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[BT MacRory Cup quarter-finalsFirst weekend of February :]

BT MacRory Cup quarter-final draws

The draws have been made for the BT MacRory Cup quarter-finals.

"We can look forward to some superb matches in the coming months - these teams are at the top of their game and BT is proud to support GAA and be associated with the Ulster Colleges Cups," said Peter Morris, Consumer Director.

"Over the past year we have worked hard to encourage sporting excellence through the launch of the 'BT Genius Bursary', where each year five players are awarded an educational bursary based on personal demonstration of inspiration and positive attitude. BT has also used its expertise and innovation to refurbish the Ulster Colleges website."

Seamus Meehan, Chairman of the Ulster Colleges' Council, said: "Now in its 89th year, the MacRory Cup continues to produce games of outstanding quality, endeavor, and sportsmanship which generate and attract enormous interest in, and far beyond, our affiliated schools. The same levels of excellence also pertain in the MacLarnon Cup, our premier 'B' competition, which is now in its 52nd year.

"BT has been a hugely supportive partner of Ulster Colleges since 2001, and that support has boosted our expansion and increased profile in the interim. BT has further demonstrated its commitment to sporting excellence through the 'BT Genius Bursary' which is awarded to 5 of our students annually as they progress to 3rd Level education, and via our refurbished website www.ulstercolleges.gaa.ie."


BT MacRory Cup quarter-finals

First weekend of February :

St Patrick's Dungannon v St Patrick's Armagh

St Patrick's Maghera v Abbey CBS


Second weekend of February:

St Michael's Enniskillen v Omagh CBS

St Colman's Newry v St Mary's Belfast.


BT MacLarnon Cup Quarter Finals

Weekend of 11th February:

St Columb's Derry v St Patrick's Cavan

Holy Cross College Strabane v St Patrick's Downpatrick

St Paul's Bessbrook v Patrician High Carrickmacross

Our Lady's Castleblaney v St Louis Ballymena


BT O'Doherty Cup

Preliminary Rounds weekend of 11th February:

La Salle Belfast v St Malachy's Belfast (A)

Our Lady's & St Patrick's Knock v CC Ballyshannon (B)


Quarter Finals weekend of 18th February

Winners of A v St Eunan's Letterkenny

Winners of B v St Michael's Lurgan

St Patrick's High Keady v St Louis Kilkeel

St Pius X Magherafelt v Rathmore Belfast

[Fri 23rd Sep 2011]

Competition   Round   Team 1   Score      Score   Team 2   
                     
Fri 23rd Sep 2011                     
Rannafast      Inis Eoghain   3.5      2.8   St Macartans   
Faul      Bearnageeha   1.1      4.7   Glen Road   

Thu 22nd Sep 2011                     
Ulster Herald   St Malachy's   3.15      5.11   Downpatrick   
                     
Tue 20th Sep 2011                     
Rannafast      Abbey                    3.2      1.7   Knock   
Mageean      St Killian's                    2.7      5.9   Cross & Passion   
                     
Mon 19th Sep 2011                     
Ulster Herald   Ballyshannon    2.7      1.1   Crossmaglen   
Ulster Herald   Rathmore                    4.9      1.6   Castleblaney   

[McGreevy Cup Round-up]

McGreevy Cup Round-up

Group C of the Ulster Colleges u13 ½ McGreevy Cup produced an exhilarating  day's hurling at MUSA on Thursday 22nd September when 8 teams came together to contest the two available Quarter- Final places. St. Patrick's Armagh, St. Louis Ballymena (who fielded two teams), Loreto Coleraine and St. Patrick's Academy Dungannon  were joined by 3 schools from the Vocationals sector who had asked to participate viz St Patrick's Dungiven, St Colm's Ballinascreen, and a Buncrana schools select.

After 14 keenly contested games expertly refereed by Leon Reynolds (Portadown) and Aidan Mc Alynn (Loup), it was St Patrick's Armagh (coached by Paul Mc Cormack) and Ballinascreen (coached by Ciaran Meenagh) who won through to the quarter final stages.  The latter, therefore, have broken new ground and become the first every Vocational affiliated school to win through to the knock-out stages of an Ulster Colleges competition. Full marks to all who participated particularly the Buncrana lads(coached by Donegal hurling stalwart, Donal McLaughlin) who set off at 8.15am for a 10.30am start in Cookstown.

