Danske Bank Mageean Cup quarter-finals (today)
St Killian’s, Garron Tower v St Mary’s CBGS, Belfast (Ahoghill, 2.30pm)
St Patrick’s, Maghera v Gaelcholáiste Dhoire (Owenbeg, 6pm)
AFTER losing their first two games in Group A of the Danske Bank Mageean Cup, St Mary’s CBGS badly needed an injury-time point from Seán Óg McLaren against Gaelcholáiste Dhoire to remain in the competition as a draw would not have been enough to see them through to the quarter-finals.
St Killian’s also lost their opening game, against Cross & Passion, but weren’t under the same pressure against Maghera as they were in the group of three and every team progressed.
Nevertheless, they looked at times to be slipping up against the Derry school. The holders failed to land a score for the first 20 minutes of the second half and Maghera clawed back to within a point. The Tower bench, though, had an impact and five late points saw them safe.
The holders have eight players available from the team that won the All-Ireland title last March, with the most notable change being the switch of goalkeeper Thomas McLaughlin to full-forward, from where his older brother Joseph produced the goods last season.
Defenders in situ are Colla Ward, John Scullion and Charlie McAuley, the latter seeing senior club championship action with Cushendall over the past few weeks. Callagh Mooney continues at midfield, while his colleague last season Callum McIlwaine takes a step forward to form a strong half-forward line with Oran McCambridge and Michael Furey.
McCambridge, a cousin of Armagh All-Star footballer Barry, tweaked a hamstring in the Maghera game and is in a fitness battle to make the quarter-final.
McLaren may have Óg beside his name, but he is the most experienced of a young forward line that will attempt to bring St Mary’s back into the Mageean limelight. The 30-times champions last won in 2016, incidentally beating St Killian’s in the final, and last appeared in a final five years ago when they lost in extra-time to Ballycastle.
Gaelcholáiste were just barely up and running as a school when their neighbours St Patrick’s, Maghera won the last of their 13 titles in 2017. Maghera have lost two finals since then, but their success in last year’s Foresters’ Cup suggests that there might be another title run coming. Not that this would be blatantly obvious from their two games so far.
There was a heavy defeat to Ballycastle in the opening game and, while there was improvement, particularly during the second half, against St Killian’s in Cushendall, they have yet to savour a victory. Group games, however, are seldom taken seriously by Maghera, particularly with their players being so involved across both codes.
Daithí McCloskey, Cathal McKaigue and free-taker Rian Collins have been prominent so far, but they might have another couple of players to feature in the knock-out stages, like Dara and Sean O’Kane or Fionn Cartin.
With this being the first time that two Derry schools will face off in the Mageean Cup, Gaelcholáiste, of course, will know who is and who isn’t available for their opponents.
The Dungiven-based outfit has rightly gained many plaudits for their meteoric rise through the grades in such a short time, but they may regret having the light shone on them ahead of a game of this magnitude. Many schools prefer to come through under the radar.
They were competitive in all three games in Group A. A slow start tripped them up in the opening one against St Louis. Then they beat Knock and led St Mary’s all the way to injury-time in the last game.
Lorcán and Finbar Ó Muirí, Cathal Ó Mianáin, Emmet Óg Mac Íomhair and Jude Ó Conaire can mix it in any company and Maghera will be keen to get the match-ups right.
Verdicts St Killian’s have the experienced group from last year to drive them to victory, while Maghera’s Mageean Cup know-how could define the Derry derby.
