An understrength St Eunan’s College lost out to St Patrick’s of Armagh in the Danske Bank MacRory Cup in Garvaghey this evening.
St Eunan’s College, Letterkenny 0-8 St Patrick’s, Armagh 0-11
By Charlie Collins at Garvaghey
Colm McFaddden’s side trailed by two points (0-5 to 0-3) at half-time and were unable to claw back the deficit in the second half.
They got close, but not quite close enough, though they remain hopeful of making it through to the knockout phase.
A pair of Conor O’Donnell penalties gave St Eunan’s a win over Patrician High of Carrickmacross in their opening encounter. That game marked the return of the Letterkenny school to the MacRory Cup’s ranks again.
O’Donnell was absent from the starting XV here due to an injury and the Sentry Hill side were also without the likes of Shane McDevitt, Ciaran Kilfeather, Oran Brogan, Daragh Ellison, Jamie Grant, Jack Gallagher and Shane Monaghan.
Against St Pat’s, who were beaten semi-finalists last year and under the stewardship of Mark Harte, took charge with the opening four points of the second half.
Justin Kiernan, Oisin Hughes, Michael Conroy and Ruadhri McDonald put them six to the good.
Although St Eunan’s did stir with Shane O’Donnell, Eoin Dowling and Oran Winston on the mark, St Pat’s had done enough.
Dillon Horsefield and Padraig McGettigan traded points and St Eunan’s were within striking distance with just five minutes to go.
Kiernan and Dylan Doogan swapped scores late on and St Eunan’s could muster the goal they needed.
St Eunan’s played against the stuff wind in the first half, but Doogan opened the scoring.
However, it was the 24th minute before they scored again.
St Pat’s hit back with Horsefield and Kiernan on the mark, but there followed a 16-minute spell without either team troubling the scoreboard.
A wonderful McGettigan score from way out on the right-hand side, off the outside of the left boot, brought St Eunan’s back and they were two behind at the break.
The glut of absent faces meant it would prove an uphill task, but ahead of a meeting with Bessbrook, St Eunan’s are still firmly in the hunt to emerge out of the group.
St Eunan’s College: Eoghan Jordan; Kieran Tobin, Anthony Gallagher, Matthew Coyle; Oisin Cassidy, Connor McKinney, Dylan Doogan (0-2); Padraig McGettigan (0-2), Keelan Dunleavy; Sean Gallagher, Cormac Finn, Ronan Frain; Oran Winston (0-1), Eoin Dowling (0-1), Shane O’Donnell (0-2, 1f). Sub: Conor McGinty for S.Gallagher (44).
St Patrick’s, Armagh: Jack Gibney; Oliver Guy, Oscar McKeague, Christopher McParland; Oisin Richards, Conor Toner, Niall Boyle; Michael McGleenan, Oisin Hughes (0-1); Dillon Horsefield (0-2), Michael Conroy (0-2f), Tom Weir; Ruaidhri McDonald (0-1), James Birt, Justin Kiernan (0-5, 1f). Subs: Cathair McCartney for Birt (48), Lorcan Coulter for Richards (52).
Referee: Stephen McNamee (Newtownstewart).
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