Groups A and B (each comprising of 4 teams, and each producing two quarter finalists) of this competition were played at Woodlands and St. Genevieve's in Belfast on Wednesday 21st September, meaning that 16 teams have participated thus far. The remaining two Quarter-Final places will be filled by the two winners from the 'C' school blitzes to be played on Wednesday 5th October. By that stage over 30 schools and teams will have contested the eight available knock-out stage places in this widely supported U 13 ½ 'B' competition.

[BT Rannafast Cup League Tables - 2011-12]

BT Rannafast Cup League Tables - 2011-12

Section A
St. Mary's Grammar, Magherafelt
Omagh CBS, Omagh
St. Patrick's Grammar, Armagh
St. Macartan's, Monaghan
Coláistí Inis Eoghain, Buncrana

Section B
St. Patrick's Grammar, Dungannon
St. Eunan's College, Letterkenny
St. Patrick's College, Cavan
St. Patrick's College, Maghera

Section C
Abbey CBS Grammar, Newry
Our Lady and St. Patrick's College, Knock
St. Michael's College, Enniskillen
St. Colman's College, Newry

[An Dún to Add to the Mageean Cup]

An Dún to Add to the Mageean Cup

New ground will be broken later this week when Our Lady & St Patrick's Knock open their BT Mageean Cup campaign with a game against a combined Down team.

Not only is the county select the first of its kind to enter the Mageean Cup, but it is drawn from schools within both the Colleges and Vocational sectors.

County Board secretary Sean og McAteer claims that the county is prepared to put money and resources into this initiative.

"It is a revolutionary idea alright, but our schools have responded positively and the County Board will be providing the transport to and from training and the matches, as well as the kit and equipment needed."

"The three full-time Coaching Officers in the county – Michael McCullagh, Karol Keating and Liam Hardy – will take charge of the team."

However the long-serving official is also aware that there will be plenty of teething problems.

"Without doubt, there will be! The coaches have been asked to field a team after just two training sessions.  The time-frame for the Mageean is also very tight."

It finishes at Halloween.

"Players from St Patrick's Downpatrick and St Colman's Newry are also expected to play in the second tier competition (BT Casement Cup) and there will inevitably be clashes at club level as well."

Nevertheless the Down Board believes that the initiative can raise the standard of under-age hurling in the county.

"The last time the County won the Ulster minor title was 1994.  10 years ago, Dublin overcame a lot of obstacles to field a combined Colleges' side and it proved to be a successful move.  They won Leinster and All-Ireland titles and we have seen the profile of Dublin inter-county hurling rise."

McAteer acknowledges the part played by the Ulster Colleges' Council in allowing the initiative to happen.

"Last year Donegal county Board supported an initiative for a combined team from Inis Eoghain schools to play in the under-age Grade A football competitions and I suppose that broke the ice."

Colleges' secretary Seamus Woods is looking forward to the experiment.

"This is going to help develop hurling in Down, but it will also boost the Mageean Cup for us, as we will now have 6 competitive teams."

"This competition has produced 2 All-Ireland titles each for Maghera and Ballycastle during the last 5 years.  So the standard is high."

The Tyrone and Armagh Boards are also backing combination hurling teams at a lower level.  A West Tyrone team will contest the Casement Cup, bringing the number of teams up to 15.

"A decade ago we had just 6 or 7 teams in Colleges' senior hurling," said Woods.  "We introduced the Casement Cup and since that the teams playing senior hurling have trebled."

The West Tyrone initiative is trimmed to a combined team from Sacred Heart and Omagh CBS contesting 4 under-age Grade C competitions, while a combination of north Armagh schools have also come in at under-age C level.

With County Board backing each combined team stands a fair chance of surviving – but, as Seán óg McAteer suggested, each will have many obstacles to overcome before their particular ash tree will start to blossom.

All games are played at a halfway venue between the two schools.

