The slogan ‘whatever it takes’ was given the credit for Abbey CBS’s historic Hogan Cup victory yesterday according to manager Jody Gormley. The former Tyrone footballer believed his team showed great heart after they overcame pre-match favourites, St Patrick’s Navan [2-15 to 2-13] in a dramatic final few minutes of extra-time.
”I’m exhilarated it’s a great feeling,” Gormley said.
“After getting to the final, we wanted the lads to put in a big effort and enjoy it, and you could see out on the pitch that they were enjoying themselves. “Even with the strong breeze and even when they were behind by a good bit, they kept on fighting.
“We had a slogan at the beginning of the year: ‘whatever it takes,’ and the lads certainly kept to that today. “We knew they were going to be tough and their performance spoke for itself. They were outstanding.
“They battled right to the end, but we showed that we just weren’t going to leave here without the cup.” Abbey captain and full-back Kevin McKernan felt his team deserved the victory over the course of play.
“It’s absolutely unbelievable. There were times when we were told we couldn’t do it, but we held strong,” he said.
“We probably deserved it, it’s a sweet feeling. St Pat’s were very tough opposition.
“They’ve shown how good they are, by winning so many Hogan Cups in recent years and I suppose to deny that kind of team victory shows how good our team is. It’s a great day for our school.”
A dejected Colm O’Rourke could barely speak after seeing his team blow a three-point lead in injury time of normal time and then watch in horror as Newry reeled them in from a four-point deficit in extra time.
“It was a great game. It’s difficult but that’s life,” said O’Rourke. Corner forward and man of the match Brian Sheridan was tearful afterwards. However the Seneschalstown clubman acknowledged the better team won.
“I just feel sick. It was a good performance, we’ve a great bunch of lads but they deserved to win it,” said Sheridan.
“The wind was a big factor today. They came from behind in the second half, and it was the survival of the fittest.
“I’m not knocking our lads because they’re great but they were the fitter team on the day and they deserved to win it.”
Abbey CBS 2-15 : St Patrick’s 2-13 AET
SOMETIMES in sport fate conspires and a team just cannot lose no matter what they come up against.
Newry’s Abbey CBS had this rare sense of destiny yesterday when they contrived to pull off one of the most memorable Hogan Cup victories in living memory. The school with a mix of pupils from Down and Armagh drew on every ounce of their natural talent and skill to stay in this contest against Colm O’Rourke’s St Pat’s of Navan.
The Meath champions of 2000, 2001 and 2004 led by five points in the first half, three points with one minute to go in normal time and by a point with just three minutes of extra time to play. However, the county that built a reputation for resilience and commitment were grinded down.
O’Rourke’s side started brightly taking a five-point lead as the former all-Star’s son, Shane, led his team from midfield with three frees and a host of spectacular catches. The Abbey, noted for their slow starts this year, struggled to cope and looked to be playing second fiddle.
A Cathal Magee catch at midfield changed everything, the Mayobridge clubman raced into St Pat’s territory, passed to Kevin Dyas and the south Armagh man buried it in the roof of the net. The goal was only a brief reprieve as Garry Gorman (two), Brian Sheridan and Seán Keating fired over to put the Royal County’s school 0-9 to 1-2 up at half-time.
Abbey showed the first sign of their steely determination when they kicked four points in succession to level matters at the resumption and looked ready to topple the former champions.
St Pat’s aren’t the modern kingpins for nothing and ensured a hard afternoon’s work for the Ulster champions when Mark McCabe flicked a Gorman pass into the net with just seven minutes to play.
The title looked secure in their hands when Sheridan pointed after Patrick O’Rourke, a cousin of Shane, made three fantastic saves. Most teams would have crumbled but the Newry outfit kept plugging away and, in the first minute of injury time, received their reward.
Mark Digney at corner back, who was excellent in the latter stages, fed a long ball into Ruairi Digney. He set off at pace to O’Rourke’s goal, became surrounded and found an outlet in Dyas who, from six metres, made no mistake in burying the ball to the net.
Extra time arrived with the teams locked 1-12 to 2-10 and once again St Pat’s looked to put their name on the Hogan Cup with a well-taken goal by Seán Keating and a Steven Moran point.
Utilising every fibre of effort in their bones Abbey responded. Point by point they reeled their opponents in. Ignoring wides and the dangers of a kamikaze defence they drew level with two minutes to play from the boot of Niall Devlin.
Every score was taken from distance and with tremendous nerve.
Then came Seán Murdock who kicked two wonder scores from the tightest of angles along the end line to bring the Hogan Cup to Newry for the first time.
Abbey CBS, Newry: Cathal Murdock, Mark Digney, Kevin McHernan (Capt), Rory Grant, Darren Rowland, Kevin Dyas (2-1), Ciarán Coffey, Colm Murney, Cathal Magee, Richard Gilmore (0-1), Seamus Grant (0-1), Daniel Clarke, Niall Devlin (0-2), Seán Murdock (0-4, 1f), Gerard McGarvey (0-2).
Subs used: Ruairí Cunningham (0-4) for Clarke (HT), Clarke for Rowland (43min), Conaill McGovern for McGarvey (50min), Ruairi Digney for Grant (55min), Garvey for McGovern (66min).
St Patrick’s, Navan: Patrick O’Rourke, Seán Donaty, David Maguire, Kieran Lynch, David Donegan, Shane Carr, Mark McKeever, Shane O’Rourke (0-3, 3f), Colin Clarke, Ross Geraghty, Mark McCabe (1-0), Garry Gorman (0-3), Darren Mallon, Seán Keating (1-2), Brian Sheridan (0-3, 1f).
Subs used: Kevin Reilly for Mallon (44min), Steven Moran (0-2) for Geraghty (45min), Felim O’Reilly for McCabe (66min), Justin Flynn for Clarke (66min).
Ref: M Meade Limerick.
By Terry Reilly and Alan Regan