The Official Ulster Colleges GAA Website - Sponsored by BT
Sat 24th Oct 2009
BT MacNamee Cup Final(Year 9 Hurling)
Gallant St. Patrick’s fall to talented Ballycastle team
Casement Park, Belfast on Friday night past was a splendid, brightly floodlit arena charged with the further promotion of Ulster Colleges GAA games. Hosted on the night was the Colleges Year 9 MacNamee Cup and senior boys Mageean Cup finals. The occasion was certainly memorable and a tremendous advertisement for the work of the Ulster Colleges in the promotion of Gaelic games. First up on the Friday night spectacular was the junior boys in the MacNamee Final where St. Patrick’s Maghera had the unenviable task of facing up to a Cross and Passion Ballycastle group which has steamrollered its way through the tournament racking up some huge scoring totals en route. St. Patrick’s had produced an outstanding semi-final performance to oust St. Mary’s Belfast by eight points and had lost only to Ballycastle in the pre-knockout league stages.
With the spectacular setting ensuring a memorable experience for the players it was Ballycastle who produced the spectacular performance on the field with an 8 minute period before half time effectively sealing their victory as they plundered three late goals against a brave and committed Maghera fifteen. The opening twenty minutes of play had gone completely against the expected script for the game as St. Patrick’s, despite conceding a goal in the fourth minute of play, had shown tremendous spirit and hurling ability to match their physically bigger opponents on the scoreboard. Maghera goalkeeper Eoin Smyth was in top form as St Patrick’s thwarted the early Ballycastle raids and pushed themselves back into the game with Cathal McCartney, Brian Cassidy and Niall McAtamney in particular putting in excellent performances in defence. Ciaran Steele and Liam O’Hara were a hardworking midfield while Gabriel Farren, Sean O Caiside, Shane McEldowney and Sean Brunton gave good support to Paul McNeill at full forward. It was McNeill’s pace which unlocked the Ballycastle defence for an excellent Maghera goal in response to that early Ballycastle strike and with the number fourteen adding three points St. Patrick’s lead the favourites with almost twenty minutes played.
Unfortunately for St Patrick’s the physical advantage which Ballycastle enjoyed in the central positions allowed them exert ever more pressure on the Maghera defence as the half closed. A second Ballycastle goal gave the Antrim boys the lead and as St Patrick’s tired in the closing minutes of the half so the Ballycastle pressure brought three goals which effectively put the game out of reach for St. Patrick’s. The traditional Maghera spirit was evident in abundance throughout the second half, typified by the consistent performances of Brian Cassidy, Cathal McCartney and Eoin Smyth, but the Ballycastle group had just too many options to allow St. Patrick’s the opportunity to close an ever widening gap. St. Patrick’s though did battle through to the final whistle and will take heart from some excellent performances throughout the competition – Friday night having been a step too far for the boys at this stage of their Colleges hurling careers.
St. Patrick’s
Eoin Smyth (Dungiven), Cathal McCartney(Dungiven), Aodhan McGrellis (Bannagher), Brian Cassidy (Slaughtneill), Liam O’Hara(Dungiven), Emmet Martin(Dunloy), Niall McAtamney (Swatragh), Ciaran Steele(Dungiven), Fiontán McGilligan(Dungiven), Shane McGuigan(Slaughtneill), Gabriel Farren (Bannagher), Seán Ó Casaide (Slaughtneill), Seán Brunton(Ballinascreen), Paul McNeill (2-3, Slaughtneill), Conor Kelly (Dungiven)
Subs used: Shane Brolly (Dungiven) for Conor Kelly, Conor McAllister (Slaughtneill) for Shane Brolly, Conor McCrystal (Lavey) for Eoin Smyth(inj)
Ciaran Lagan (Swatragh)
Conor Granleese (Dungiven)
Mark Cassidy (Swatragh)
Eoin McGonigle (Dungiven)
Daragh Cartin (Bannagher)
Jamie O’Kane (Lavey)
Submitted by: Paul Hughes
