The Abbey CBGS suffer penalty heartbreak in the MacRory Cup last eight

It wasn’t to be for the Abbey CBGS, Newry under the lights at the Box-It Athletic Grounds on Saturday night, as they lost out in a penalty shootout against St Patrick’s, Armagh.

St Patrick’s lead at half-time

The Abbey had several goal chances in the opening minutes but couldn’t raise a green flag. The first saw Daniel McKernan break free of his marker and attempt a soccer-style effort off the ground, but he was denied by the outstretched leg of St Pat’s goalkeeper Conall McCann.

Conall McGeough then broke through the Armagh school’s defence and drilled a shot towards goal, but his effort flew inches over the bar for a point, rather than underneath it.

The Abbey had another goal chance when Corey Loughran picked out Adam McCann Gibbs, however he was denied by a super flying block by St Pat’s midfielder Darragh Jordan.

It took 17 minutes before St Patrick’s opened their scoring, but whilst the Abbey weren’t clinical in front of goal, their opponents were. Centre half back Ryan McGahan drove through two challenges and smashed a ferocious shot into the far corner of the net to put his side 0-1 to 0-1 ahead.

The Armagh side had all the momentum after their goal and tagged on two further points in quick succession. The first was curled over by Michael McSorley before Oisin Gribben put them four ahead.

Moments later, the Abbey thought they had finally found the goal their play deserved when McGeough’s shot was saved by the St Pat’s ‘keeper and turned into the net by Diarmuid O’Rourke. However, the referee’s whistle had already gone for a foul earlier in the build-up and the Abbey had to settle for a 13-metre free instead, which McGeough sent over the bar.

Abbey shot stopper James McBennett was called into action to deal with a shot dropped short by Cathaoir Hughes, and the Newry school finished the half the stronger of the two sides with two further points from Ballyholland’s Paul McGovern and another free from Forkhill’s McGeough. That made it 1-2 to 0-4 in St Patrick’s favour at the break.

The sides can’t be separated

The Abbey continued their momentum into the early stages of the second half with substitute Charlie McGrath – who has featured for Newry City AFC this season – scoring with his first touch after coming on at half-time. McGeough added to that score moments later, by converting a free from distance to give the Abbey the lead once again.

The Newry school were in control at this stage and McGeough took his tally to five points before O’Rourke was rewarded for his marauding off the ball run by adding a fisted point.

As the second half wore on, thick fog descended over the Box-It Athletic Grounds and made visibility challenging for both sides and the supporters.

However, McSorley was able to see the posts just fine, as he pointed twice from frees in quick succession – which were St Pat’s first scores for over half an hour of game time.

With time winding down, the Abbey must have thought they had won it when McGrath put them two ahead, before they cracked a shot off the post which could have had them three-to-the-good.

Instead, St Patrick’s had enough time to pull one back via Ryan Dynes, before goalkeeper Conall McCann nailed a ‘45 with the last kick of normal time to take the game into extra-time.

Abbey pay the penalty

The first half of extra-time brought no scores, but both sides came a whisker away from adding to their tallies.

For St Pat’s, McSorley flashed a goal chance across the face of goal, whilst at the other end Aron Maginness almost scored the point of the day, but his shot came back out off the upright.

Early in the second half of extra-time, McGeough put his side back in front, but penalties were needed to decide to the game after Aodhan McGrane’s late point brought the game level once more.

Penalties are always cruel for whoever comes out on the wrong side of them and unfortunately for the Abbey they were denied, with St Pat’s goalkeeper McCann pulling off two saves.

MATCH STATS

St Patrick’s, Armagh: Conall McCann (0-1, 1’45); Donncha Gribben, Aodhan McGrane (0-1), Tiernan Moore; Ryan Dynes (0-1), Ryan McGahan (1-0), Caomh Agnew; Darragh Jordan, Michael McSorley (0-3, 2f); James Daly, Oisin Gribben (0-1), Daniel Cullen; Ryan McQuade, Turlough Muldoon, Cathaoir Hughes.

Subs: Matthew Daly for Hughes (39), Dara Gillen for McQuade (39), Brian Og McGuckin for Moore (49), Cormac Murphy for McGrane (60+3), McGrane for Cullen (67), Hughes for Gribben (77), Dabby McGurgan for McGahan (77).

Abbey CBGS, Newry: James McBennett; James Murphy, Conor Laverty, Corey Loughran; Fergus Toale, Dara Havern, Diarmuid O’Rourke (0-1); James O’Hanlon, Adam McCann Gibbs; Michael Walker, Conall McGeough (0-6, 4f), Keelan McEntee; Paul McGovern (0-1), Daniel McKernan, Aron Maginess.

Subs: Charlie McGrath (0-2) for McKernan (HT), Daniel Carr for McGovern (52), Tiarnan O’Neill for Loughran (54), Matthew McArdle for Walker (60), James O’Mahoney for Havern (79).