Danske Bank McLarnon Cup
St Malachy’s Castlewellan 2-10 Lecale Trinity 1-5
By Séamas McAleenan
LECALE Trinity, with two wins in the Danske Bank MacLarnon Cup Group B to date, came into Friday’s final group game at the Bann Road as favourites to top the group and coast into the quarter-finals.
However, St Malachy’s, just like Storm Darragh that was beginning to bare its teeth during the match, had a sting in the tail for their neighbours.
Lecale started promisingly with a well struck 45 into the strong breeze from Liatroim’s DJ Farrell, but St Malachy’s quickly found their feet when the ever-dangerous Ruairí Madine took a great pass from Ryan Walsh to fire to the net.
Madine almost had a second goal when Luke Rooney put him through one-on-one, but the Lecale keeper was up to the task and denied him. Nevertheless, St Malachy’s continued to convert their possession into scores with Manus Middleton and Luke Rooney picking off points.
Lecale became more prominent in their attacking moves during the second quarter and Callum Travers had to move sharply to deny a goal before they overturned Castlewellan possession in their own half and broke quickly for Daire Higgins to hit the net and bring the Downpatrick side back into the game.
They added a point from Zac Leckie, but still trailed by 1-6 to 1-2 at the break and, with the ever deteriorating weather, that lead looked relatively safe.
Read the full report to find out how Castlewellan were able to