[Sat 15th Oct 2011]

BT MacRory Cup - Section A
St. Mary's Grammar, Magherafelt
St. Macartan's, Monaghan
St. Patrick's Grammar, Dungannon
St. Michael's College, Enniskillen
St. Patrick's Grammar, Armagh


BT MacRory Cup - Section B
St. Colman's College, Newry
St. Patrick's College, Maghera
Omagh CBS, Omagh
St. Mary's CBS, Belfast
Abbey CBS Grammar, Newry


Sat 15th Oct 2011
St Mary's M'felt  v  St Macartans

Dungannon  v  Enniskillen

Omagh  v  St Mary's CBS

St Colman's  v  Maghera


Sat 22nd Oct 2011
St Macartans  v  Dungannon

St Mary's M'felt  v  Armagh

Abbey  v  St Colman's

Maghera  v  Omagh


Sat 5th Nov 2011
St Macartans  v  Armagh

St Mary's M'felt  v  Enniskillen

Abbey  v  Maghera

St Colman's  v  St Mary's CBS


Sat 12th Nov 2011
St Mary's M'felt  v  Dungannon

Enniskillen  v  Armagh

Abbey  v  St Mary's CBS

St Colman's  v  Omagh


Sat 19th Nov 2011
St Macartans  v  Enniskillen

Dungannon  v Armagh

Abbey  v Omagh

Maghera  v  St Mary's CBS

   

St Mary's Hopeful of Extending Run
Thu 24th Mar 2011

All-Ireland Colleges' B Football semi-final :

Crossmaglen, 1pm Saturday (EXTRA TIME in the event of a draw) :

St Mary's Belfast v Scoil Mhuire Clane

Two tough games in the latter stages of the BT MacLarnon Cup should stand to St Mary's Belfast as they face into the All-Ireland semi-final in Crossmaglen.

Against St Pius X, national champions 2 years ago, their early dominance was overtaken on the scoreboard entering the last 10 minutes, but Brendan Bradley produced a goal direct from a 45 and they held out for victory.

In the final, they had a 4 points lead at the break, but had to face the strong breeze a player down for the second half.

They managed that brilliantly as well as hitting vital scores on the break to see off St Paul's Bessbrook.

Although the Leinster final was on Saturday, the Glen Road management didn't get to see Scoil Mhuire Clane score a goal in each half through Conor Herbert and Kenneth Swords to take the title 2-8 to 0-9.

Herbert picked off half their total and only a point came from a free.

Donagh Finnegan made the point before the MacLarnon final that they had not seen their opponents in action and this helped them concentrate on getting their own game in order.

The school was on a long weekend, but came in on Monday to train and re-focus and Finnegan and his co-manager Sean McGoldrick are hoping that they bring their best game to Crossmaglen.

"The further you go in a competition, the harder the games become," said Donagh.

"We are now up against teams that have also won provincial titles and they will also believe that those wins bring with them an increase in confidence."

"We have had good opening halves in our knock-out games and that has left us in a good situation to hold on or push on.  We're hoping that this next game follows the same pattern."

Bradley's accuracy from frees during the second half of the MacLarnon final kept the pressure on St Paul's, but the midfield pairing of Eamon Quinn and Marc Jordan was particularly effective throughout, with Daragh McGuinness's ball-carrying and passing a key element.

Man-marker Ciaran Orchin was left standing by Jemar Hall on several occasions during the first half, but he settled to a strong game and saw Hall substituted near the end.  He will probably pick up score-getter Herbert.

The defence in general was compact and was not often stretched, with Eamon Quinn and McGuinness often dropping back as extra cover.

All these pluses must be replicated against Scoil Mhuire, while some of the mistakes evident need to be reduced, particularly forwards allowing their shots to be easily blocked down.

St Mary's have shown an ability to hold out in close encounters.  That brought their hosts, Crossmaglen, to another All-Ireland club title this year.  Perhaps it can be the key to the west Belfast side also reaching the national final.

Submitted by: Seamus McAleenan

Back to Back Hogans now the Focus
Thu 24th Mar 2011

Hogan Cup semi-final :

Saturday, 26th March, 2.45pm Crossmaglen (EXTRA TIME in the event of a draw)

St Colman's Newry v Dundalk Colleges

Now that St Colman's Newry have stretched their record of BT MacRory crowns to 19, they are on the road in search of back-to-back Hogan titles, something that the Violet Hill College has not yet achieved.

