Derry champions secure Paddy Buggy Cup final spot

St Patrick’s Maghera 2-14 ... Coláiste Abhann Rí Callan 0-19

St Patrick’s Maghera secured a dramatic one-point victory to book their place in the Masita Paddy Buggy Cup final after a dramatic 2–14 to 0–19 win over Coláiste Abhann Rí, Callan, in Longford on Saturday afternoon.

A late free from Captain Rian Collins proved decisive in a tense finish, ensuring that St Patrick’s Maghera became the third successive Danske Bank Mageean Cup champions to reach the final of the All-Ireland Schools B hurling competition.

Last year Cross and Passion College, Ballycastle, marched to their fourth title at this level, defeating Calasanctius College, Oranmore, 1-15 to 1-14. Maghera qualified for the All-Ireland Series after winning their fifteenth Mageean Cup, defeating the holders 4-13 to 1-12 in January.

Maghera rode their luck in the closing moments, with Callan seeing a dramatic goal ruled out for a square-ball infringement in the third minute of stoppage time. However, the Derry school had been the better side for long stretches and will likely feel they should have been more comfortable winners after hitting sixteen wides over the course of the contest, including eleven in the first half alone.

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It took Maghera seven minutes to open their account when PJ Glover struck a sublime point from the wing. The Ulster champions had already squandered a couple of early chances, while at the other end Donncha Collins produced a brilliant diving save to tip Aidan Culleton’s effort onto the post.

Glover’s score helped Maghera move 0–3 to 0–1 ahead before Callan responded through Pádraig O’Kane and Glover again to level matters. Kilkenny's side, Callan, then edged in front as Cathal Russell, deadly accurate from placed balls throughout, landed three consecutive frees to put his side three points clear after 15 minutes.

Maghera soon found a breakthrough. O’Kane, who was outstanding throughout and finished with an impressive tally of 2–1, burst through the Callan defence before finishing emphatically to the net to level the scores once more.

The sides then traded points in a tight and competitive second quarter, with Maghera eventually edging ahead to lead 1-7 to 0–9 at the interval.

Callan started the second half brightly as John O’Meara fired over an early point, but Collins quickly restored Maghera’s advantage. Moments later, O’Kane struck again. A tussle in the square saw the forward react quickest to pull on a loose ball, with the sliotar ricocheting into the net to push Maghera into a 2–8 to 0–10 lead.

Odhrán Doherty then landed a superb long-range free from inside his own half to stretch the gap to five points as Maghera looked to be in control.

However, Callan refused to fade and gradually worked their way back into the contest during a gripping final quarter. Substitute Alfie Lynch made an immediate impact with a fine point shortly after his introduction, while Russell continued to punish Maghera's indiscipline with a pair of frees to reduce the deficit to a single goal.

St Pats had chances to put the result beyond doubt. O’Kane came agonisingly close to completing his hat-trick when his shot drifted inches wide, while Callan's centre-forward Scott McDonald rattled the Maghera crossbar soon after.

Further scores from Aidan O’Shea and Russell cut the gap to just one point with five minutes remaining before Sean O’Kane responded with a crucial score for Maghera to restore a two-point cushion.

Callan continued to push forward, with John O’Meara landing his fourth point of the afternoon before O’Kane was fouled in the fifty-ninth minute. Collins kept his composure to convert the resulting free and extend Maghera’s lead.

Russell responded with a point to keep Callan in contention, setting up a frantic conclusion. Deep into stoppage time Alfie Lynch appeared to have snatched victory for the Kilkenny school when he tapped the sliotar into the net, only for the referee to rule the effort out for a square-ball infringement, confirming St Pat's place in the All-Ireland final.

The Derrymen will now face Tralee CBS in the Paddy Buggy Cup final on March 21. The Munster champions, who have also qualified for the Hogan Cup final on St Patrick’s Day, booked their place with a narrow 1–19 to 0–20 victory over Portumna Community School in Tulla.

Scorers:- St Patrick’s Maghera: P O’Kane 2-1, R Collins 0-5 (fs), Pj Glover and S O’Kane 0-2 each, C McCloskey, C Gallagher, F Cartin and O Doherty (f) 0-1 each. Coláiste Abhainn Rí: C Russell 0-10 (0-8 fs), J O’Mara 0-4, S McDonald 0-2, A Lynch, N O’Meara and A O’Shea 0-1 each

St Patrick’s Maghera: D Collins, P Peoples, D O’Neill, O Burke, C Gallagher, O Doherty, D McEldowney, D McCloskey, N McNicholl, C McCloskey, P O’Kane, PJ Glover, R Collins capt, F Cartin, S O’Kane. Subs: D McKaigue, O O’Neill, R O’Loughlin, C McKenna

Coláiste Abhainn Rí: J Kennedy; D O'Sullivan, T Deegan, S McGrath; D Hennessey, C Lawton, N O'Meara; D Lyons, C Tobin; O Molloy, A Culleton, S McDonald; C Russell, N Cahill capt, J O'Meara. Subs: A Lynch, A O’Shea