Red High bow out after hearty display in semis

9 March 2022

TWO goals from Douglas man Conor O’Donovan in the second and fourth quarters gave the Cork city side the breathing space they required as the Red High kept the game competitive throughout. The second goal came four minutes from time in the form of a close-range flick to the net as the burly full forward bore down on Pearse Smyth’s goal.

The Downpatrick side had started well in the opening quarter with Tom McGrattan knocking over a free inside the first minute and Finn Turpin slotting over a point two minutes later.

The Rochestown school levelled and took the lead with eight minutes gone as Michael O’Mahony and Evan O’Connor gave the Munster men the lead.

Oisin Coulter levelled matters inside the tenth minute for Red High and both sides traded scores for the next five minutes before Conor O’Donovan eventually shook off the attentions of Deaglan Mallon.

From close range he was odds on to grab the first goal midway through the half, only to be denied by a spectacular save from Red High’s net minder Pearse Smyth. The resulting 65m free gave the Leesiders a two-point lead – a lead they weren’t to relinquish.

In defence Portaferry’s Deaglan Mallon, Jude Roddy and Ryan O’Neill along with Ballygalget’s Dara Coulter, had good solid performances, whilst Liatroim’s Conor Leneghan and Finn Turpin in the middle of the park matched up well against the St Finbarr pairing of William and Cian Buckley.

Playing with a slight breeze in the first half, the Red High should really have made more of their possession in the opening 30 minutes, but it was St Francis’ College who got the break when O’Donovan rifled to the roof of Smyth’s net from just outside of the small square.

McGrattan replied shortly after with a point, but Ballygarvan’s Miceál O’Mahony closed out the half with his fourth point of the day, to give his side a five point lead at the break, 1-8 to 0-6.

William Buckley got the Cork sides first two scores of the half in reply to Tom McGrattan and Oisin Coulter’s early scores.

With ten minutes gone it looked as though Red High’s luck was about to change, only to see a Michael Dorrian goal bound shot deflected out for a 65m. Although McGrattan and Coulter closed the gap to just three midway through the half, the Ulster champions just didn’t seem to have that extra spark that saw them beat St Pats in the Mageean final before Christmas.

Unfortunately for Red High, those scores proved to be their last as it was the Cork side who pushed for the line, scoring 1-2 in the final twelve minutes.

O’Donovan once more pinched a goal from close range to give his side a deserved, but rather flattering, eight point win.

It has been an amazing season for the Red High, winning a first ever Mageean Cup and reaching an All-Ireland semi-final.

However, they will look back at their missed chances, particularly in the second half with the game still in the mix and shooting an uncharacteristic amount of wides, that could possibly have seen a different result.

The Red High had stand out performers in Tom McGrattan, Conor Leneghan, Pearse Smyth and Ryan O’Neill – despite his dismissal two minutes from time.

Whilst the Munster champions had standout performers in William Buckley, Miceál O’Mahony and Blackrock’s Oliver McAdoo, who proved to be a match winning playmaker for them.

St Patrick’s: P Smyth; J Roddy, D Mallon, D Coulter; S Mageean, R O’Neill, A Rogan; C Leneghan, F Turpin (0-1); M Dorrian, L McCabe, T McGrattan (0-7, 4f, 1 65); O Coulter (0-3), F MacManus, R McGrath.

Subs: T Connelly for Rogan (20mins), S McCarthy for McGrath (28mins), N Rogers for McCabe (52mins), DJ Farrell for Mageean (55mins).

St Francis’ College: R Browne; O McAdoo, C Coakley, M O’Callaghan; S Brady, K Lyons, S Healy; C Buckley, W Buckley (0-6, 4f); M O’Connell (0-1), A Buckley, M O’Mahony (0-5, 2f, 1 65); E O’Connor (0-1), C O’Donovan (2-0), C O’Regan.

Subs: L Kiely for O’Regan (48mins), C Murphy for Healy (53mins), C O’Keefe for O’Donovan (59mins).

Tweets by @TheDownRecorder