However, on the road is quite relative in that they will play their semi-final THIS SATURDAY in Crossmaglen – within the school catchment area.

Dundalk Colleges' unexpected eclipse of the Leinster title a fortnight ago makes this semi-final something of a derby game for the MacRory champions.

St Patrick's Navan were hot favourites for the Leinster, but lost their way early in the final with Ciaran Byrne prominent.  Although the Dundalk combination played well in the first half, they had to thank goalkeeper Darren Breen for keeping them ahead by a point at the break.

The game hinged on a controversially awarded penalty 10 minutes from time that Patrick Reilly scored to put his side 2-8 to 0-10 ahead and they held on for victory.

Some may also point to a controversial call by Barry Cassidy in the BT MacRory final when he overruled his umpires to award Caolan Mooney a point, the difference between two super teams in an enthralling game on St Patrick's Day.

Mooney though starred in that final with 2 fine goals and he will attract plenty of attention from the Louth side in the semi-final.  He has been nursing a shin injury since, but Cathal Murray insists that he will be in the team from the start.

There may still be a couple of hard calls for the management though, with Colman Doyle and Tomas Mulholland – two players who missed out through injury on the MacRory final – pressing for inclusion once more.

Jack Haughey, who replaced Mulholland, had a very good game, with some in the stand even comparing him to James McCartan who also made his MacRory debut at 15.

Second half sub Patrick Morgan also impressed in attack, while Shay McArdle really stood out after moving from corner-forward to defence.

Last year's Hogan victory has really stood to St Colman's in the last two very tight games.  In each they held their composure and picked off the late scores to see them through – and in hindsight did not really look like losing despite the closeness of the scoring.

They move the ball quickly and have the ability to pick up breaking ball around the middle and find Jerome Johnstone in space.

Jerome's brother Ryan had an indifferent MacRory final, picking up a lot of ball, but also responsible for losing possession and over-carrying.  His midfield partner Conor Gough is a huge presence under the dropping ball.

Eamon Magee did not play in last year's MacRory or Hogan finals, but is strong at centre-back and has made a huge contribution with his accurate passing, while Pearse Casey's contribution on the 40 leaves the space for Mooney to attack with venom.

Dundalk Colleges beat a good Navan side, while a very good Academy team could not stop St Colman's claim back to back provincial crowns.

This game will really test the combination team.  Experience though should keep the Newry side's hopes of a double Hogan success on track.

In the other half of the draw, two more heavyweights of the Colleges' scene – Coláiste Chríost Rí of Cork and St Jarlath's Tuam – are in opposition.

The Cork side are strongly tipped this year – but St Jarlath's, chasing a 13th Hogan title, cannot be ruled out.

Submitted by: Seamus McAleenan

The fixtures should have been released on the Ulster Colleges website first - end of.

Only now they are up on the Ulster Colleges website after you released them.

I think I would put them up on my website first if I were the Ulster Colleges but thats just me.

They must have a very poor PRO if thats the case.

Apparently this is what the are but nothing official yet:



BT MacRory Cup Semi-finals
20th Feb 2011
Friday February 25
7.00pm at Healy Park, Omagh
St Michael's Enniskillen v St Patrick's Academy Dungannon


Saturday February 26
2.30pm in the Athletic Grounds, Armagh
St Colman's Newry v St Mary's Magherafelt

Sorry that last link doesn't work but this one does... http://bit.ly/eJkabN

If I was BT I would be extremely annoyed with the semi final fixtures being released on an unofficial website rather than the Ulster Colleges website?

That is some PR blunder - how can this happen?

2010/2011 Ulster Colleges All-Stars
This week the presitigious BT Ulster Colleges Football and Hurling All-stars were announced.

Pictured is Conor McNally (St Patrick's Armagh) who completed a personal double.  He was selected at corner-forward in both the Hurling team announced on Tuesday and the Football team announced today.  Conor was also at corner-forward in last year's elite Hurling team.  Conor joins Peter Morris, Consumer Director, BT left and Paddy Linden, Vice-chairman Ulster Colleges Council.

