MacRory
Cup final goes to a replay
Friday, March 18, 2005
In a pulsating MacRory Cup final played at Casement
Park on St. Patrick’s Day, St. Louis,
Kilkeel staged a remarkable comeback to deny
Omagh CBS a first provincial success since 1974.
St. Louis, Kilkeel 0-13
Omagh CBS 2-7
The Down College were forced to come from six
points down to force a replay of the famous
Ulster senior college’s football cup on
Easter Saturday. This was a game that exhibited
all that is good in Gaelic football not least
good sportsmanship as both sides strived to
play top-class football.
Omagh, who in the first half in particular,
looked set to take the title, will feel that
they may have left the cup behind them and would
surely have taken the honours but some superb
midfield by Kilkeel’s Joe Ireland and
James Colgan. When star forward Martin Clarke
moved from the wing to the forty, the Down College
proved to an entirely different side.
Omagh were quick to settle with early scores
from Stephen Donaghy and Conor O’Donnell
helping to settle the nerves. Captain Ronan
McRory further enhanced their chances of taking
their title since 1974 when he calmly slotted
home a well-taken penalty.
Omagh looked set to go further ahead but a
superb save from Kilkeel’s keeper, Colm
Curran helped kept the deficit to manageable
proportions. Good work by Martin Clarke and
James Colgan reduced the leeway to two points
but a late surge by Omagh with McRory and O’Donnell
tagging on points saw them hold a half-time
lead of four points, 1-5 to 0-4.
Omagh seemed set to return to the Red Hand
County with the cup when Stephen Donaghy slotted
home an Omagh goal in the thirty-fifth minute.
This score only seemed to raise the comeback
of the Down college as they tagged on nine points
in this pulsating second half with Omagh only
managing a further two scores of their own.
James Colgan ensured a nail-biting finish when
he levelled matters in the 53rd minute at 2.-6
to 0-12. Omagh who were now working on the back
foot showed great character as wing-back Dean
O’Neill’s strong running and clinical
finish from twenty metres pushed Omagh in front
with time ticking away.
The Down lads were not to be outdone as they
sought to take their first senior college’s
football title in the school’s history
as they were rescued when a coolly struck point
from midfielder James Colgan levelled matters
in the 59th minute.
Omagh CBS - K. Winters, H. Gallagher, J. Cassidy,
J. Kelly, D. O’Neill 0-1, B. Martin, N.
Cassidy, S. O’Neill, C. Tierney, C. McCullagh,
R. McRory 1-2, S. Donaghy 1-1, K. Gallagher
0-1, S. O’Neill, C. O’Donnell 0-2.
Sub - J. McCracken for McCullagh.
St. Louis, Kilkeel - C. Curran, D. Morgan,
L. Howard, H. Magee, F. Doyle 0-1, E. McConville,
G. McCartan 0-1, J. Ireland 0-1, J. Colgan 0-3,
J. Cunningham, M. Clarke 0-4, P. Fitzpatrick
0-1, C. Morgan, R. Annett 0-2. Subs - P. Sherry
for D. Morgan, L. Toner for C. Morgan.
Referee - P McEnaney (Monaghan).
