MacRory Cup : Abbey Win Opening Game

Danske Bank MacRory Cup round one

Group A

Abbey CBS, Newry 3-5 St Patrick’s, Armagh 0-13
TWO goals at the start of the second half killed off the challenge of St Patrick’s, Armagh in Páirc Esler on Wednesday evening.

Up until then, they were in with a chance of getting something from this game, but Rory Powell’s goal in the 45th minute, followed four minutes later by a third Abbey goal from Conall McGeough, opened a gap in the scoreboard that they didn’t have time to close.

That goal made it 3-5 to 0-7 and although Armagh launched a grandstand finish with the last six points, they were still a point short when the final whistle blew.

Armagh went 0-2 to 0-1 ahead early in the game but Harry Lynch’s goal in the 12th minute edged Abbey CBS into the lead for the first time. Points from Nathan Horsfield, Pauric O’Keefe and corner-back Paul Hendron drew the teams level, but Daragh Saul’s late score put Abbey in with a 1-3 to 0-5 lead at the break.

Powell and McClosley traded frees during the third quarter. Then McGeough’s point was followed by those goals and Abbey were in the driving seat on the scoreboard.

Armagh refused to lie down and chipped away at the lead with two points from McCloskey and one each from subs John Joe Hughes and Jack Daly and Donnacha Gribben closed it further as injury-time beckoned. But they could only manage a second score from Hendron as Abbey held out for victory.

Scorers
Abbey R Powell 1-2 (0-1f); C McGeough 1-1; H Lynch 1-0; D Saul 0-2 (0-1f)
St Patrick’s D McCloskey 0-5 (0-3f); P O’Keefe (1f) & P Hendron 0-2 each; N Horsfield, JJ Hughes, D Gribben & J Daly 0-1 each