ABBEY VOCATIONAL SCHOOL coasted into the semi-finals of the Danske Bank Markey Cup after seeing off Ballybay Community College in the eye of a storm in Garvaghey.
Abbey Vocational School 2-20 Ballybay Community College 1-08
Pauric O’Donnell’s team were never really in any danger and had a fourteen-point lead built up by half-time.
The gale-force wind that shrilled across the Tyrone Centre of Excellence made it something of a lottery, but the Abbey numbers came up with an efficient and economical display.
Two goals, by Brendan McCole and Jack Keaney, in the opening two minutes of the second half, were the big scores for the Donegal town students.
Nathan Ward’s quick free fed McCole and the midfielder did the rest, finishing to the net off the inside of the post.
A minute later, a superb move from Abbey culminated in Keaney crashing into the top corner.
It put Abbey 20 points ahead, 2-15 to 0-1, and there was no way back for Ballybay, although they did manage to bring some modicum of respectability to the result through a Dylan Quinn goal and five points from Shane Monaghan.
Abbey twice struck the goal frame in the first half. Just two minutes in, they carved out a chance with Peadar Mogan riffling against the post from a tight enough angle on the right-hand side.
And with the final play of the opening period, Mogan and Daniel Brennan did the spadework to set up Neil Ward, whose well-hit shot cannoned back off the crossbar.
Given the conditions, there was the peculiar feeling – even with a 0-15 to 0-1 lead at the changeover – that they might have been left to rue at least one of those misses.
However, they made safe their passage into the semi-finals with the brace of goals just after the interval.
Early scores from Daniel Brennan, Nathan Ward and a Keaney brace opened up a four-point cushion and it was quickly apparent that the howling wind atop Garvaghey would prove decisive on the day.
Mogan put Abbey five to the good and they reeled off three points inside of 60 seconds with Brennan, Keaney and Jamie Crawford on the mark.
It was 28-and-a-half minutes in before Ballybay managed to get on the scoresheet, with Shane Monaghan taking a pass from Colm Lennon before curling over.
By then, Abbey were 14 clear, with Nathan Ward (3) and a brace each from Keaney, Nathan Ward, Thomas McGowan and Neil Ward keeping the scoreboard ticking over ominously.
Abbey made good use of the elements in capitalising on the inhibited distribution of Ballybay goalkeeper Dean Johnston, who endured a frustrating time of it with his kick-outs.
The Abbey netminder, Gavin Mulreaney, a vocal presence throughout, fared much better in that department.
Mulreaney was called upon to deny Quinn with a fine save in a busy period early in the second half.
Ballybay muster a response with Monaghan to the fore but Brennan, with two, Neil Ward and Mogan stretched the margin again.
Quinn finally beat Mulreaney when he latched onto Colm Lennon’s raking delivery and slotted to the bottom corner.
Abbey might have added a third goal themselves late in the day but John Relihan had to settle for a point. One-on-one with Johnston, Relihan’s shot went over off the top of the bar, but by then it was only a matter of how many Abbey would win by.
Abbey Vocational School: Gavin Mulreaney; Conor Breslin, Dan Meehan, Cathal Canavan; John Relihan (0-1), Aaron McCrea, Ryan Hegarty; Brendan McCole (1-0), Neil Ward (0-3); Thomas McGowan (0-2), Jack Keaney (1-5, 2f), Peadar Mogan (0-2); Nathan Ward (0-2, 1f), Daniel Brennan (0-4), Jamie Crawford (0-1). Subs: Tom O’Grady for McGowan (57), Jamie Burke for Crawford (58), Brian Fegan for Canavan (60), Daniel Gallagher for Neil Ward (60).
Ballybay Community College: Dean Johnston; Niall Duffy, Owen Quinn, Paul McPhillips; Stephen Doherty, Dylan Quinn (1-0), Matthew Ward; Colm Lennon (0-1), Shane Forde; Shane Monaghan (0-5, 3f), Patrick O’Nell, Conor McCabe (0-1); Michael Duffy, Caolán Connolly (0-1), Cormac Duffy. Sub: Shane Duffy for Doherty (49).
Referee: Sean McCartan (Tyrone).
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