The ability to lure more pupils from Cushendall has brought about an upturn in fortunes for St Killian's, Garron Tower. The school now stands one game away from a first Mageean Cup final appearance in its five-year history. Ryan McCann writes...
ST KILLIAN'S, Garron Tower has the chance to reach the Mageean Cup final for the first time when they take on reigning champions Cross and Passion, Ballycastle in Friday's semi-final. Five years ago, St MacNissi's, Garron Tower, St Aloysius', Cushendall and St Comgall's, Larne amalgamated to form St Killian's and manager Michael McAllister believes the influx of players has helped his side become more competitive at this level. "From the increased intake, due to the fact that we are now an all-ability school, we feel we are getting more from Cushendall and that's the main club in the area," said McAllister. "Previously, a lot of the Cushendall lads would have been going to Cross and Passion. Some families are even split. Some kids would have went to Cross and Passion and other siblings would have come to us. Now we are getting the bulk of the Cushendall boys coming in this direction and that has improved our hurling teams. "We definitely noticed a big lift in the standard of hurling when the number of pupils increased but we also felt that we inherited a very talented group of young players at that time. The current year 14 boys won the Gallagher Cup when they were in year 10 and lads on this year's panel also won back-to-back Forresters Cups a couple of years ago. "The school has bigger numbers and that's the bottom line when you're trying to be competitive." After finishing third in their league group, St Killian's needed to see off an all-Derry select to secure their place in the last four.
While they passed that test, McAllister and fellow coach Pat Slevin are aware the real test will come in a few days' time. "In the first couple of weeks back at school, we go into a league format," he said. "Ourselves, Cross and Passion, St Patrick's, Maghera and St Mary's CBS in Belfast go into the 'A' group. "The top two go straight through to the Mageean Cup semi-finals and the bottom two play off against a Derry select - which is basically all the boys who don't go to Maghera - and a Down select. We got Derry and we beat them in Ballymena last Thursday so that win set up the big game with Cross and Passion. "We played them in the league a couple of weeks ago and they beat us by about 10 points. "Understandably, they are
favourites again because they are last year's Mageean Cup winners. They have won three Mageean titles in the last five years. "They have maybe only lost three or four boys from that group so they will have that experience and they will be better players for reaching last year's All-Ireland final. "We will be up against it. We met them at the same stage last year and they pipped us in a very close game. We have the talent to go out and do ourselves justice though and that is shown in the lads who won the Gallagher Cup and the Forresters competition during their time at St Killian's."
McAllister and Slevin's side is backboned by a strong Cushendall minor contingent. Christy McNaughton - son of 1991 Allstar Terence - is a key player for the Garron Tower outfit. McAllister concedes that the north Antrim club's success has made it difficult for the college to build much-needed momentum for the early parts of the season. "It is hard to get them together so quickly. This year, Cushendall got to
the Antrim minor final against Rossa and we have about 12 or 13 on that minor team. We also had a few on the senior team that beat St Gall's in the senior final. "They are training away with the clubs and we aren't really collectively together until the club work is put to bed. "We have limited time to get them geared up for our games and it is tricky to work around the clubs if they are still playing games and challenging for Championships. "It is no secret that Cushendall's Christy McNaughton is a big player for us. Hugh Pat McNeill hurled with Antrim minors as well, while Dylan McLaughlin is a fine young hurler. "Ryan Delargy is also part of that Cushendall senior panel that won the county title so we have a strong backbone. These lads have won competitions as they have progressed through the school so it is just about going one step further at this level."
Since 1990, the Mageean Cup has been divided between St Mary's, Belfast (nine), Maghera (eight) and Cross and Passion (six). No other school has managed to upset the apple cart but McAllister remains hopeful that a few tweaks could see St Killian's challenge the big guns in the near future. "We haven't made a final in our five years as a school. Mageean Cup success has been a long time coming to this part of the world but we have had our underage success and a lot of these boys will have been part of that. Mageean Cup success is the ambition. Hopefully it won't be too long before we are challenging the other schools that have dominated this competition."