St Patrick’s Maghera face Gaelcholáiste Dhoire in Leonard Cup final
History has been made ahead of the Leonard Cup final.
For the first time ever, two Derry sides will compete for the honour in a grade A Ulster Schools’ hurling final.
St. Patrick’s Maghera and Dungiven-based Gaelcholáiste Dhoire will square off this Wednesday at Owenbeg with throw-in at 3:30 pm.
The final promises to be a great encounter after the two sides clashed earlier in the competition at the group stage; Mahera ran out narrow winners on this occasion.
Hurling continues to grow within the county, as witnessed with Slaughtneil’s fifth Ulster success this season at senior level.
Success breeds success, and this seems to be the case in Derry as the next generation watches on and sees that they can compete at the highest level of the sport.
As the two schools battle it out for the bragging rights of being crowned Leonard Cup champions, particularly with a number of players who will be involved, they will face their clubmates.
Maghera have yet to taste defeat in the competition, having won each of their group games.
St. Pat’s opened their campaign with a victory over Gallagher Cup winners from the previous season, St. Mary’s Belfast, in a tight contest.
Two goals would prove to be the difference between the sides, Sean O’Hara in the first half and Ronan O’Loughlin in the second, on a scoreline of 2-10 to 0-10.
In their second match they would make light work of St Killian’s Garron Tower, holding them to only one score.
This score would come early on for the Antrim side to give them the lead; however, this would spark the Derry side into action, and the game would finish with a scoreline of 4-5 to 1-0.
Their final match would be the tie with Gaelcholáiste Dhoire; again, it would be a close-run thing as they would win the match by a sole goal.
GCD started the game strong with two early goals from center half forward Aidan Kelly.
However, Maghera would demonstrate great mental resilience as they overturned the deficit in the final few minutes as excellent work from Aaron Mc Gonigle won the ball back to set up Sean O’Hara for a late winning goal for St. Pats.
The semi-final proved to be light work for Maghera as they strode to a 4-16 to 0-5 victory over St. Mary’s Belfast.
While the two sides faced each other in the first round, where it was a tight affair, this match was the complete opposite.
The standout player in this match proved to be Oisin Burke, who tormented the St Mary’s defence throughout with his work rate and score-taking ability.
This by no means indicates that there were not other fantastic performances from the St. Pats side, something they will require once again for the final when they square off with Gaelcholáiste Dhoire.
The Dungiven-based side will be looking to bring to fruition an incredible achievement when you think that only nine years ago the school took its first intake of pupils, 15 in total.
While the school makes progress in the classroom, it is also making strides on the Gaelic pitch also, as only two seasons ago, at the U-13.5 level, they were hurling in the third tier, losing a semi-final to Carndonagh Community School.
While they lost to St. Pats in their final group game, they could boast an incredible win over St. Killian’s Garron Tower on a scoreline of 4-8 to 2-3 in their opener, before a clinical victory over St. Mary’s Belfast on a scoreline of 4-5 to 2-9 in their second match.
This set up a quarterfinal fixture with Knock, where Gaelcholáiste Dhoire were 6-16 to 4-13 winners.
Cross and Passion Ballycastle were waiting in the final four for the Derry side, but a first-half blitz where GCD would establish an 11-point lead proved to be imperative to progressing the side to the final.
The final score would be 3-12 to 2-7 victory, with this resulting in a final appearance on Wednesday, bringing a feeling of pride and joy to coach Cian de Bhaldraithe.
He said: “Overall, as management, we were very happy with the year’s efforts.
“Especially after coming from C the year before, and we knew with the lads coming back in, we would be a force to be reckoned with this year.
“We have a very strong panel with quality throughout the team and a spread of very dangerous forwards.
“This is a massive occasion for the school. It’s our first A final, and everyone is looking forward to it.
“It is also a brilliant occasion for Derry hurling, and it’s a sign of all the great work that is going on within the county at club level, schools’ level, and development squad level.
“It shows Derry hurling is really building, and the future is bright. There is great talent on both teams, and 40 Derry hurlers will play in an A schools’ final.”
Below are the squads listed for both sides.
