McCambridge goal seals dramatic Cross & Passion victory
Thursday, 30 October 2008
Cross and Passion launch at attack during the Mageean Cup final against St Mary’s Belfast.
Cross & Passion Ballycastle......3-6
St Mary's Belfast................... 2-6
A goal five minutes from the end of normal time by corner-forward Shane McCambridge helped Cross & Passion College to a dramatic victory over St Mary's CBS in Saturday's final of the Bank of Ireland Mageean Cup at Glen, Maghera.
In terrible weather conditions, were good hurling was almost impossible, the Convent turned in a never say die performance to clinch the win against hot favourites St Mary's who had no less than six Antrim county minors in their ranks.
Playing against the driving wind and rain in the opening half Cross & Passion got off to a great start when Ciaran Clarke set up Shane Jennings for a cracking goal in the third minute.
On the 10 minute mark there was further joy for the Ballycastle boys when Clarke again opened the St Mary's defence to place John McBride for another fine goal from 20 metres.
This put them firmly in the driving seat, and they went on to lead by 2-2 to 0-4 at the break.
The Convent fans must have felt they had the title in the bag at this stage but when St Mary's corner-forward Dermot McVeigh kicked the ball to the Cross & Passion net soon after the restart it looked like anybody's game.
St Mary's levelled before taking the lead in the 43rd minute with a goal from Michael Armstrong, and when Dessie McLean added a point soon afterwards to pull them four clear the title seemed to be heading back to West Belfast.
However, Ciaran Clarke steadied the Cross & Passion ship with two pointed frees before McCambridge's goal from a great ground strike gave them a lead they were not to relinquish.
Clarke added a point from a 65 to gain them some breathing space before Stephen McAfee made sure with an injury time point.
Overall a great win for Cross & Passion, and one fashioned by sheer guts and determination.
As in their 2006 final win over St Pat's they left it late and made the fans suffer right up to the final whistle.
Overall it was a great team performance but the displays by Mark Scally, Sean Birt, Stephen Smith, team captain Conor Laverty and Ciaran Clarke are worthy of special mention.
Cross & Passion : J Black, M Scally, M Donnelly, R McCloskey, N Murray, J McCouaig, D McPeake, C Laverty (capt), S Smyth, S Jennings (1-1), J McBride (1-0), S McKee, S McCambridge (1-0), S Birt, C Clarke (0-4frees).
Sub: S McAfee 0-1 for S Jennings (inj).
St. Mary's : P Herron, R McMahon, C McClelland, N McAlea, P Johnston, S Shannon, DMcGarrity, C Rocks, C McGuinness, J Neeson, M Devlin, D McClean (0-5, 0-4 frees), M Armstrong (1-0), D McVeigh (1-0), D Lynch.
Subs: D Boyd 0-1 for D Lynch, J Savage for J Neeson.
Referee: Eamon Hasson (Swatragh).
