Abbey VS remain unbeaten after third win in Mac Rory Cup against Our Lady's, Castleblayney

Abbey Vocational School maintained their unbeaten run with a three point win over Our Lady’s Secondary School, Castleblaney, in the last of their group games,in the Danske Bank Mac Rory Cup.

The win means Abbey top their group with three straight wins and are now looking forward to a home quarter-final play in a little over two weeks' time. 

They had already defeated St Michael’s, Enniskillen and South West Donegal in their opening two games. 

This performance at the Donegal Training Centre in Convoy was probably the best of their performances against a good Our Lady’s outfit that asked serious questions of the Donegal Town nursery.

For the second game in a row Abbey got off to a slow start as Our Lady’s opened in whirlwind fashion and had a goal and three points on the board inside the opening ten minutes with Abbey yet to register a score. 

The impressive Tristan Nugent, James Ennis and Patrick Carroll inflicted the early pain for Abbey with Nugent and Treanor landing the points either side of a cracking Carroll goal. 

For the three pointer Carroll cut in from the right wing and from ten metres rattled the back of Lewis McCaughan’s net. 

Our Lady’s were very much the better side in those early exchanges and but for the brilliance of Ethan McCrea at the heart of the defence with assistance from the hardworking Patrick McGonagle it could have been a whole lot worse than six points down after ten minutes.


Thomas Lenihan scoring the Abbey VS goal against Castleblayney Pic Thomas Gallagher

Castleblayney had crowded the middle of the field in those early exchanges with Tomás Carr especially coming in for close attention. 

But as the game opened up Abbey began to win more ball in the middle third and once Thomas Lenihan, Christian Ward, Alan McHugh and company in the Abbey attack found their feet, the scores began to flow.

And from six points down after ten minutes Abbey went in at half-time four points to the good to lead 1-10 to 1-6.  

Eoghan Gallagher and Conor McCahill kicked the opening two points of the second period to extend the Abbey lead out to 1-12 to 1-6. 

But a brilliant goal from flying wing-back Harry McQuillian got the Farney boys up and running in the second half.

With Evan Treanor and Alex McGinnity leading the Castleblayney charge and with points from Ryan Lynch, MicGinnity and Treanor the Abbey lead was trimmed to two points by the three quarter mark. 

And the game was tied at 1-15 to 2-12 with five minutes remaining after the dashing McGinnity and Treanor kicked the Castleblayney points. 

But Abbey showed their class in the closing six or so minutes to outscore Our Lady’s by four points to one. Lewis McCaughan with his second two pointer free, Conor McCahill and Cian Gavigan, the Abbey scorers.  

Abbey VS scorers: Thomas Lenihan 1-3, Lewis McCaughan 0-4, 2 tpf, Conor  McCahill 0-3, Tomás Carr (1f), Christian Ward 0-2 each, Alan McHugh, Ethan McCrea, Gethin Mosby, Eoghan Gallagher, Chris Gavigan 0-1 each.  

Our Lady’s, Castleblayney scorers: Evan Treanor  0-5, Patrick Carroll 1-1, Harry McQuillan 1-0, Alex McGinnity 0-2, James Ennis 0-2 tpf, Tristan Nugent, Charlie Mone, Ryan Lynch 0-1 each. 

Abbey VS: Lewis McCaughan; Jack McGroarty, Eoghan O’Neill, Ethan Wasson; Jake Quinn, Ethan McCrea, Cian Gavigan; Tomás Carr, Patrick McGonagle; Alan McHugh, Eoghan Gallagher, Christian Ward, Conor McCahill, Gethin Mosby, Thomas Lenihan. 

Subs: Callum Maskery for E Gallagher (39); Ryan Quinn for G Mosby (46); Conor Griffin for C Ward (49); Conall Flannery for Alan McHugh (60). 

Our Lady’s SS, Castleblayney: Donnachadh Murphy; Alfie Hughes, Emmet Garrivan, Tiarnan McGeough; Harry McQuillian, Fionnan Markey, Charlie Mone; Senan Hanratty, James Ennis; Patrick Carroll, Evan Treanor, Ryan Lynch; Tristan Nugent, Pauric Carville, Alex McGinnity.

Sub: Mark Drury for A Hughes (h/t). 

Referee: Kieran Eannetta (Tyrone).