Gaelic Games

St Patrick’s, Cavan end 43-year wait to win MacRory Cup final

StPatrick’s Academy Dungannon struggle to find form produced on way to final

St Patrick’s, Cavan joint captains Cian McManus and Pierce Smith lift the MacRory Cup at the Athletic Grounds, Armagh. Photograph: Inpho
St Patrick’s, Cavan joint captains Cian McManus and Pierce Smith lift the MacRory Cup at the Athletic Grounds, Armagh. Photograph: Inpho
Tue Mar 17 2015 - 17:29

St Patrick's Cavan 2-12 St Patrick's Academy Dungannon 0-8

St Patrick's, Cavan are MacRory Cup champions again after a 43-year wait when they produced an outstanding display at the Athletic Grounds in Armagh yesterday to beat prematch favourites St Patrick's, Dungannon.

There was little between the sides in the first half with the winners leading 0-6 to 0-4 at the break thanks to points from Darragh Kennedy, Thomas Galligan and Thomas Edward Donohoe.

Dungannon struggle

Thomas Edward Donohoe of St Patrick’s, Cavan and Conall Lyons of Academy during the MacRory Cup final. Photograph: Inpho
Thomas Edward Donohoe of St Patrick’s, Cavan and Conall Lyons of Academy during the MacRory Cup final. Photograph: Inpho

Dungannon were struggling to play the football that they had done on their way to the final and while Mark Donnelly, Daniel Kerr and Cormac O'Hagan had points they were denied a goal when Fergal O'Rourke made a brilliant save from Fintan McClure.

In the opening moments of the second half goalkeeper O’Rourke came to his side’s aid again to thwart Kerr at the expense of a point before O’Hagan levelled from a free. Dungannon though lost captain McClure to a black card and the Cavan side took over.

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Kennedy, Galligan and Donohoe all had points with the latter scoring a superb goal nine minutes from time to leave it all over bar the shouting. There was no doubt where the silverware was going then and when Galligan’s pin-point pass picked out Donohoe he finished with aplomb again as the celebrations began.

ST PATRICK'S, CAVAN: F O'Rourke, D Lunney, D Monaghan, L Fortune, D Kennedy (0-2), C McManus, JJ McGovern, T Galligan (0-2), B Argue (0-1], P Smith (0-1,1free), P Leddy (0-1), M McKenna (0-1), C Smith, B Conaty, T E Donohoe (2-3, 3frees). Subs: R O'Neill (0-1)for Conaty, D Brady for Leddy, P O'Reilly for Lunney, J Veale for McKenna, S Fortune for L Fortune, B Sheanon for O'Neill
ST PATRICK'S ACADEMY DUNGANNON - C Donaghy, C Barker, C Higgins, C Lyons, L Rafferty, S Corr, M McKernan, C Campbell, B Kennedy, C O'Hagan (0-3, 3frees), D Kerr (0-2), C Kilpatrick, R Coleman (0-1, 1free)F McClure (0-1,1free), M Donnelly (0-1). Subs: P Molloy for McClure (black card), L Mallon for Kilpatrick, N Muldoon for Corr. Referee: P Hughes (Armagh)