Danske Bank Mageean Cup final
St Killian’s, Garron Tower v Cross & Passion, Ballycastle
(Tuesday, the Dub Arena, 7.30pm)
THERE is no real surprise that the pairing for this year’s Danske Bank Mageean Cup final is the same as 12 months ago. The twist is that roles are reversed this time as these teams finally face each other after the scheduled December 6 meeting fell victim to Storm Darragh.
Last year, St Killian’s had returned after losing the 2022 final to St Louis’, Ballymena with a team that had been convincing winners of the Foresters’ Cup and were favourites to end a six-decade wait for the most coveted prize in schools’ hurling to return to Garron Tower.
Cross & Passion followed St Killian’s as Foresters’ champions, but their young team came into the final more in hope than expectation. What transpired was an intriguing contest with neither team able to break through for a game defining goal, but the Tower hit the key scores in the last five minutes to achieve their dreams.
St Killian’s went on to win the All-Ireland title and openly acknowledged afterwards that the north Antrim derby final was the toughest game they got in the whole campaign.
This term no team has been in with a chance of beating Cross & Passion in their three-match run to the decider – the closest anyone got was St Killian’s in a group game on October 8 in Cushendun.
That game ended 3-16 to 3-10, but both teams were short key players due to their club teams being involved in the latter stages of the Antrim championship.
CPC had a very comfortable group and then semi-final win over St Patrick’s, Maghera, able in both cases to deal with the physicality of the exchanges and notch the scores to get in charge by the midway point of the first half.
Different injuries have kept Cian Beaudant out of action right through the competition. But the absence of his experience and presence has barely been noticed, with Dunloy defender Reece Cunning fitting in at full-back behind captain and double schools’ All-star Liam Glackin, who is a formidable presence both in one-on-one encounters and also in setting up his team’s attacks.
Promising youngster Darragh Kinney has been slotted into midfield in most of the games and is another player good at delivering the defence-splitting pass for Oisin McCallin and Caedhan Crawford in the corners.
However, CPC have been getting a lot from the direct ball through to Roan McGarry and Conor Donnelly. Hence their attacking play has been varied but very productive, particularly given the pace they have in the front six.
The Tower have half a team with medals in their pockets from last year and those players are huge leaders right through the lines. Last year Joseph McLaughlin was one of their go-to forwards; that role seems to have been passed down to his brother Thomas, last year’s goalie, who is now the team’s top-scorer at full-forward alongside a third brother, Nicholas, in the corner.
Charlie McAuley, who played in a number of Cushendall’s senior games, including the Ulster Club semi-final classic against Slaughtneil. has resumed his role at centre-half back and delivered three long-range points from frees during last week’s semi-final against St Louis’, Ballymena, a game that proved to be a lot closer than expected.
At times St Killian’s looked laboured and under pressure, although in hindsight they were always ahead and Ballymena chasing a result.
Callagh Mooney lorded midfield in each of the games this term, although his partnership of last year with Callum McIlwaine has been broken up in favour of the manager’s son leading the attack in what should be an intriguing battle with Liam Glackin.
Someone will leave the Dub (tonight) with a second Mageean medal. Of course, the St Killian’s contingent can add to last year’s medal haul if they win. But CPC forward Paudie Martin might well become only the second player to collect medals with two different schools. He featured for St Louis’ two years ago when they won the cup at St Killian’s expense.
Last year, the pairing drew a huge crowd to the south Belfast venue and they were treated to an excellent game of hurling.
This year’s final promises something similar with the expectation – and probably pressure to deliver – on Cross and Passion to make up for their disappointment of a year ago and carry Ulster hopes into the All-Ireland series at the end of February.
