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St.
Louis Storm into Ulster Quarter-Final - 09/05/03
B.T. Ulster Colleges Gaelic Football
St. Louis Grammar School, Kilkeel 5-17
Our Lady's Castleblaney 1-06
By Steven McVeigh, St Louis Kilkeel
St. Louis Grammar School, Kilkeel, overcame
the challenge of Our Lady's, Castleblaney to qualify for
the quarter-final stages of this years Ulster Colleges Treanor
Cup. St. Louis last won this competition, which provides
competitive football for Year 11 students, in 2001. St.
Louis have developed a skilful squad this year, drawing
on players from the Mourne clubs of Ballymartin, Atticall,
An Riocht, Longstone as well as Castlewellan, Bryansford
and Rostrevor.
This qualifier, played in Newry last Thursday, ended up
a one sided affair, but the early stages of the game saw
the Kilkeel school struggle to put the scores on the board.
However, the very notable talents of Martin Clarke were
well displayed during this period, as he took two points,
which, along with a Luke Byrne point, gave Kilkeel an early
lead. Indeed, Clarke really got his tail up after scoring
a great individual goal after twelve minutes of play. The
Kilkeel team began to play with greater ease and flair,
with the half back line of Fergal Doyle, Eamon Kelly and
Andrew Sloan dominating the proceedings, with Doyle and
Kelly attacking and getting their names on the score-sheet
with some impressively taken points.
However, a fine passage of link play saw the ball drop to
Martin Clarke, who despatched the ball brilliantly into
the Castleblaney net. From this point on, the Kilkeel school
looked more impressive in all areas of play. Castleblaney,
to their credit, kept trying to get back into the match
and scored two impressive points, but they would surely
rue some narrow misses. The goal-keeping of Colm Curran
and some impressive defending from John Fitzpatrick, continued
to torment the Castleblaney forwards.
St. Louis finished the half well on top, with an excellent
long range point from Christopher Morgan and further points
from Patrick Bourke and Eamon Kelly (2). This left the score
at half-time reading St. Louis 1-09, Castleblaney 0-2.
The second half saw a mini-revival from the Monaghan schoolas
they mounted a series of attacks on the Kilkeel defence.
The pressure finally paid off as Castleblaney scored a goal
after a scramble in the Kilkeel goalmouth. Further attacking
play saw the Monaghan school score two further points. However,
at this point, the Kilkeel mid-field pairing of Luke Toner
and Gerard McCartan took a firm grip on the game. Their
dominance initiated a number of counter-attacks, in which
points from Doyle, McCartan and Clarke broke the pattern
of play that seemed to be emerging. The real killing point
for the Monaghan school came half way through the second
half, when goals in quick succession from substitute James
Clerkin and Christopher Morgan, buried the game as a contest.
Further points came from Castleblaney, but these were in-turn
cancelled out by points from Eamon Kelly and Hugh Magee.
Another James Clerkin goal was soon added to with one from
Patrick Bourke, and the floodgates appeared to have opened.
St. Louis completed their scoring with two fines points
from Fergal Doyle and Gerard McCartan, leaving the final
score-line reading St. Louis 5-17, Our Lady's Castleblaney
1-6.
St. Louis now meet St. Mary's C.B.S., Belfast in their quarter-final
tie, to be played in either the Newcastle or Newry areas
later this week. This game should prove to be a tougher
test for the Kilkeel school, but one which will have to
be overcome if they are to bring some silverware to the
'Convent' this year.
St. Louis team;
Colm Curran (Bryansford), Damien Sherry (An Riocht), John
Fitzpatrick (Ballymartin), Kevin Quinn (Atticall), Fergal
Doyle (An Riocht) 0-2, Eamon Kelly (Rostrevor) 0-4, Andrew
Sloan (Atticall), Gerard McCartan (Rostrevor) 0-2, Luke
Toner (Castlewellan), Martin Clarke (An Riocht) 1-3, Hugh
Magee (Longstone) 0-1, Luke Byrne (Bryansford) 0-1, Peter
Fitpatrick (Ballymartin), Patrick Bourke (Rostrevor) 1-1,
Christopher Morgan (Atticall) 1-1.
Substitutes;
Eddie McVeigh (An Riocht), James Clerkin (Rostrevor)
2-0, Ryan Sloan (Atticall), Ryan O'Hare (Ballymartin), Michael
Hardy (An Riocht), John Magee (Atticall), Liam Harper (An
Riocht), Allen Murney (An Riocht), John Jo McClorey (Rostrevor).
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