St. Paul’s see off rivals to reach the last four of McDevitt Cup

St Mark’s High School (Warrenpoint) 2-9

THE under 14 footballers of St Paul’s JH School qualified for the semi-finals of the Ulster Bank McDevitt Cup by defeating old rivals, St Mark’s High School, Warrenpoint to avenge a defeat by the same school in the final three years ago.

Played on an excellent surface in St Colman’s College, Newry the Armagh Champions made their intentions known from the throw in as Cormac Sheehy seized the ball from the throw in, soloed 40 yards and scored an excellent point- a feat he would repeat at the beginning of the second half. Oran Magee added a second point before a high lob by Shea Geraghty foxed the Warrenpoint keeper for St Paul’s first goal. Ten minutes from half time, Geraghty added a similar score, but the Down champions kept in touch with a goal a few minutes later from a penalty to leave the Lurgan side leading at half time by 2-6 to 1-5.

Sheehy’s early point settled St Paul’s and with Barry McCambridge in excellent form at midfield, they added to their lead with points from McCambridge himself, Oran Magee and Geraghty. Their superiority was emphasised when Shane Lavery finished off an excellent flowing move with a well taken goal before Conor Turbitt evaded the advancing keeper and cooly placed the ball in an empty net. There was no way back for the Down Champions although they never gave up and they were rewarded with a late goal was a reward.

If the Armagh Champions want to look for reasons for their advance they need look no further than Tiarnan Kelly in goals, a sterling performance at full back from Tiarnan O’Neill, plus the high fielding and strong running of midfielder Barry McCambridge as well as the decisive finishing of Shea Geraghty.

St Paul’s now go on to play Dean MacGuirc College, Carrickmore in the Ulster semi final on Thursday in Cookstown and a similar performance could see the school in their seventh McDevitt Cup final in the hope of bringing the cup back to the Francis Street school for the first time since 2001.

Scorers: S Geraghty (2-3), B McCambridge, C Sheehy, O Magee (0-3 each); C Turbitt, S Lavery (1-0 each)

Team: Tiarnan Kelly (Clann Eireann), Jack Lenehan (St Mary’s), Tiarnan O’Neill (St Peter’s), Rory Shine (Clann Eireann), Eoin McCloskey (Eire Og), Sean McAlinden (Sarsfields), Paul Mulholland (St Mary’s), Emmet Reid (Eire Og), Barry McCambridge (Clann Eireann), Shane Lavery (St Mary’s), Cormac Sheehy (Clann Eireann), Aodhan McConville (Clann Eireann), Shea Geraghty (St Paul’s), Oran Magee (Wolfe Tones), Conor Turbitt (Clann Eireann).
Subs: Conor McDonald (Clann Eireann) for E McCloskey, Aodhan Mulholland (St Mary’s) for J Lenehan, Eoin McConville (St Paul’s) for E Reid, Ruairi McConville (Clann Eireann) for S Geraghty, Niall Skelton (Sarsfields), Owen Mulholland, (Clann Eireann), Ryan Meehan (Clann Eireann), Niall Loney (Clan-na-Gael), Mark McAfee (St Mary’s), Jamie Lamont (St Mary’s), Jack Haddock (Clann Eireann), Liam McVeigh (Wolfe Tones), Lee Haughian (St Paul’s), Oliver McConville (Wolfe Tones).