IN THE END, the result wasn’t the most important thing.
Abbey Vocational School, Donegal town 0-3 Patrician High School, Carrickmacross 3-12
With 10 minutes to play, match referee Kevin Falloon consulted with both sets of management and called a halt to proceedings this afternoon in Dromore, Co Tyrone.
It was a decision that nobody argued with in the Ulster Schools play-off when the Markey Cup (Ulster U-18A Schools) holders were facing the side that lifted the MacLarnon Cup (Ulster U-18B Colleges) two days beforehand to see who would represent the province in the All-Ireland semi-finals.
At that stage Pauric O’Donnell’s Markey Cup winners were well-beaten and had two players requiring urgent medical treatment as the first of the ambulances arrived.
Midfielder Neil Ward was laid up in pain with an ankle injury and to his side on the Abbey bench was Peadar Mogan, who had begun to feel faint at the start of the second half and was pulled ashore immediately.
Mogan, who had tried his best in the first half as the match was slipping from Abbey, was taken to Altnagelvin Hospital in Derry.
It brought a sense of perspective.
Falloon called a break in play on 50 minutes and it was then the decision was taken to have the score then confirmed as the result.
It marked the end of a forgettable day for the Donegal town school, who lined out without talisman Jack Keaney, who was sent off in the Markey Cup final win over Fermanagh schools and then failed in his appeal to Ulster on Friday night.
By half-time the contest was effectively over with the Monaghan team 3-5 to 0-3 in front thanks to a hat-trick of goals from centre-forward Alan Kieran.
His first goal came on nine minutes from a raking ball into the square from the right flank, which Abbey goalkeeper Gavin Mulreany got stuck under as it dropped the it ended up in the net.
Abbey were walking on thin ice as Patrician High School looked dangerous in almost every attack and their lively forwards were getting to the higher gears time and again.
A second goal came on 14 minutes when Andrew Woods made the burst and squared for Kieran to shoot home.
Abbey finally got off the mark on 15 minutes through a Thomas McGowan score but when the full-forward lost a hop ball to Gavin McEnaney on 23 minutes, the Patrician full-forward ran all of 60 metres unchallenged before laying off to Kieran to slam home a third goal.
In the second half, Patrician were content to kick their points and captain David Garland, in particular, had his shooting boots on with four points. Their lead would go to 18 points, 3-12 to 0-3, before time was called.
A disappointing end to what has been a fine season for Abbey.
Abbey Vocational School, Donegal town: Gavin Mulreany; Daniel Meehan, Aaron McCrea, Cathal Canavan; John Relihan, Peadar Mogan (0-1), Conor Gavigan; Brendan McCole, Neil Ward; Nathan Ward, Iarlaith Cox, Jamie Crawford; Daniel Brennan, Thomas McGowan (0-2, 1 ’45’), Daniel Gallagher. Subs: Conor Breslin for Cox (20), Shaun Meehan for Neil Ward (30), Shaun Griffin for Mogan (33).
Patrician High School, Carrickmacross: Jack Kirk, Ciaran Roe (0-1), Karl McMenamin; Caolan Martin, Kieran Slavin, Fergal Hanratty; Dean Connolly, Liam Óg Murray; Ronan McDonald, Alan Kieran (3-1), Ryan O’Conner (0-1); David Garland (0-7, 4f, 1 ’45’), Gavin McEnaney, Andrew Woods (0-2). Subs: Shane Duffy for Garland (42), Sean Burns for G McEnaney (44), Sean McEnaney for Murray (46), Edward Walsh for Woods (48), Daniel Leegan for Slavin (46).
Referee: Kevin Falloon (Down).
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