07 June 2010
St Mary's CBS held off a late challenge of Cross & Passion College to clinch a thrilling BT Gallagher Cup final victory by a single point at Dunloy in a game that further enhances the reputations of these two great hurling schools.
The key moment of the game came 11 minutes into the second half when Dara Rocks fired home St Mary’s Belfast’s third goal.
That score was the perfect response to a 1-3 blast in the previous 10 minutes that saw Cross and Passion draw level at 3-6 to St Mary’s 2-9.
With the breeze favoring the north Antrim side, they looked favourites to move ahead and clinch the title. But Rocks’ goal helped swing the momentum back in favour of the city boys.
Their defence took control with Eamon Shannon, Garret Mulholland and Steven Caskin upping the ante. Callum McVeigh and Conor Johnston began to pick up more ball around the middle and drive forward forcing Ballycastle away from shooting range.
The sides traded two points each before a brilliant individual effort from Johnston put St Mary’s 4 points ahead with time running out.
Their defence held tight until injury time when Cormac McCafferty rounded the full-back and fired high into the net.
Although there were a few anxious moments in the last minute or so before Martin Mulholland’s long whistle, St Mary’s held out.
Overall it was a hugely entertaining final with a high standard of hurling on display. Quite a number of players shone with a captivating battle royale between the two smallest players on the pitch, Dara Rocks and Ballycastle corner-back Eoin Hill.
Ballycastle also had power-striking from Cormac McAllister and Cahir McGrath in defence with Cormac McCafferty, OD Laverty and Conor Christie always capable of grabbing scores.
Over the hour however, St Mary’s were the more consistent team and always seemed to respond immediately to any big scores from Ballycastle.
That was illustrated as early as the 6th minute when McCafferty won ball close in to crash home a goal. From the puck-out, Conor Johnston grabbed the sliotar and buried a goal for St Mary’s.
Johnston’s second goal in the 21st minute left it double-scores, 2-4 to 1-2, but Ballycastle finished the half strongly with a Laverty goal and Christie point from a free.
St Mary’s started the second half with points from Green, Rocks and Johnston, before Johnny McErlain lit up Ballycastle’s challenge with a goal and points from Laverty, Christie and Cormac McAllister tied the teams after 40 minutes.
Then came Rocks’ goal and St Mary’s grew in stature to retain the Cup.
St Mary’s : J Magee, C Hanna, E Shannon, G Walsh, G Mulholland, S Gaskin, D Murphy, L McLarnon, C McVeigh, S Shannon 0- 1, C Kelly 0-1, C Johnston capt. 2-6, 1-3 frees, T McGoran 0- 1, F Green 0-1, D Rocks 1-2.
Sub : C Bradley for T McGoran (45).
Cross & Passion : C Patterson, E Hill, C McGrath, P Duffin, C McLaughlin, Cormac McAllister 0-2 frees, C O'Kane, R Kinney, OD Laverty 1-1, P Bannon, C Christie capt 0-4, 0-2 frees, J McErlain 1-1, Ciaran McAllister, C McClafferty 2-0, R McKee.
Subs : R McCollum for Ciaran McAllister (36), S McGrath for R Mckee (39).
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