On a mild dark winter’s night where the floodlights of Cherryvale attempted to cut through a veil of light fog, St. Patrick’s Grammar School, Downpatrick met Rathmore Grammar School, Belfast in the Ulster Schools GAA McFarland Cup. Both sides were no strangers to the McFarland endeavour and at year 10 (U14.5), supporters were treated to an energetic display of hurling on the 3G surface.
Referee Brendan Toland glanced at his wrist watch and rolled in the sliotar to start the game and the Red High’s, Aodhan Young took no time to place a high sliotar over Rathmore’s bar to get the score line going. Rathmore’s dynamic number 8, Donnacha McGuirk responded from a well placed free before Red High’s Young toggled another high sliotar over the bar. Both sides tussled hard over ground balls with no end result until Red High’s Artie Óg Birt broke for Rathmore’s goal after the sliotar rebounded off the bar with his own shot well on target that sent goalkeeper, Dara Boylan fetching the sliotar from the back of the net. Referee Toland blew for the break, leaving the early score Red High 1-02 Rathmore 0-01.
After the break, Rathmore maintained their composure and started to inch the points up from Ronan Taylor, Jay Ward, three on the trot from Donnacha McGuirk and Fionn McCann took the tally to seven points to Red High’s 1-02 as the half time whistle blew.
The next fifteen minutes of play looked like the game would suffer from a lull compared to the first half’s work rate but Rathmore’s Jay Ward sent another sliotar over the bar that disappeared into the dark sky, eventually gobbled up by the bright lights of Ravenhill’s stadium. This quarter of the game though would set Rathmore on sound footing seconds before the water break as Kaiden Farrell scored Rathmore’s first goal of the night. Red High 1-2 Rathmore 1-08.
Red High came out after the break with a renewed determination to advance their dormant scoreline, with Cathal Moreland, Aodhan Young and Dylan McAleenan stepping up to the point scoring task, but Rathmore were strong around the ground ball and despite Red High flooding the Rathmore defence with bodies, the sliotar kept coming out and eventually Rathmore’s Aodhan O’Hanlon and Donnacha McGuirk would point before Kaiden Farrell would strike at the goal for a second time.
At the final whistle, Red High 1-05 Rathmore 2-10. It was a tall order for Red High to come back after the second water break, trying their best to shake Rathmore’s confidence and force mistakes that could have lead to scoring opportunities but Rathmore were solid and keeper Dara Boylan, pulled off several on target attempts to keep Red High from benefitting from their hard work. Unfortunately, Ballycran’s Sean O’Hanlon was unable to make the match but Nathan Clarke had a solid game in defence, with Jerome Bell patrolling his full back quarter with admirable presence and authority, at times launching long puck outs on behalf of the keeper that bounced into mid field.
Hard luck Red High, congratulations Rathmore on a hard fought win. We have some photos that attempt to record the match experience for the Ballycran lads and hurling fans and don’t forget Red High’s next attempt at silver, Friday 17th December, throw-in at 7:30pm at the Dub for the Mageean Cup.
St. Patrick’s GS, Downpatrick v Rathmore GS in the McFarland Cup 2021 (RH v RM – 1)
St. Patrick’s GS, Downpatrick U14.5 panel (RH v RM – 2)
Rathmore GS, Belfast U14.5 panel (RH v RM – 3)
Dara Boyle, referee Brendan Toland and Cathal Moreland (RH v RM – 4)
Throw-in by Brendan Toland (RH v RM – 5)
McFarland Cup (RH v RM – 6)
McFarland Cup (RH v RM – 7)
McFarland Cup (RH v RM – 8)
McFarland Cup (RH v RM – 9)
McFarland Cup (RH v RM – 10)
Red High’s goal in the first quarter of the game (RH v RM – 11)
McFarland Cup (RH v RM – 12)
McFarland Cup (RH v RM – 13)
McFarland Cup (RH v RM – 14)
McFarland Cup (RH v RM – 15)
McFarland Cup (RH v RM – 16)
McFarland Cup (RH v RM – 17)
McFarland Cup (RH v RM – 18)
Red High mum, Sinead Bell gets the score out at half time for the McFarland Cup (RH v RM – 19)
You never know who might drop into the McFarland Cup (RH v RM – 20)
McFarland Cup (RH v RM – 21)
McFarland Cup (RH v RM – 22)
McFarland Cup (RH v RM – 23)
McFarland Cup (RH v RM – 24)
McFarland Cup (RH v RM – 25)
McFarland Cup (RH v RM – 26)
McFarland Cup (RH v RM – 27)
Rathmore enjoy their first goal before the water break in the McFarland Cup (RH v RM – 28)
A water break is a time to relax in the McFarland Cup (RH v RM – 29)
McFarland Cup (RH v RM – 30)
McFarland Cup (RH v RM – 31)
McFarland Cup (RH v RM – 32)
McFarland Cup (RH v RM – 33)
McFarland Cup (RH v RM – 34)
McFarland Cup (RH v RM – 35)
McFarland Cup (RH v RM – 36)
McFarland Cup (RH v RM – 37)
McFarland Cup (RH v RM – 38)
A second goal for Rathmore in the McFarland Cup (RH v RM – 39)
McFarland Cup (RH v RM – 40)
Red High’s advance is matched by Rathmore’s defence in the McFarland Cup (RH v RM – 41)
McFarland Cup (RH v RM – 42)
Final whistle in the McFarland Cup (RH v RM – 43)
Ulster Schools GAA Treasurer, Sean McGourty presents Dara Boylan with the McFarland Cup (RH v RM – 44)
Rathmore enjoy the fruits of their success in the McFarland Cup (RH v RM – 45)
