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Martin
Clarke's performance could go a long way towards
deciding the outcome in Friday's Bank of Ireland
MacRory Cup final at Casement Park (1315 GMT).
Many pundits feel Abbey CBS
have the better balanced side but if Down minor
star Clarke hits form for St Louis Kilkeel, they
could prove unstoppable.
Clarke helped St Louis qualify
for their first decider last year when they were
edged out by Omagh after a replay.
Abbey's key players are Kevin
McKernan and Kevin Dyas.
Clarke is one of six members
of the St Louis team that were part of Down's
All-Ireland minor winning squad last year.
The others are impressive
full-back Hugh Magee, goalkeeper Gavin Joyce,
midfielder Peter Fitzpatrick plus Gerard
McCartan and Fergal Doyle.
Abbey midfielder McKernan also
played in that successful Down team while Dyas
was a member of the Armagh team which defeated
the Mourne County in the Ulster final earlier in
the season.
Both teams required replays in
the quarter-finals.
Abbey were taken to a second
quarter-final by St Patrick's Dungannon while St
Louis had two intense struggles against St
Colman's Newry before progressing to the last
four.
St Louis will be involved in
another all-Down battle in Friday which will be
the final Mourne County match-up since the 1987
decider won by Abbey.
Kilkeel are managed by an
Abbey past pupil Stephen McVeigh while Abbey
have been guided this season by former Tyrone
midfielder Jody Gormley. |
