Fitzgerald 0-1 each
St Killian’s T McLaughlin 1-5 (0-5f); O Gillan 1-1; D McNaughton 1-0; N McLaughlin, A Campbell, C Leech & C McIntosh 0-1 each
