GAA - Maghera meet St Ronan's in McCormick Cup Final

DANSKE BANK McCORMICK CUP FINAL Thursday 11am - MUSA Cookstown St Patrick's Maghera v St Ronan's Lurgan

ONLY Omagh CBS have managed to escape the curse of the McCormick Cup - the unofficial 'MacRory league'.  In the 2004/2005 season, the second year of the competition, the Tyrone school managed to add the MacRory Cup to the McCormick Cup.  Every other year, it has been a poisoned chalice for the winners.

St Patrick's Maghera won their semi-final easily against MacRory champions St Mary's Magherafelt.  It was a lacklustre encounter with both sides missing a litany of key players.

St Ronan's, holders of the McCormick Cup, are back in the final after seeing off Armagh rivals St Paul's Bessbrook on the other side of the draw.

Maghera are one of the main contenders for MacRory glory in March and are back boned by talisman Lorcan McWilliams in attack.  His twin brother Oisin is the playmaker with fellow all-star Jude McAtamney lining out a midfield.

The Swatragh trend continues with Anton Tohill playing alongside McAtamney.  Tohill was selected from the recent AFL trials in Dublin and will fly out to Florida next month.

Tiernan Walsh picked up a hurling all-star and along with Oran McGill, they anchor the defence.

With Mageean Cup and Ulster Club minor action, Tiernan McHugh, Ruairi Rafferty and Richie Mullan have saw little game time with the big ball.  So Martin Quinn and Dermot McNicholl will decide whether or not to reshuffle their pack.

The MacRory Cup draws this week will have grabbed the principal focus in both schools.  The cloud of the McCormick Cup curse will linger but Maghera should have the firepower to head into the Christmas break with silverware.

MacRory Cup Fixtures

Quarter Final Play-Offs Wed 24 - Sun 28 January (A) St Colman’s Newry v St Patrick’s Armagh (B) Omagh CBS v St Macartan’s Monaghan (C) Patrician High Carrickmacross v St Ciaran’s Ballygawley (D) St Michael’s Enniskillen v St Patrick’s Cavan (Games finished on the day)

MacRory Cup Quarter Final Wed 7th – Sun 11th February St Patrick’s Maghera v Winner D St Mary’s Magherafelt v Winner B St Ronan’s Lurgan v Winner C St Paul’s Bessbrook v Winner A (REPLAYS - ON WED 14 FEB)