ABBEY VOCATIONAL SCHOOL have finally got their hands on the Danske Bank Markey Cup.
Abbey Vocational School 1-12 Fermanagh Vocational Schools 1-5
Pauric O’Donnell’s team were full value for a seven-point win over Fermanagh Vocational Schools in tonight’s final at Garvaghey.
Daniel Gallagher’s first half goal and five points by the excellent Daniel Brennan – who was Man of the Match -powered Abbey to glory in what was the Donegal town school’s third attempt at the crown.
Gallagher applied a close-range finish in the 24th minute after a curling ball in by Jack Keaney was diverted his way by Thomas McGowan.
Abbey were 1-4 to 0-2 ahead at the break and they kicked for home in the second half with a late, late goal by Ryan Morris, who managed to find an inch of space to send a 13-metre free to the roof of the net, scant consolation.
That came after the tempers raged almost out of control. Play was stopped for four minutes after Chris McCabe’s late hit on Keaney as he teed up Neil Ward for a score.
Keaney was sent off for his troubles, Thomas McGowan was black carded and Fermanagh goalkeeper Thomas Óg McGurran and corner-back McCabe were given straight red cards.
The result was all but sealed at that stage with Brennan, Keaney, Aaron McCrea, Peadar Mogan and Gallagher all leading the charge.
Fermanagh Vocational Schools had beaten two Donegal sides in the form of the two St Columba’s – Stranorlar and Glenties – to get to the final. The Fermanagh amalgamation defeated Stranorlar 1-9 to 1-6 before a come-from-behind win was enough to see off Glenties 0-14 to 0-11 in the semi-final.
Back in December, St Columba’s Glenties had beaten Abbey in the Donegal Senior Schools final, but the Donegal town students recovered from that set back to take the provincial quest by storm, although they needed a replay to see off Bailieborough in their semi-final.
It was Abbey who opened much the brighter. Brendan McCole kicked a wide after just 17 seconds, but before the passing of the first minute, Daniel Brennan swung over after a neat one-two with McCole.
Three minutes in, Abbey doubled the lead. A seven-man move that started from goalkeeper Gavin Mulreaney ended with Brennan firing his second.
Abbey were appearing in the Markey Cup final for the third time – and were aiming for a third time lucky.
A team that included the current Donegal county chairman Sean Dunnion lost the 1986 final to Newry College, while Barry Monaghan lined out in 1995 when Abbey lost out to St Malachy’s, Castlewellan.
They were 0-4 to 0-1 up by the time they landed their opening goal, but Fermanagh came close to a goal of their own in the 14th minute. Paul Óg O’Reilly lobbed over Mulreaney, but his shot was wide.
Ryan Morris popped over Fermanagh’s first point, but Abbey struck gold when Jack Keaney’s ball in was touched on by Thomas McGowan and Gallagher blasted to the net to give the Donegal town men a 1-4 to 0-1 half-time lead.
Morris scored all of the Fermanagh points and was ploughing a lonely furrow to that end, but Abbey really kicked for home in the final quarter to put to bed any notions of a Fermanagh comeback.
Keaney scored three in succession before a wonderful Brennan score from way out on the right put eight between them.
Ward’s point was the cue for bedlam in the 56th minute with Keaney, McGurran and McCabe sent off and McGowan black carded.
Soon after, Garvaghey was awash with the red and white of the delirious Abbey droves.
Abbey go into the All-Ireland quarter-final against the MacLarnon Cup winners, but will be without the red carded Keaney.
For now, though, they’ll savour this one. It’s been a long time in coming, after all.
Abbey Vocational School: Gavin Mulreaney; Dan Meehan, Aaron McCrea, Cathal Canavan; John Relihan, Peadar Mogan, Brian Fegan; Brendan McCole, Neil Ward; Nathan Ward (0-1, 1f), Jack Keaney (0-3, 1f), Jamie Crawford (0-1); Daniel Brennan (0-5), Thomas McGowan, Daniel Gallagher (1-0). Subs: Conor Gavigan for Meehan (20), Conor Breslin (0-1) for Fegan (54), Iarlaith Cox for McGowan (black card, 60).
Fermanagh Vocational Schools: Thomas Óg McGurran; Chris McCabe, James McQuaid, Conor McDermott; James Toye, Enda Cassidy, Kevin Smyth; Aaron Calders, Ryan Morris (1-5, 1-3f); Paul Óg O’Reilly, Cameron McBrien, Conor McGann; Conor Goodwin, Jason Flanagan, Colin McNally. Subs: Ryan Boyle for Calders (39), Niall Clerkin for Goodwin (46), Cathal Lynam for McQuaid (51), Ryan Moran for McNally (60).
Referee: Conor Dourneen (Cavan).
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