Abbey Vocational School power past Magherafelt in MacRory Cup and into last four

Abbey Vocational School’s MacRory Cup ambitions are very much alive following this evening’s six-point quarter-final win over St Mary’s of Magherafelt at a biting cold Donegal Training Centre in Convoy. 

Livewire corner forward Thomas Lenihan top-scored for the Donegal Town school and ended the game with a goal and five points to his name.

Conor McCahill and Tomas Carr adopted impacting play-maker roles - Carr in the middle of the field and McCahill in the number 11 shirt as Lenihan, Lewis McCaughan, Eoghan Gallagher and Cian Gavigan all stepped up to take the scores. 

‘Keeper McCaughan kicked two monster two-point frees in the second half while Gallagher, McCahill and Gavigan also landed a point each. 

Abbey trailed by three points, 0-3 to 0-6, at the end of the first half against a well-organised St Mary’s defensive setup. 

The Derry boys began in whirlwind fashion and as if they were going to blow Abbey away. 

They had three points on the board inside two minutes thanks to a Peter Coleman effort and a Ronan Birt two-pointer. 

It was four minutes into the game before Lenihan raised Abbey’s first white flag from close range after the referee brought the ball forward for dissent. 

As the game ebbed and flowed, both teams had chances for scores as Abbey came more into the game.

But with defenders on top, supporters had to wait until four minutes from the half-time for the game’s next score - a St Mary’s point off the boot of midfielder Michael Higgins.

Then followed a flurry of scores with Gallagher and McCahill pointing for Abbey and Tony O’Hagan and Lorcan Higgins responding for St Mary’s to send the Derry boys in a goal to the good at half-time. 

Abbey began the second half on the front foot and when Lenihan rattled the St Mary’s net four minutes into the new period, the sides were level.

The Four Masters clubman made no mistake from close range after being sent clear thanks to good play from Aidan Quinn. 

One minute later, McCaughan got down well at the near post to deny Shea McCann what was a decent goal chance.

Abbey continued to improve and with McCahill and Tomas Carr spraying the ball around, Pauric O'Donnell's boys were soon in front. 

McCaughan, with the first of his two-point frees, had Abbey 1-5 to 0-7 ahead and the one-point lead was out to three one minute later when McCaughan again spit the target from outside the 40 metre arc.

Abbey now led 1-7 to 0-7 with 15 minutes still to play. Lenihan, with one single and one two-pointer, and Gavigan with another white flag, now extended the Abbey lead out to seven points at 1-11 to 0-7.

St Mary’s did strike a late penalty, converted by Michael Higgins but impressive Abbey were not going to get caught at that stage.

And Lenihan rounded off a man-of-the-match performance with another two-point score.

Abbey, last year’s beaten finalists, will now play either St Patrick’s Academy or Our Lady’s, Castleblayney in the semi-final.

St Mary’s Magherafelt scorers: Shea McCann 1-0 pen, Ronan Birt, Tony O’Hagan 0-2 each, Peter Coleman, Lorcan Higgins and Michael Lennon 0-1 each

Abbey VS, Donegal scorers: Thomas Lenihan 1-5, 1 tp, 2f, Lewis McCaughan 0-4 2tpf, Conor Gallagher McCahill 0-2, 1f, Cian Gavigan and Eoghan Gallagher 0-1 each

St Mary’s Magherafelt: Sean Óg Quinn; Josh Ferguson, Joseph Rafferty, Liam McLarnon; Joseph Cassidy, Peter Coleman, Michael Lennon; Cathair McBride, Michael Higgins (Magherafelt); Cohen Cassidy, Lorcan Higgins, Michael Higgins (Ballinascreen); Tony O’Hagan, Ronan Birt, Shea McCann

Subs: Gabriel Gormley (52), Thomas Devlin (52)

Abbey VS Donegal: Lewis McCaughan; Eoghan O’Neill, Daniel McGinty, Ethan McCrea; Aidan Quinn, Patrick McGonagle, Cian Gavigan; Tomás Carr, Conal Flannery; Jake Quinn, Conor Gallagher McCahill, Christian Ward; Thomas Lenihan, Gethin Mosby, Eoghan Gallagher

Subs: Alan McHugh (HT), Jack McGroarty (40), Fionn Gillespie (43), Conor Griffin (55), Oisin Ebbs (57)

Referee: Paul Gallagher (Tyrone)