Abbey VS made fight all the way by South-West Donegal in Mac Rory Cup

In difficult cold conditions in Pearse Park, Ardara the students of Abbey VS, Donegal Town and the amalgamation of South-West Donegal put on a very good contest for the supporters.

In the end a burst of scoring in the final quarter saw Abbey VS pull four clear - their first time to get ahead in the game, and it proved to be enough.

Still South-West kept trying, winning a late penalty and they had chances to get a draw at least which wouldn’t have flattered them. They will regret missing some good chances with 11 wides overall in the contest. 

The experience of Tomás Carr in particular was probably the difference but South-West were missing some big players including captain Alex Cunnea as well as Conor Farrell.

Abbey now play Our Lady’s, Castleblayney and a win in that game would see them top the group and would put them straight through to a quarter-final. The other schools will all get play-off games.

South-West were on top in the opening minutes with the breeze in their backs. They got reward when a high ball was dropped in the square and Gavin 'Messi' Sweeney was quickly in to tap to the net.

Sweeney added a free when the referee moved on an award further out the field. However, South-West didn't take all their chances, missing a couple of easy chances and Gavin Sweeney also hit a post with a goal chance going abegging.

Abbey eventually got on the scoresheet thanks to good work from Conall Flannery with Conor McCahill pointing on 13 minutes. The Abbey captain added a second point but South-West got another boost when John Paul Gallagher knocked over a two point free on 19 minutes.

Gethin Mosby pulled a point back for Abbey and then they got a fortunate goal when a Patrick McGonigle shot went in off a South-West defender to level matters.

South-West finished the half well with Gavin Sweeney hitting a two pointer and then he pointed a free after a breach before Shane Sweeney fielded well to fire over the final point of the half.

Half-time: Abbey VS 1-3, South-West Donegal 1-7

Abbey were back within a point inside six minutes of the restart with a great burst of three points inside a minute. Lewis McCaughan started the scoring with a '45' followed by Thomas Lenihan and Gethin Mosby.

Shane Sweeney replied for South-West and they almost had a goal when a Cian McConnell free was added to and it came back off a post.

Thomas Lenihan and Gavin Sweeney had a free for either side before Abbey got on terms for the first time with points from Jake Quinn and Cian Gavigan.

Tomás Carr's influence on the game began to grow and he found Patrick McGonigle with a great crossfield pass to push Abbey into the lead for the first time in the game on 53 minutes.

Lenihan added two more and Tomás Carr converted a free for a four point lead with two minutes left.

South-West responded with Corey Doherty, just on the field, winning a penalty for Gavin Sweeney to cut the lead to the minimum.

Two minutes into added time Sweeney had the chance to tie up the game but his effort was just off target. And in the last play a long range free from Cian McConnell was met by a fist but the ball ended in the sidenetting.

Abbey VS scorers: Thomas Lenihan 0-4,1f; Conor McCahill, Gethin Mosby 0-2 each; Lewis McCaughan (45), Tomás Carr (f), Cian Gavigan, Patrick McGonigle, Jake Quinn 0-1 each.

South-West scorers: Gavin Sweeney 2-5,pen,tp,2f; Shane Sweeney 0-2; John Paul Gallagher 0-2,tpf.

Abbey VS, Donegal Town: Lewis McCaughan; Jack McGroarty Ethan McCrea, Oisin Ebbs; Alan McHugh, Eoghan O'Neill, Cian Gavigan; Tomás Carr, Patrick McGonigle; Callum Maskery, Conall Flannery, Jake Quinn; Conor McCahill, Gethin Mosby, Thomas Lenihan.

Subs: Ethan Wesson, Eoghan Gallagher.

South-West Donegal: Cian McConnell; Chris O'Donnell, Enda Gallagher, Niall Roarty; Niall Boyle, Lewis Cunnea, Leon Gallagher McDyre; Cathal Mac Aoidh, Joey Coll; John Paul Gallagher, Stephen McDevitt, Daniel Breslin; Gavin Sweeney, Danny McCready, Shane Sweeney.

Subs: Daniel Byrne, Jamie Gallagher, Odhran Bonner, Alan Doherty, Corey Doherty.

Referee: Martin McNally (Monaghan)