04 April 2011
BT CORN COLMCILLE
ST LOUIS INTO LAST FOUR
Over the past few months, the St Louis Year 9 Football squad have pro gressed to the semi final of the Ulster Colleges Corn Colmcille. Standing between them and a place in the final are St Patrick’s Keady.
Four years ago, the same teams met in the Corn Colmcille semi final at Stewartstown with St Louis winning a classic encounter by a point. Traditionally Keady are always in the latter stages of competitions so it will be another big challenge for the St Louis lads.
In preparation for the group stages, St Louis played challenge games against local schools St Mary’s Clady, St Benedict’s Randalstown and St Paul ’s Kilrea, as well as the Antrim year 9 blitz.
Ballymena won all three of their group games. First up, they had a convincing win over Castleblayney at Ardboe. The second game was against St Columb’s Derry , in a hard fought game at Maghera in windy conditions.
That left the clash with St Louis Kilkeel in O’Donnell’s Belfast to decide who topped the group, in brilliant conditions, it was Ballymena that won the “ St Louis derby”, in what was a open and high scoring game.
Their opponent’s in the Quarter Finals were a highly tipped Patrician Carrickmacross team. In windy conditions Carrickmacross led 1-5 to 1-2 at half time. However in the second half St Louis put in a tremendous display to win 3-12 to 2-9 and book their spot in the next round.
Carrickmacross had some formidable players and played their part in a thrilling game, with St Louis getting a few lucky breaks, but such was the workrate of the St Louis team that they deserved their slice of good fortune.
They now play Keady in the semi final. St Eunan’s Letterkenny were the highest scoring team in the entire competition and Keady scored 8 goals against them in their quarter final. With Armagh football always at a high standard St Louis will need another massive performance if they are to reach the final.
Quarter Final Results
St Louis Ballymena 3-12 Patrician Carrickmacross 2-9
St Patrick’s Keady 8-4 St Eunan’s Letterkenny 3-6
St Mary’s Belfast v St Malachy’s Belfast (Not played yet)
Our Lady’s & St Patrick’s Knock 6-11 St Louis Kilkeel 3-4
Semi Final Draw
St Louis Ballymena v St Patrick’s Keady
Our Lady’s & St Patrick’s Knock v St Mary’s Belfast / St Malachy’s Belfast
St Louis Ballymena Panel: Niall Shannon (All Saints), Cillian McMullan (Rasharkin), Owen Marquess (Glenravel), Ciaran McCambridge (Glenravel), Michael Laverty (Glenravel), Michael O’Connell (Sean Stinson’s), Malachy McIvor (Creggan), Connell Lemon (All Saints), Eamon Fyfe (Glenravel), Fearghal Kennedy (Rasharkin), Josh Henry (St Comghall’s), Colm Griffin (St Comghall’s), Sean Duffin (Tir nA nOg), Ciaran McAteer (Creggan), Keelan Molloy (Dunloy), Ronan Graham (Sean Stinson’s), Michael Hagan (Sean Stinson’s), Ciaran Ball (St Comghall’s), Ciaran Dobbin (Tir nA nOg), Ryan McGuigan (Sean Stinson’s), Neil Shannon (Tir nA nOg), Ryan O’Dea (St Comghall’s), Matthew McCaw (St Comghall’s), Ronan Hasson (Rasharkin), Shea Gillan (Rasharkin), Christopher Cassidy (Dunloy) Eamonn Mulholland (Glenravel), Jack McDermott (All Saints), Daire Hasson (All Saint’s), Jimmy Convery (Sean Stinson’s), Sean McLoughlin (Dunloy), Connor Kennedy (Dunloy)
