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Tue 16th Mar 2010
BT MacLarnon Cup final, Wednesday 11.15am in Casement Park :
St Patrick’s Keady v St Michael’s Lurgan
An extra game in the knock-out stages of any competition usually stands to a team when it comes to the final.
St Patrick’s Keady took two games to see off the challenge of St Patrick’s Downpatrick in the semi-final and, barring an injury in the first game to corner-back Rory Conroy, seem to have come through the tests unscathed to take on six times champions St Michael’s Lurgan in the first ever all-Armagh final for the BT MacLarnon Cup.
Keady have never lifted the Cup, but they are hoping it is third time lucky for the school after defeat to Our Lady’s Castleblaney in Casement Park in 2005 and then in Omagh last year to St Pius X who went on to pick up the All-Ireland title.
There are five survivors from the team that took the field last year – Dominic McParland, Conor Hughes, Finbar Conroy, Cillian Mallon and Ethan Carville – with another 7 part of the panel.
The key game in this season’s competition seems to have been the quarter-final in which St Michael’s Lurgan dethroned St Pius X with 3 late points from Stephen McGee, Niall McConville and Chris McGaughey pulling them clear at 0-12 to 0-9 after an hour of tough football.
McConville’s goal 10 minutes into the second half of the semi-final was the decisive score as Carrickmacross fell 1-7 to 0-8 to put Lurgan back into the final of a competition they dominated with St Mary’s Magherafelt during the 1980s and 1990s.
Their first title in 1984 was followed by promotion into the MacRory and even a final appearance against St Patrick’s Maghera a quarter of a century ago.
That foray was fairly brief though and the school found its level in the MacLarnon, taking the trophy in 1988,1989, 1991, 1995 and most recently in 2003.
Chris McGaughey’s accuracy from placed balls (0-10 in the knock-out stages) is very significant as all the games in the competition this year have been fairly tight.
Keady’s Ciaran Rafferty has also weighed in from placed balls, but his penalty miss and a few other shots off target in the drawn semi-final meant that his side was vulnerable to a late hit from Downpatrick.
Keady also left themselves plenty to do in the replay with the dismissal of Ryan Morgan before half-time. His team-mates however upped their game and showed the kind of form that could light up Casement Park.
Madden’s Cillian Mallon helps form a strong midfield diamond with Finbar Conroy, James King and Brian McClelland and these are the players that will dirty their hands to provide the scoring opportunities for the two Raffertys and Dominic McParland
However St Michael’s, with what is really a Lurgan town team – goalie Damien O’Hagan (Aghagallon) the only exception – will start favourites after dethroning the champions.
They may find it very tough though and it would not be a huge surprsie if the south Armagh school was celebrating a first ever title.
St Michael’s Lurgan : Damien O’Hagan, Stephen Magee, Brendan McCarron, Sean O’Neill, James Doyle, Ruairi McCaughley, Aaron Toland, Aaron Findon, Niall McCann, Conleth McAlinden, Christopher McGaughey, Andrew Nugent, Thomas McAlinden, Niall McConville, Barry Seeley.
Subs : Niall Heaney, Shane Haughey, James Haughey, Brian Martin, Jake Casey, Michael Beatty, Adam McConville, Michael McConnell, Ciaran Conway, Thomas Byrne, Sean Hyndman, Gavin McCormick, Declan Heaney.
St Patrick’s Keady : Gerard Watters, Rory Smyth, Ethan Carvill, Stephen King, Ryan Morgan, Cillian Mallon, Michael Donnelly, Finbar Conroy, James King, Conor Hughes, Brian McClelland, Conor McKee, Ciaran Rafferty, Dominic McParland, Ryan Rafferty.
Subs : James Hughes, Nathan Green, Tony McClelland, Aron McKenna, Ciaran McKee, Caolan Doyle, Cathal Harnett, Niall Cosgrove, Padraig Lappin, David McCreesh, Rory Conroy, Daire Carr, Ryan McCabe, Gareth Watters, Stephen Renaghan, Thomas Rooney, Dallan McKenna.
Submitted by: Seamus McAleenan
