Danske Bank MacLarnon Cup quarter-final
Our Lady & St Patrick’s, Knock 5-7 St Pius X, Magherafelt 1-8
THE quarter-finals of the Danske Bank MacLarnon Cup began yesterday with Our Lady & St Patrick’s, Knock the first team through to the semi-finals as three first-half goals in Coláiste Feirste yesterday evening opened a gap that St Pius X couldn’t close.
Those goals included a penalty that Luke Doran belted to the top right-hand corner to give Eoin Darragh no chance.
Shea Pucci and Liam Blaney were the other goalscorers in the first half, with Blaney also contributing three points.
That all meant that Knock led by 3-4 to 0-4 at half-time, with Oisin Doherty hitting three of St Pius X’s points, two from frees.
Magherafelt enjoyed as much possession as Knock, but they missed the target on too many occasions and paid the price for that wayward shooting in both halves.
During the third quarter, Pucci found the net for a second time, while Blaney added two more points with just a point from Cathal Scullion in reply.
Fionn McIvor found the net for St Pius X 10 minutes from time, but sub Mark Guest cancelled it at the other end with his side’s fifth goal.
Knock now meet the winners of tomorrow’s match between Rathmore Grammar and Loreto, Milford (Owenbeg, 1.30pm).
Meanwhile, in the other side of the draw Abbey Vocational from Donegal town, featuring most of the Four Masters side that recently won the St Paul’s minor tournament, are hotly tipped to beat Aquinas.
That game was scheduled for today in Garvaghey but was called off last night and will now be played on Monday at the same venue.
The winners from there will play whoever emerges from the tie between St Patrick’s, Downpatrick and St Mary’s CBGS, Belfast.
That game was scheduled to take place yesterday in Dromara, but was a victim of the snowy weather. It has also been rescheduled for Monday.
The semi-finals are down for decision towards the end of next week.
Quarter-finals
1 Our Lady & St Patrick’s, Knock 5-7 St Pius X, Magherafelt 1-8
2 Rathmore Grammar v Loreto, Milford (Friday, January 19, Owenbeg, 1.30pm)
3 Abbey VS, Donegal v Aquinas Grammar (Monday, January 22, Garvaghey, 12pm)
4 St Mary’s CBGS, Belfast v St Patrick’s, Downpatrick (Monday, January 22, Dromara, 2pm)
Semi-finals (week beginning Monday, January 22)
Winner of QF2 v OLSP, Knock
Winner of QF3 v Winner of QF4
Final February 10-11 (TBC)