DANSKE BANK McFarland Cup

Can Knock retain MacFarland?

June 6, 2013

Danske Bank MacFarland Cup final :

6.30pm, Friday in St Paul’s Lurgan

Friday 7th June, 6.30pm in St Paul’s Lurgan

St Patrick’s Keady v Our Lady’s & St Patrick’s Knock

The Danske Bank MacFarland Cup final is a repeat of last year’s decider when Our Lady’s & St Patrick’s Knock scored a single-point victory over St Patrick’s Keady.

But Keady are lucky to make this final as they needed two very late goals from Pearse Lennon and substitute Caolan Mone to edge out St Louis Ballymena in a thrilling semi-final a fortnight ago.

The game was into injury-time with St Louis ahead 2-9 to 1-8, but Lennon fired in a goal and from the puck-out Odhran Fullerton placed Mone for the winner.

That was in contrast to a very easy 3-15 to 1-3 win over St Aidan’s Cootehill in the quarter-finals.

Keady have just 4 survivors from last year’s final – Dylan Murray, Conor Reilly, Pearse Lennon and Kevin McGrane.  Full-back Conor Reilly from Derrynoose St Mochua’s captains the team.  Others such as Kieran Doyle, Odhrán Fullerton and Ben Devlin will also need to be closed down.

By contrast holders Knock looked to be coasting into the decider, leading Rathmore Grammar by 3-9 to 1-6 entering the final 10 minutes after overturning Rathmore’s 1-4 to 1-3 interval lead.

However there was a kick in Rathmore, with Dáire Matthews firing home 2-1 to leave the tie in the balance.  However Knock responded in the final few moments with  points from Seán Gilmore and Ryan Coulter to make the game safe.

This pair along with Coulter’s cousin Cathal, also from Ballygalget, St Paul’s Lachlan McKibben and Euan Byers from Portaferry are the driving force behind Knock and they are hopeful that they can defend their title.

They had a real battle with another Armagh side, St Patrick’s in the quarter-final, but managed to pick off scores in the last 10 minutes to see them through.

Knock are the favourites – but you can’t rule Keady out until the final whistle.  Just ask St Louis Ballymena!

Knock: Conor McLornan, Luke Collins, Gareth Henderson, Ruairí Kerr, Eoin Coulter capt, Lachlan McKibbin, Euan Byers, Conor McGleenon, Tom Murray, Ryan Coulter, Lorcán McCaughey, Cathal Coulter, Gerald Toal, Seán Gilmore, Tiarnán McMeel.

Subs : Eoin Kelly, Joseph Mc.Kee, Rian Woods, Murdoch McKibbin, Brendan Lenfesty, Cormac McGrath, Odhrán O’Connor.

Keady panel : Oliver Fegan, Conor McGrory, James Murray, Dylan Murray,Jason McGee, Evan Hunt, Sean Dougan, Conor Dougan, Tiernan McGrane, Kevin McGrane, Conor Reilly, Shane Morgan, Oisin McKee, Pearse Lennon, Odhran Fullerton, Jack Molloy, Caolan Mone, Shane O’Callaghan, Ben Devlin, Paul Green, Kieran Doyle, Stephen McKearney, Shane McNaughton, Joe McClelland, Padraig Renaghan.