Danske Bank MacRory Cup play-off: Abbey CBS, Newry 3-12 St Macartan’s, Monaghan 3-12 (aet) - Abbey win 5-3 on penalties
In a game that was chaotic, was nip and tuck and was, in all senses a real blockbuster, a late St Macartan’s , Monaghan point pushed their MacRory Cup playoff tie against Abbey CBS, Newry into extra-time before the Newry school edged it on penalties.
The Down school had led most of the way, Paul McGovern’s, who’s pace caused issues throughout, early goal handing them the initiative. Though St Macartan’s responded well and levelled just beyond the midway point of the first half with McCrystal netting the goal, the Newry school netted again five minutes before the interval through Dan McKernan.
A key score came in the middle of the half when, trailing by three, St Macartan’s managed a big turnover in the middle third that led to a point and kept them well in touch.
Whilst the lead fluctuated between one and three points for the entirety of the second half, the Abbey always kept their noses ahead until the
Yhe Monaghan men equalised inside the last eight minutes. The Abbey went one up against before a free a minute from the end tied matters once more. The Abbey had a chance of their own from a free kick after that to win it but couldn’t convert and the final whistle sounded.
Scores came in abundance in extra-time however. In contrast to normal time, which had been so even over the hour, extra-time saw each side grab a half and make it their own.
St Macartan’s put in a barnstorming first ten minutes and rattled the net twice to go six clear, seemingly putting the game beyond their opponents but a James O’Mahoney three pointer in the second period of extra time kept hopes alive for the Abbey lads and, fuelled by that, they managed to eke out the scores, Conall McGeough bagging two, to force parity once again and send the game to penalties.
It is the cruellest of means to decide a game in amateur sport, not least at schools level but, with nothing to separate them over the eighty minutes, two sets of fine young men who had put in months of hard work were to have their fate decided by kicks from the ground, 12 yards from goal.
When it came to the penalties, the Abbey were perfect, Diarmuid O’Rourke’s low drive sealing a 5-3 success as they converted all of their efforts. The Abbey lads were jubilant, they go forward.
For St Macartan’s it was heartbreak, defeat in the most gut wrenching manner but they can, in time, take solace from the fact they left everything on the park and contributed to a real spectacle of Ulster school’s football.