GOALS from Conhuir Johnston (two), Richard Drain and John Lavery were key to Danske Bank MacRory Cup holders St Mary’s Magherafelt collecting the inaugural EOS sponsored Ulster Schools’ Sevens organised by Ulster University Gaelic Academy at Jordanstown on Wednesday.
Despite losing Ruairí Forbes to injury in the opening game, the Convent topped their group with narrow victories over St Colman’s Newry and St Patrick’s Academy, before beating St Eunan’s Letterkenny and St Patrick’s Downpatrick in the knock-out stages.
The Academy recovered from their set-back at the group stage to also win through to the decider which was an exciting game of end to end attacking football and ended 4-7 to 3-5 in favour of the Convent.
Ronan Cassidy scored a goal and three points for the Academy, the other goals coming from Fiachra Nelis and Dillon O’Neill, but Johnston’s double strike was enough to see St Mary’s take the title.
St Colman’s Newry also recovered from their group defeats to reach the EOS Shield final with St Michael’s Enniskillen and this turned out to be even more exciting with the Violet Hill boys coming from six points down at half-time to force extra time through the industry and scoring of Calum and Aaron O’Neill in particular.
St Colman’s needed extra time to reach the semi-finals and a second bout of extra time caught up with them as Diarmuid Owens scored his second goal and Caoillte Farry landed a couple of long-range frees for St Michael’s to lift the title on a 3-5 to 2-4 score-line with Owens, Kai McGoldrick and Josh Killelea their most impressive performers.
Eleven schools in total participated in the competition and Cargin manager Ronan Devlin, who was in charge of the Magherafelt squad, felt that it was “a good run-out as preparation for the start of the MacRory defence intensifies.”
“It is nice to win this, but more important to get a good day’s football together.
“The boys really enjoyed the Sevens format. They don’t often play Sevens. A brilliant, well-organised day and many thanks to Tommy Joe Farrell, Paul Rouse and everyone involved in making it happen.”
Winning St Mary’s Magherafelt panel: Paul Duffin capt, James Gribben, Ronan Mawhinney, John Lavery, Richard Drain, Luke Burns, Conhuir Johnston, Joshua Cassidy, Sean Byrne and Ruairi Forbes.
