Red High advance in MacLarnon

Red High advance in MacLarnon

24 January 2024

WHEN St Patrick’s, Downpatrick, scored 2-5 in the opening ten minutes of the second half of this Danske Bank MacLarnon Cup quarter-final in Dromara on Monday afternoon, it took them eight points clear with a gale force wind at their backs. It was difficult to see a way back for St Mary’s CBGS Belfast.

However, St Mary’s introduced sub Shea Burns, who found the net twice. They also re-organised at the back and fought their way back into the game leaving the Red High effectively holding out for victory with a two points’ lead.

Nevertheless, Luke McCabe, Eoin Murray and Gerard Doran did enough over those last 12 minutes to close out further scores and see their team through as unlikely semi-finalists.

Unlikely in the sense that they found themselves ten points adrift in a play-off a couple of days before Christmas after failing to score in the first half. 

They had the wind behind them that day and clawed their way back with ten points to force extra-time and eventually the game went to penalties.

The Red High failed to score again in the first half in Dromara but were in a much more promising position at half time than they were before Christmas; this time they trailed by just two points, scored by Odhrán Quinn and Declan Barr.

It wasn’t a game for spectators; apart from the dreadful weather, Downpatrick had battened down the hatches at the back and there was little penetrating play from their opponents.

However, the first ten minutes of the second half were very entertaining from Red High perspective.

Only a couple of minutes had ticked by when Downpatrick produced a good team move, with the ball passing through a number of hands before it ended up with half-back Eoin Murray who planted it in the net.

Murray added a point and Luke McCabe, Adam Dorans and Daire Higgins quickly tagged on further points to pull their team into a 1-4 to 0-2 lead.

St Mary’s realised that they had to push forward themselves in an attempt to get back into the game. 

However, that meant a huge space at the back when a high clearance went the distance down the pitch. 

The ball bounced over the last couple of defenders and Niall Flanagan, not long on the pitch, found himself with only the St Mary’s ‘keeper to beat.

Although Declan Barr hit back with a point for St Mary’s, Adam Dorans cancelled that score at the other end and St Patrick’s led by 2-5 to 0-3 after 41 minutes. 

It would have been difficult to imagine them not scoring again with such a strong breeze behind them.

But that is what happened. To make matters worse, St Mary’s took Barr, who had scored two of their three points by that stage, back into goals and he got distance into the kick-outs that St Patrick’s had been pressing. 

It gave the Glen Road side a path back into the match and sub Shea Burns with two goals had them in with a chance of winning by the 48th minute.

However, Downpatrick shut up shop at the back and hung on for victory and a semi-final against either Aquinas Grammar or competition favourites Abbey Vocational from Donegal town. 

That game was postponed for the third time. It will be played today in Garvaghey and that means that the semi-final scheduled for this weekend will now be pushed back to early next week.

The first semi-final, a Belfast derby between Our Lady & St Patrick’s, Knock, and Rathmore Grammar, goes ahead this Friday.

St Patrick’s: C McGlew, E Fitzsimons, L Carew, E Mullan, G Doran, C McShane, M Murray, T Murphy, R Gates, E Murray (1-1), S Murphy, L McCabe (0-1), D Higgins (0-1), A Dorans (0-2), R Canavan. 

Subs used: F Kielty for Canavan, N Flanagan (1-0) for D Higgins, D Farrell for S Murphy, J Dalzell for E Mullan.

St Mary’s: O Devlin, C Rainey, D O’Sullivan, M Darragh, R Quinn, E McGurk, L Lynne, R McDonald, R Gallagher, C Walsh, B Burns, O Casey, O Quinn (0-1), D Barr (0-2), F Jemfries.

Subs: S Burns (2-0) for O Devlin, A Connolly for R McDonald, C Ward for C Walsh.