2010/11 BT Colleges' Football All-stars

1.   Matthew McNeice (St Colman's Newry)

2.   Niall Donnelly (St Colman's Newry)

3.   Ciaran Cannon (St Eunan's Letterkenny)

4.   Peter Quinn (St Mary's Magherafelt)

5.   Aidan Breen (St Michael's Enniskillen)

6.   Conall McNulty (St Joseph's Donaghmore)

7.   Caolán Mooney (St Colman's Newry)

8.   Richard Donnelly (St Michael's Enniskillen)

9.   Harry Óg Conlan (St Patrick's Dungannon)

10.  Ronan McGrady (Our Lady's and St Patrick's Knock)

11.  Ruairí Corrigan (St Michael's Enniskillen)

12.  Emmet Bradley (St Patrick's Maghera)

13.  Ryan Mayse (Omagh CBS)

14.  John McCullagh (Omagh CBS)

15.  Conor McNally (St Patrick's Armagh)

■These All-stars are known as the 2010/11 Football All-stars and this is the 24th year of the Ulster Colleges' All-star scheme.
■Players are selected over the course of two trial games, after being initially nominated by their own school to attend the trials.
The scheme rewards excellence in skill and in sportsmanship and a player who has been sent off in any game between September 1st and the dates of the trials is ineligible for selection.
■St Michael's Enniskillen defeated St Patrick's Dungannon in the BT MacCormack Cup final 1-10 to 2-3 last week.
■3 St Michael's Enniskillen players make the team, while only Harry Óg Conlan is selected from St Patrick's Dungannon.
■3 players from current Hogan champions St Colman's Newry are included – all in defence – while there are 2 Omagh CBS forwards and 1 each from a further 6 schools.  Overall 10 schools are represented in the selection.
■Conall McNulty is the first player from St Joseph's Donaghmore to be awarded an Ulster Colleges' All-star.  St Joseph's becomes the 31st school to be included in the scheme.
■Ronan McGrady's inclusion is only the third time that Our Lady's and St Patrick's Knock has had a footballer recognised.  Marcus Miskelly (2002) and Seán Molloy (2006) were like Ronan selected in attack.
■6 of the 9 teams still involved in the BT MacRory Cup have players in the line-out – St Macartan's Monaghn, Abbey CBS and St Michael's Lurgan are the exceptions.
■Ciaran Cannon (St Eunan's Letterkenny), Conall McNulty (St Joseph's Donaghmore) and Ronan McGrady (Our Lady's and St Patrick's Knock) are in the BT O'Doherty /MacLarnon Cup draw, while Emmet Bradley's St Patrick's Maghera were knocked out of the BT MacRory in a play-off last week.
■Seven of the nine counties are represented, with 5 All-stars for Tyrone players, 2 each for Derry, Down, Armagh and Fermanagh, and 1 each for Antrim and Donegal.
■None of last year's team are winning a second Football All-star, although corner-forward Conor McNally is receiving his third, having gained back to back hurling All-stars as a corner-forward last year and this year.
■Caolán Mooney has signed professional terms with Aussie Rules' club Collingwood and will join them in summer 2011 when he completes his A Levels.
■Richard Donnelly, Harry óg Conlan and John McCullagh were all in the Tyrone team that won the All-Ireland Minor title in September, Harry scoring a goal and John picking up the Player of the Match Award and the Ulster GAA Writers' Award for September.
■Richard Donnelly has repeated his brother Matthew's feat of winning Ulster and All-Ireland Minor medals in 2008 and the following year picking up a BT Ulster Colleges' All-star.
■Ruairí Corrigan's brother Tomás was corner-forward in the 2009 All-star team and is now on the Fermanagh Senior squad.  Tomás and Ruairí are sons of Dominic, who has taken St Michael's to the MacRory title on a couple of occasions and also managed both Fermanagh and Sligo at senior level.
■In overall terms, St. Patrick's Maghera stay ahead of Abbey CBS with 44 football awards and they are joint-tops in the Hurling winners' list with St Mary's Belfast with 73 awards.

You are right as usual, it is 6, 4 and 2.

Not sure what you mean - 6,4 and 2 means what?