Danske Bank Mageean Cup Final: Cross and Passion, Ballycastle 1-16 v 0-13 St Killian’s College, Garron Tower
CROSS and Passion proved to be too strong for St Killian’s, Garron Tower as they took the spoils in the Mageean Cup final.
The Ballycastle college started the game off strong with the wind in the first half aiding the victors in their first-half barrage of the holders from Carnlough.
After the break, St Killian’s went on the offensive, with Thomas McLaughlin leading the charge from the front as the full-forward kept his side creeping towards their opponents.
Pádraig Martin’s goal turned the tide of the game, giving the Garrin Tower side a mountain to climb in the final few minutes of the game.
Despite their best efforts throughout, Cross and Passion proved to be too much for last year’s All-Ireland B colleges hurling champions.
Roan McGarry opened the game’s scoring with a 65, which has been a constant fixture in the Cross and Passion full-forward’s game.
Conor Donnelly salvaged a score for the red and black hoops after McGarry’s 65 dropped short and he hit a shot on the turn to double his side’s lead.
McGarry added another score along with Oisin McCallin getting the first of five scores in a man-of-the-match performance.
Oran McCambridge managed to pull a score back for St Killian’s, the north Antrim side’s first of the night after 10 minutes.
Niall McClean used nice stick work to set up McCallin for his third score of the game, which was well taken by the Dunloy corner-forward.
Cannic McIntosh pulled one back with six minutes to go in the first half in a rare moment of space for St Killian’s in the Cross and Passion half with Thomas McLoughlin adding another off the back of a great Jack Scullion block.
Cross and Passion dominated the first half at The Dub, with McGarry of Loughgeil Shamrocks (0-5) getting the majority of the scores for the Ballycastle college.
St Killian’s defence was put under a lot of pressure and worked hard to limit their opponents but despite their efforts, the Garron Tower school went into the break six points behind.
In the second half, Ronan Fitzgerald started proceedings with a sideline cut score in the first attack, the midfielder’s strike hitting the bar on the way over.
Ben Duncan saved a shot from Caedan Crawford to keep his side in the game in the early stages of the second period.
McLoughlin tapped over a free to pull one back for St Killian’s after Oran McCambridge was fouled inside the 20m line.
Oran McCambridge added a score before Calum McIlwaine sent over a monster score to put four between the sides.
McLoughlin scored three more for the Carnlough-based college to put two between the sides with 12 minutes to play in south Belfast.
Padraig Martin scored the game’s first goal for Cross and Passion cutting in from the right flank and sending a shot high into the top right corner to push his school’s lead to five.
McLaughlin replied with a well-taken score from distance to keep things interesting going into the final stretch.
Anthony Mullan made a crucial save for C&P from Michael Fury after the substitute made a run down the left-hand flank for St Killian’s for Mullan to deflect wide.
Martin makes a fine score to make it a five-point difference between the sides.
McCambridge and McCallin traded scores as time winded down for the two Antrim colleges.
The game started as it ended, with a McGarry deadball score as Cross and Passion claimed their second Ulster College’s Senior Hurling Championship title.
Cross and Passion Scorers: Roan McGarry (0-6), Oisin McCallin (0-5), Pádraig Martin (1-3), Caedan Crawford, Ronan Fitzgerald, Conor Donnelly (all 0-1)
St Killian’s scorers: Thomas McLaughlin (0-5), Nicholas McLaughlin (0-3), Oran McCambridge (0-2), Callagh Mooney, Canice McIntosh, Calum McIlwaine (all 0-1)