Danske Bank MacRory Cup quarter-final: Today in Augher (2.30pm): St Patrick’s, Maghera v St Michael’s, Enniskillen
Dominic Corrigan, like almost all the MacRory Cup coaches, was keen to see what sort of start a highly-fancied St Patrick’s, Maghera group would make to this season’s campaign.
Everyone else had already played a game, some had two under their belts, by the time that Maghera faced St Colman’s, Newry.
Their hurlers had impressed in wearing the favourites’ tag right through the Mageean Cup and the footballers similarly hit the ground running with a good win over the Newry side.
They gradually introduced the dual players like Richie Mullan, Tiarnan McHugh, Ruairí Rafferty, Niall McNicholl and Tiarnan Walsh, but it was still the Swatragh gang of the McWilliams twins, Antoin Tohill and Jude McAtamney who were catching the eye.
Lorcan McWilliams hit 4-32 in the four games that brought his team to the MacCormack Cup decider, but he didn’t appear in the 3-11 to 1-7 defeat by St Ronan’s, while McAtamney came in as a sub and scored twice.
Whether or not Maghera wanted to fully show their hand that December day in MUSA, there is little doubt that there is a lot of quality around the team.
Opponents Enniskillen are battlers, coming through a derby play-off game more than a fortnight ago with St Patrick’s Cavan.
That wasn’t looking possible during a first half that Cavan dominated, but then they only led by three points at the break, 0-8 to 1-2. Conor Love’s goal on the re-start, coupled with a red card for a Cavan defender changed the game and Enniskillen prevailed.
St Michael’s will grow in confidence as a result of that win and they only have to look back at a Rannafast Cup semi-final in November for more inspiration.
Maghera, as in the MacRory, were strong favourites for the Rannafast, but were caught cold by Enniskillen, 2-3 to 0-8, with an injury-time goal from Eimhin Curran, their only score of the second half, proving the winner.
A few of the Rannafast boys have stepped up to MacRory, but very much a collective effort saw St Michael’s into the quarter-finals.
Any team can be caught in the MacRory, but this Maghera team looks pretty good, with a lot of options to come off the bench.
Enniskillen don’t appear to have the same options and will want to keep it as tight as it was in the Rannafast semi-final – but even then their chances of winning are remote.
