ST Patrick’s Grammar School needed extra time before securing their place in the MacLarnon Cup semi-final at St Colman’s Park, Drumaness, on Friday afternoon.
However, they made hard work of it in a pulsating encounter that could really have gone either way and St Malachy’s must take great credit for their part in a cracking derby showdown.
St Malachy’s had one foot in the last four when they took a 1-11 to 1-9 lead with time almost up.
Alas, they were unable to get over the line and last-gasp points from Ruairi O’Hare and Peter McMullan, with the last kick of the game, sent the tie to extra time.
St Patrick’s now had their tails up and took full advantage of a crestfallen St Malachy’s to storm into a 2-14 to 1-13 lead midway through the second period of extra time.
St Malachy’s almost pulled the game from the fire with points from Shealan Johnston (0-2) and Brendan McKey, but St Patrick’s were able to hang on for a hard-earned win.
The Castlewellan school suffered an early blow when full back Jonathan McVeigh limped out of the action and was replaced by Longstone’s Tyrone Fegan. Yet, they still managed to register the game’s first score with Johnston converting a 21m free in the sixth minute.
O’Hare, a colossus in the middle of the park for the Red High, then converted two frees and when Tom Smyth added a point from play, the Downpatrick school were sitting pretty with a 0-3 to 0-1 lead after 12 minutes.
Gareth Fitzpatrick, Conor McAnulty, Ryan O’Higgins and Sean óg McCusker were doing a good job for St Malachy’s as they started to bottle up the Red High’s dangerous runners and a 30m free from Matthew Carvill left a point in it.
Red High ‘keeper Eoin Maginn then produced a superb save to deny Luke Clarke a certain goal before Oran Cunningham pointed his side into a 0-4 to 0-2 lead 21 minutes of helter-skelter action.
Unanswered points from Tiarnan Fettes and Carvill had the sides level again by the 23rd minute, but the dynamic O’Hare converted another free to give the Red High a 0-5 to 0-4 lead as half-time approached.
Carvill ensured the sides went in at the break all square when he split the posts with an easy 21m free.
The second half followed a similar pattern with Smyth and O’Hare exchanging frees with Carvill and Johnston as nothing separated the sides in a hard-hitting derby.
Johnston and O’Hare maintained the status quo with points for their sides before Maginn produced another sublime save to deny McKey.
The Red High then stole a march when Cunningham finished a sweeping move to the net, but St Malachy’s hit back immediately and Caolan Burns, who had just been introduced from the bench, drilled in a beauty to leave it all square at 1-8 apiece with eight minutes remaining.
Ryan O’Higgins and Peter O’Hare swapped points, but Castlewellan seized the moment and points from Carvill and Johnston had them two clear with the game in added time.
St Patrick’s were not for throwing in the towel and late, late scores from O’Hare and McMullan sent the game to added time.
Two O’Hare frees in the first period had the Red High in the driving seat and when he and Carvill traded points, the Downpatrick school held a 1-14 to 1-12 lead with seven minutes left to play.
A sensational goal from Prenter sent the Red High five points clear, but back came St Malachy’s. Points from Johnston (0-2) and McKey left two in it, but St Malachy’s just fell short at the death.
St Patrick’s: E Maginn, E Rooney, L Guiness, J Harbinson, N Laverty, P McMullan (0-1), R Murphy, R O’Hare (0-10, 8f), C Watson, R Quinn, T Prenter (1-0), T Smyth (0-2), B Boyd, T Savage, O Cunningham (1-1). Subs: R Connor for R Murphy (black card), D Donaldson for C Watson, A Harney for B Boyd, T Carson for L Guinness (black card).
St Malachy’s: J McKee, L Clarke, E McCrickard, T Fettes (0-1), G Fitzpatrick, C McAnulty, J McVeigh, R O’Higgins (0-1), J O’Boyle, A Morgan, S Johnson (0-6, 0-5 frees), B McKey (0-1), M Carvill (0-6 frees), S óg McCusker, D McKibben. Subs : T Fegan for J McVeigh, C Burns (1-0) for J O’Boyle, D McVeigh for D McKibbin, E McEvoy for M Carvill.