Corn Uan Uladh semi-final
St Killian’s, Garron Tower 2-15 St Louis’, Ballymena 2-9
ST Killian’s, Garron Tower have reached their third successive Corn Uan Uladh final, mainly due to their dominance during the 20 minutes before half-time in this derby semi-final against St Louis’, Ballymena in Loughgiel yesterday afternoon.
St Louis started brightly with the first two scores from Aoife McKenna and Orlaith Gould and, despite Kady McNeill pulling the Tower level by the seventh minute, Róisín Quinn sent Eimhear McCloskey through for the opening goal two minutes later.
Unfortunately Ballymena didn’t record another score until the early stages of the second half and St Killian’s hit 1-6 without reply before the break.
They responded to the goal with three points inside three minutes, two from Eva McNeill frees and one from Leona Gillan, before Cara McNaughton’s shot for a point dipped into the net at the left hand post after 14 minutes.
St Killian’s pushed on to lead 1-8 to 1-2 and, with that lead, were able to absorb a purple patch from St Louis’ early in the second half and strike for home.
Erin McMullan’s goal, along with points from Lola Storrie and Eimhear McCloskey, brought the gap down to two after 40 minutes. But, as they had done in the first half, St Killian’s upped their game once more with five unanswered points and they sealed victory in the 53rd minute when Amy McAlister took a pass from Leona Gillan to strike their second goal.
The Ballymena school finished strongly with five of the last six points, including two from McCloskey, but there was no way they were going to reel in the lead St Killian’s had established.
The second semi-final on Saturday has been changed to a 1pm start in Ahoghill. It features St Patrick’s, Maghera, chasing a fourth successive title, and Cross & Passion, Ballycastle, the last team apart from Maghera to take the title.
St Killian’s E McNeill 0-6 (0-4f); A McAlister 1-3; C McNaughton 1-0; K McNeill 0-3; L Gillan 0-1; C Thompson & T Black 0-1 each
St Louis’ E McCloskey 1-3 (0-2f); E McMullan 1-2; L Storrie 0-2; O Gould, A McKenna & A Smith 0-1 each
