09 June 2010
St. Malachy’s College continue to progress on the hurling front this year with two results last week that sees them advance to two more Ulster Colleges hurling finals – year 10 and year 11. Having won the Year 9 competition (the McGreevy Cup) in December, the Year 10 team find themselves in the McFarland Cup final with a 2-14 to 2-2 semi-final win over St. Louis’ Ballymena on Friday 4th June. Cormac Ross scored 2-3 early on to give the St. Malachy’s team a great start and the team performed exceptionally throughout the field to ensure the win.
In the Year 11 semi-final St. Malachy’s faced North Belfast rivals Edmund Rice, also played last week. This game was a ten-goal thriller with a fierce resistance put up by Edmund Rice especially Niall McGivern who found the net a number of times. St. Malachy’s responded on each occasion however and this exciting game ended 5-16 to 5-4. the Year 11 team of St. Malachy’s consists of their entire Year 10 team plus two Year 11 pupils who contributed hugely in the semi final win, Michael Morgan in defence and Rian Gillen in attack.
The St. Malachy’s hurlers now meet Rathmore or St. Patrick’s Keady in the McFarland Cup final, while in the Year 11 tournament they await the winners of Rathmore and St. Patrick’s Dungannon. Reaching three hurling finals in one year is a huge achievement for the Antrim Road school, having waited over 50 years for their first hurling title which came last December. The majority of players come from the Glengormley club St.Enda’s, with Lamh Dearg, St. John’s, Glenavy, Pearse’s, Eire Og and St. Gall’s also represented. The hurling at St. Malachy’s is certainly reigniting Belfast hurling.
