Danske Bank Casement Shield semi-final
St Columb’s, Derry 5-11 Coláiste Feirste 0-17
THERE will be a north-west final pairing to decide the destination of the Danske Bank Casement Shield next week after this high-scoring semi-final in Owenbeg yesterday.
Victory for St Columb’s means they now face St Patrick’s, Dungiven with a chance to not only lift the Shield but progress to an All-Ireland semi-final next month.
There were four scoring stars in the game, two from St Columb’s who each scored on seven occasions and two from Coláiste Feirste who split the posts six times each. However Jude Bryson’s contribution stood apart from the other three as his five goals ultimately decided the game.
The Na Magha forward scored four of those goals in the opening half, with his St Columb’s team-mate Cathal McNicholl scoring all five points to take the boys from the maiden city to an interval lead of 4-5 to 0-9. Tomás Mac Adaim kept the Belfast school in the battle with five white flags.
Oran Morris became the third St Columb’s player to register a score when he pointed early in the second half, but Nathan Mac Cionnaith was starting to make an impact at the other end with the first of his five second-half points, all of which came from open play.
Bryson and McNicholl responded with points while scores from defenders Oisín Ó hÉanna and Aaron Ó Coinn, along with Mac Cionnaith, brought the Falls Road team a little closer.
However, Bryson’s fifth goal put St Columb’s in a strong position going into the final quarter and they were able to maintain that gap.
Meanwhile, today’s Danske Bank Faul Cup semi-final between Loreto, Coleraine and Bailieborough Community School has been switched to Garvaghey with a 12.30pm throw-in.