St Patrick’s Maghera: Fionn Wallace (Sleacht Néill), Dara McKaigue (Sleacht Néill), Cathal Duggan (Lavey), Karl Friel (Swatragh), Dan McEldowney (Sleacht Néill), Dara McKenna (Kevin Lynch’s), Cahir McDonnell (Greenlough), Donnacha Collins (Lavey), Sean O’Hara (Creggan), Davin Hassan (Swatragh), Don Mulholland (Lavey), Oisin Burke (Banagher), James Bradley (Sleacht Néill), Thomas Leadon (Swatragh), Johnny McKenna (Lavey), Sean McPeake (Lavey), Seamus Woulahan (Lavey), Aaron McGonigle (Kevin Lynch’s), Joey Griffin (Moneyglass), Charlie O’Kane (Kevin Lynch’s), Ben Haran (Kevin Lynch’s), Sean Farren (Kevin Lynch’s), Charlie Birt (Lavey), Pearse Lagan (Swatragh), Charley McGarvey (Lavey), Ben Bradley (Sleacht Néill), Joseph Conway (Swatragh), Conan Boyle (Lavey), Sionan McCormack (Moneyglass), Ronan O’Loughlin (Sleacht Néill), James Ward (Lavey), Bradan O’Donnell (Moneyglass), Liam O’Kane (Banagher), Tom McKaigue (Sleacht Néill), Conor Hampson (Swatragh), Lucas Shaw (Lavey)
Gaelcholáiste Dhoire: Oisin Ó Lochlainn (Mhíceál Mhic Dhaíbheid, Suaitreach), Killian Ó Dughaill Ó Cinnéide (Naomh Colm Baile na Scrine), Ailbhe Mac Conmidhe (Roibeard Éiméid Sleacht Néill), Donal Ó Murchú (Roibeard Éiméid Sleacht Néill), Odhran Ó Cleirigh (Naomh Colm Baile na Scrine), Oisin Mag Uiginn (Roibeard Éiméid Sleacht Néill), Brogan Ó Dughaill – Ó Cinneide (Naomh Colm Baile na Scrine), Sean Mac Conmidhe (Roibeard Éiméid Sleacht Néill), Peadar Ó Ceallaigh (Cumann lomanaíochta Chaoímhín Uí Loínsigh), Fionn Ó Conaire (Naomh Colm Baile na Scrine), Aidan Ó Ceallaigh (Cumann lomanaíochta Chaoímhín Uí Loínsigh), Harry Ó Cearnaigh (Roibeard Éiméid Sleacht Néill), MJ Mac Oscair (Roibeard Éiméid Sleacht Néill), Kian Ó Ceallaigh (Naomh Colm Baile na Scrine), Sean Paul Ó Ceallaigh (Roibeard Éiméid Sleacht Néill), Joe Ó Ceallaigh (Roibeard Éiméid Sleacht Néill), Odhran Ó Giollain (Cumann lomanaíochta Chaoímhín Uí Loínsigh), Damhnaic Ó Ceallaigh (Cumann lomanaíochta Chaoímhín Uí Loínsigh), Padraig Mag Gilligan (Cumann lomanaíochta Chaoímhín Uí Loínsigh), Dara Lockhart (Cumann lomanaíochta Chaoímhín Uí Loínsigh), Dáithí Frank Mac Ainmhire (Roibeard Éiméid Sleacht Néill), Daithí Mac Fealoin (Roibeard Éiméid Sleacht Néill), Shane Ó Fiacha (Naomh Mhuire Beannchar), Cillian Ó Gallchóir (Naomh Colm Baile na Scrine), Fionn Mag Aonasa (Cumann lomanaíochta Chaoímhín Uí Loínsigh), Laurence Ó Brolcháin (Roibeard Éiméid Sleacht Néill), Breandan Óg Ó Ceallaigh (Cumann lomanaíochta Chaoímhín Uí Loínsigh), Lughan Goldring (Setanta), Oisín Ó Coinn (Roibeard Éiméid Sleacht Néill), Noah Buistéir (Na Cúnna Léim an Mhadaigh)