GAA - Heartbreak for St Columb’s in MacLarnon Cup

MacLarnon Cup Heartbreak for St Columb’s in Drumragh By Eoin McCrossan

St Columb’s 2-12 Holy Trinity 1-17

ST. Columb’s, Derry, heart-breakingly lost a thrilling MacLarnon Cup semi-final in extra-time on Friday. While interviewing Eamon Burns during his team’s final training session at St John’s on Wednesday, it was evident that this St Columb’s College team was rehearsing the game plan, for what turned out to be a titanic battle between two very talented teams. To suggest the game plan was working would be an understatement, St Columb’s seemed very aware of the quality in the Cookstown forward ranks as they dropped two sweepers in front of the full back line, cutting out the quality deliver from influential Tyrone U21 David Mulgrew. With Jamie Brown tasked with shackling Ulster Minor Club player of the year, Conan McLernon, Ross Stevenson, at full back, picking up Tyrone minor Donnelly and Cillian Higgins tasked with marking yet another Tyrone minor Tomas Carney, St Columb’s managed to control the first half proceedings with the same assuredness witnessed in the win against Ballygawley. Caolan O’Conor scored three frees in the opening half while Conor Feeney scored a wonderful long range effort in between times. Cookstown, through the accurate free taking of Conan McLernon and Tomas Carney kept Cookstown in touch. Nonetheless, St Columb’s entered the half time interval a point to the good and looking very much like the team in control of proceedings. Cookstown had more purpose in their running on the restart, and took the lead for the first time through two more frees from Carney and a Coney point from play, the score board now reading 0-6 to 0-4 Cookstown. With the St Columb’s boys beginning to feel aggrieved by the free count tallying against them they burst into life. On the 40th minute, Conor Feeney, through excellent transition play by St Columb’s found the back of the net, this was quickly followed by points from Faughnavale pair Sean Bradley and Eoin McElhinney, before the icing on the cake during that period of dominance arrived from a turn over ball at midfield, and yet another accurate delivery to Sean Bradley, who in turn dispatched a wonderful effort to the top corner on the net. With 15minutes remaining, St Columb’s had one foot in final, with Cookstown still struggling to score from open play and the St Columb’s double sweeper system working to perfection, there looked to be no way back. As with all big championship games the massive talking point and momentum swing arrived with 10minutes left on the clock. Cookstown, for the first time in the game found a gap through the central spine of St Columb’s with wonderful give and go football between Carney and Mulgrew, the later found himself in a one-on-one with All Star goalkeeper Dylan Doherty who pulled off a great save at the feet of Mulgrew. This was followed by a loud blast of the whistle, to the surprise of St Columb’s and most in attendance the referee had spotted something in the play and pointed directly to the penalty spot. McLernon as he did in the quarter final dispatched the pressure kick to leave three between them. St Columb’s, still stunned by the penalty decision, conceded yet another free which McLernon pointed, leaving only two between the teams. The visible irritation within the St Columb’s ranks that until this point had conceded 1-6 based on poor decisions was clearly in their heads as they lost possession from the next two kick-outs, with Paul Donnelly and Caolan Monaghan converting from play. At this point, the game lost all shape as both teams went toe-to-toe in the final five minutes in search of the winner, that looked to have materialised in the form of yet another free for Cookstwon, which McLernon once again dispatched over the bar, the roar from the crowd and the constant whistling suggested time was up for St Columb’s. However, the drive and passion in this St Columb’s team fashioned one more chance through Sean Bradley who was fouled on the 21m line. Verbals between Cookstown players and the referee saw Derry Minor Paddy Coney given his marching orders. Caolan O’ Conner was now entrusted with the biggest pressure kick of the game, to his credit, he dispatched this with ease to draw the game level and bring the game into extra time. If tension was high in the final 15minutes of the first half it was emotionally exhausting throughout extra-time, with each team trading point for point it was clear heartbreak was on the horizon for one of these excellent teams. After All Star goalkeeper Dylan Doherty struck two of the game’s best scores off the ground and all of 50m out against the wind, to cancel out two cookstown scores it looked like this game was going to a replay. Then, two wonder scores from play, first Carney, who kicked a ball over his shoulder all of 40meters out, and then the highly impressive Mulgrew who struck the game’s final score from the 50m to secure Cookstowns first appearance in the MacLarnon Cup final since their move from Vocational Schools. This game will go down as an epic battle in Ulster College’s football, nonetheless, St Columb’s will have very heavy hearts given they had a 6point lead with 15minutes to go. Commenting at the end of the game, coach, Michael McLaughlin had nothing but pride and praise for his squad, stating, that the boys had shown unbelievable character and nerve throughout the game giving every last ounce of energy for the cause. ‘At the end of the day what else can you ask from a group young lads, for those year 14 boys on the team, they have left the St Cloumb’s jersey in a very good place and for that we thank them’.

Scorers- St Columb’s College: Sean Bradley 1:1, Conor Feeney 1:1, Caolan O’Connor 0:4, Dylan Doherty 0:2, Sean Mortimer 0:1, Andy Moore 0:1, Eoin McElhinney 0:1, Mark McAdams 0:1.

Cookstown: Conon McLernon 1:3, David Mulgrew 0:5, Tomas Carney 0:4 Paddy Coney 0:2, Paul Donnelly 0:1, Caolan Monaghan 0:1, James Devlin 0:1