Ulster Colleges

[Line Ball]

I see the MacRory Cup started today and St Colmans got off to a win.  Why were there no other games played today as normally there who be four or five games on?

Report from Ulster Colleges website.
St Colman’s open 90th MacRory Cup with win

October 13, 2012

Danske Bank MacRory Cup

St Colman’s Newry 2-7 Omagh CBS 1-6
 
St Colman’s Newry should be pleased with their opening victory in the Danske Bank MacRory Cup in Armagh on Saturday.
 
The record 19 times champions defeated Omagh CBS by 2-7 to 1-6, but head coach Cathal Murray saw it as a mixed bag.
 
“There were some good points and also a few of the other.  We started well and finished well, but in between was a bit iffy.”
 
“However overall I suppose you have to be happy to come away from your first league match with a win.”
 
They can thank 4 unanswered points in the final 10 minutes from Keelan Rice, Jack Haughey (2) and corner-back Aidan McKernan for the victory – but in the first half it didn’t look as if they would be dependant on late scores to collect the points.
 
Conal Brown had them ahead in the opening minute and goals from Dara Noonan (12th) and a superb individual effort from Jordan Fagan (20th) put them in command.  They even missed a penalty in that opening period.
 
However a goal from Tom McGrath in the 22nd minute seemed to halt the Newry train.

They still led by 2-2 to 1-2 at the break, but points from Daragh Kavannagh (3) and Sean Fox reeled the lead in for the teams to head into the final 10 minutes level, 2-3 to 1-6.
 
St Colman’s though stepped on the gas again and Jack Haughey’s insurance point from a free 2 minutes from time collected the league points ahead of a derby game with a difference – a first ever MacRory meeting with new boys St Paul’s Bessbrook.
 
Bassbrook play their postponed game with Enniskillen on Tuesday, but but before that on Monday evening it is the turn of St Patrick’s Academy v St Mary’s Magherafelt at Stewartstown (6pm).
 
St Colman’s : Dara Noonan 1-0, Jordan Fagan 1-0, Jack Haughey 0-3 frees, Keelin Rice 0-2, Conal Brown 0-1, Aidan McKernan 0-1.
 
Omagh CBS : Tom McGrath 1-1, Daragh Kavannagh 0-4, 0-2 frees, Sean Fox 0-1.

[RandyDupree]

Who's managing each team this year? If anyone knows.

[Jimmy]

Update on Ulster colleges scene:

Rannafast 1/4 finals
Magherafelt v Abbey
Letterkenny v Inis Eoghain
Omagh v Armagh
Dungannon v Caven

Herald cup quarter finals
Rathmore v Ballyshannon
St Michaels Lurgan v Downpatrick or Crossmaglen
Keady v Bessbrook
Derry v St Malachys

Mageean Cup Final is St Mary's Belfast v An Dun

McNamee final is Maghera v St Mary's Belfast

Also MacRory has started with Bessbrook more than holding their own with wins over Enniskellin and Colman's.

[topgun]

Does anyone have the results so far in the McCrory Cup opening rounds?

Anyone know when the last time Armagh had 2 teams in the competition?

[Saffrongael]

Mageean final is this Thursday night in Casement, not the usual Friday night slot.

[armaghniac]

Anyone know when the last time Armagh had 2 teams in the competition?

Sure isn't Colman's in Armagh and they are supposed to always in it.

[topgun]

Anyone know when the last time Armagh had 2 teams in the competition?

Sure isn't Colman's in Armagh and they are supposed to always in it.

Colmans is regarded as a down feeder, majority of the players would be from down, point I was trying to get at, is when was last time Armagh had two schools playing at this level? Omagh and dungannon have supplied a lot of future Tyrone players over the years. It can only be good for Armagh football bessbrook in the A tier of colleges football.

[yellowcard]

Anyone know when the last time Armagh had 2 teams in the competition?

Sure isn't Colman's in Armagh and they are supposed to always in it.

Colmans is regarded as a down feeder, majority of the players would be from down, point I was trying to get at, is when was last time Armagh had two schools playing at this level? Omagh and dungannon have supplied a lot of future Tyrone players over the years. It can only be good for Armagh football bessbrook in the A tier of colleges football.

Abbey CBS would traditionally have more Armagh players than St Colmans would have. The influence of a lot of good coaching in St Paul's is beginning to reap its rewards. John Rafferty has done a very good job there with Martin O Rourke.

[AFS]

Anyone know when the last time Armagh had 2 teams in the competition?

Sure isn't Colman's in Armagh and they are supposed to always in it.

Colmans is regarded as a down feeder, majority of the players would be from down, point I was trying to get at, is when was last time Armagh had two schools playing at this level? Omagh and dungannon have supplied a lot of future Tyrone players over the years. It can only be good for Armagh football bessbrook in the A tier of colleges football.

All the way back in 2010, with St. Pat's and St. Michael's Lurgan.

[Lecale2]

[crossfire]

Anyone know the Mc Rory cup fixtures for the coming weekend.

[outinfront]

An Dún?

A school v the current Ulster minor hurling champions?

Sounds fair.

An Dún are a collection of fellas who play hurling but whose schools (within Co Down) don't field senior Hurling Teams at that level of Ulster Colleges.  Well that's as far as I know.

[Orior]

Anyone know when the last time Armagh had 2 teams in the competition?

Sure isn't Colman's in Armagh and they are supposed to always in it.

Colmans is regarded as a down feeder, majority of the players would be from down, point I was trying to get at, is when was last time Armagh had two schools playing at this level? Omagh and dungannon have supplied a lot of future Tyrone players over the years. It can only be good for Armagh football bessbrook in the A tier of colleges football.

That's debatable. In my day you chose the school that your elder brother or uncle went too.

Also, there was a view that the Abbey was more academic focused than Violet Hill.

[Tony Baloney]

Which Down teams do play Mageean?

Not sure if there are any. Were there not a few amalgamations this year - nearly sure East Tyrone was one.

[Tony Baloney]

So An Dún is anybody from Down who is still at school?

Fcukin hell!

Assume they are an assortment of players from St Columbas and St Pats Downpatrick etc. Who makes up Divis?