Donegal South West secure MacRory Cup quarter-final spot with victory over St Pat’s

Donegal South West are through to the quarter-final of the MacRory Cup following a commanding 1-15 to 1-9 win over St Pat’s Cavan on a fine winter’s day in Breffni Park. 

It looked comfortable for the amalgamated school side who dominated throughout and were only briefly put under the cosh midway through the second-half when St Pat’s narrowed the gap to three points, despite trailing by nine at one stage.  

But the South West side were superb all across the field, especially in defence, forcing their opponents down crowded alleys and turning them over with ease, while the Donegal side’s counterattacking play and shooting was equally as impressive and, in the end, nobody could deny that they deserved their win. 

South West’s Aaron Neely opened the scoring in the first minute to get the ball rolling for the Donegal side, which was followed by half-back Max Campbell sneaking inside the opposition’s defence as the Donegal men found easy space resulting in the defender to fire from distance from the outside of the boot  

South West were cruising in the opening quarter with Eoghan Bán McNeilis nailing his first point, kicking over off his left from a tight angle to make it 0-3 to no score after 10 minutes. 

Alex Cunnea again showed how easy it was to break through the St Pat’s defensive structure, running down the right wing, cutting inside, and leaving himself free to fist the ball over for a point, but instead decided to cross it to Darragh Hennigan at the back post who slammed it home into the net.   

St Pat’s got their first score of the game after 19 minutes when Charlie Fallon hit over from a free off his left, but South West increased their lead when goalkeeper Padraig McBride nailed over his first of the afternoon from a ‘45’. 

The Donegal men were proving much the better side at this point, highlighted by their defence stopping any sniff of a St Pat’s attack, turning them over, and punishing the Cavan men on the counterattack. 

This was never more highlighted when they forced St Pat’s into trouble, won the ball off them in their own half, and left it for Shane Callaghan to burst down the left wing unmarked, ending with him cutting inside on a tight angle and firing over. 

St Pat’s Fallon nailed his side’s second of the half on the 27th minute when he tapped over a simple free in front of the post to leave it 1-5 to 0-2 with the South West team dominating every aspect of the game at this point. 

The Cavan men started to find their feet in the dying seconds of the half by moving the ball quicker and making their passing far more accurate.  

That showed when half-back and 2024 Cavan minor captain Conor Doyle slotted over after a superb bit of moving from the St Pat’s forwards, but South West Danny Brown had the last say when he kicked over his side’s first free to leave it 1-6 to 0-3 at the break. 

South West got off to a flyer with Callaghan firing over from the first play of the half, before nailing his second minutes later after a discussion between the referee and the umpire as to whether the ball went between the posts or not. 

Alex Cunnea increased the gap to nine when he nailed a rocket of a shot from distance, with the match looking well out of sight for St Pat’s early into the second half. 

But St Pat’s eventually found a new lease of life and started to grow into the match. 

Fiachra Brady replicated South West’s last point with a bullet of a shot himself to try and close the gap with his side’s first score of the game on the 38th minute, but it was clear that St Pat’s needed a goal quickly to stay in the game, but South West remained solid in the backline. 

Oisin Maguire attempted to spring his side to life when he joined the attack from full-back and shot off his left to make it a four-point game and now the South West side started to feel the pressure when the gap was reduced to four points. 

With St Pat’s in possession up to the South West 45-metre line, Fallon attempted a shot for a point that dropped short. With goalkeeper McBride coming out to claim it, substitute Paddy Brides leapt the highest to punch the ball into the net.  

Callaghan and Ultan O’Reilly traded points from distance to keep it as a four-point affair as the game entered the final quarter with both sides upping their level of physicality and speed.  

Cianain McDaid cut the gap out to five points, making it 1-11 to 1-6 after he broke through and found the space to kick over as the ball glided between the posts, but Fallon was again on hand to push it back to four when he hit over his third point of the day. 

Darragh Noonan made it a one-score game as the match entered the final five minutes when a short free fell to the unmarked midfielder who raised his first white flag of the day. 

Callaghan, however, was on fire and after preventing a St Pat’s goal with some brave defending and super goalkeeping work, South West planted the ball to Callaghan who ran the length of the field to pop the ball over the bar. 

Paddy Brides was having a great impact off the bench when he nailed over from a tight angle, under pressure, but it was tit-for-tat at this stage and every time St Pat’s won a score, South West were on hand with a reply, this time the point coming from substitute Gavin Sweeney to make it 1-13 to 1-9. 

Danny Brown spread the game out to five points when he raised his second white flag on the hour mark while Shane Sweeney pushed it out to six in what was the final act of the match to make it a 1-15 to 1-9 final score in a well-deserved performance for the Donegal South West side who now advance to the quarter-finals.  

Donegal South West scorers: Shane Callaghan 0-5; Darragh Hennigan 1-0; Danny Brown 0-2, 1f; Padraig McBride 0-1, 1f; Eoghan Bán McNeilis, Alex Cunnea, Aaron Neely, Max Campbell, Cianan McDaid, Gavin Sweeney, and Shane Sweeney 0-1 each. 
St Pat’s Cavan scorers: Paddy Brides 1-1; Charlie Fallon 0-3, 2fs; Conor Doyle, Oisín Maguire, Finn Buckley, Fiachra Brady, Ultan O’Reilly 0-1 each. 

Donegal South West: Padraig McBride; Cathal McGee, Thomas McDevitt, Aaron Neely; Alex Cunnea, Jordi Gribben, Max Campbell; Darragh Hennigan, Ethan Byrne; Liam Bhreathnach, Cianain McDaid, Shane Callaghan; Patrick O’Donnell, Eoghan Ban McNelis, Danny Brown. Subs: Gavin Sweeney for O’Donnell (47); Shane Sweeney for McNelis (52). 

St Pat’s Cavan: Cian McConnell; Ciarán Galligan, Oisín Maguire, Phillip Shannon; Conor Doyle, Luke Maguire, Fiachra Brady; Finn Buckley, Darragh Noonan; John Donohoe, Conor Tynan, Dylan Brady; Charlie Fallon, Ultan O’Reilly, Nathan Quigley. Subs: Paddy Brides for Brady (29); Jay Graham for John Donohoe (32); Tadhg Sheils for Buckley (38); Faolán Graham for Tynan (42); Finian Smith for Galligan (49)