Ulster Schools’ GAA council in conjunction with their sponsors Danske Bank have released details of the times and venues for the quarter-finals in the MacRory Cup competition.
The four games will take place on consecutive evenings from January 7 to 10.
All four group winners have qualified for the quarter-finals and they had ‘home’ venues in those ties.
First up on Wednesday, January 7 is the meeting in Healy Park of Omagh CBS and St Patrick’s, Armagh.
The pair actually met in a first round group game away back on October 23, also in Healy Park under lights, when Armagh scored a shock 4-12 to 2-12 win over the home side.
Omagh, however, impressed in the rest of their group games and actually topped the standings on the head-to-head rule over Abbey CBS who inflicted a heavy defeat on Armagh in their final group game.
St Patrick’s, however, recovered to edge home against the other Newry seat of learning St Colman’s in the quarter-finals.
Abbey CBS are in action in the second game. They have to travel to Owenbeg on Thursday, January 8 to play the holders St Patrick’s, Maghera in what many see as the game of the round.
Diarmaid O’Rourke on the attack for the Abbey CBS against St Paul’s, Bessbrook in the MacRory Cup
PICTURE: Noel Moan
Abbey have been returning high tallies in their more recent games, although they did well to hold off St Patrick’s, Cavan in the last 16, the Breffnimen coming back from a deficit of 12 points at the break to almost snatch the win.
Cavan were in Maghera’s group and the Derry boys went on to beat St Paul’s, Bessbrook in the last 16.
Since then, their Dungiven contingent have had Ulster club action in both codes and will see more before the Abbey tie.
The winners of the first two MacRory ties will meet in the semi-final.
It could well return a Maghera v Armagh semi-final, a repeat of last January, although the last two Hogan Cup winners are more likely to be going two-to-toe.
Friday’s action is in Convoy with an earlier throw-in time of 4.15pm.
Last year’s beaten finalists, Abbey Vocational are up against St Mary’s, Magherafelt, who are coming into the game a little under the radar although their only defeat to date has been against St Patrick’s Academy.
Four Masters were beaten by Dungiven last weekend in the Ulster Minor Football tournament and the school also lost the Danske Bank Rafferty Cup final on Thursday.
Michael Higgins of St Mary’s Grammar, Magherafelt, in action against Ultan Quinn of St Joseph’s Grammar, Donaghmore, during the Macrory Cup match at Brocagh. Magherafelt will face Donegal side Abbey VS in the quarter-finals
PICTURE: Oliver McVeigh (©Oliver McVeigh)
Abbey Vocational will be keen to arrest that run of results and get back to winning ways.
Friday’s winners will go into a semi-final against either St Patrick’s Academy or Our Lady’s, Castleblayney who face each other on Saturday January 10 at 7pm in Stewartstown.
The Academy have done little to suggest that their elevation to front-runners in the MacRory on the back of a Rannafast title two years ago has them over-rated.
Four wins and a draw in the MacRory Cup to date were all impressive outings.
Castleblayney’s only loss was by three points to Abbey Vocational, while they also drew with St Michael’s Enniskillen.
Their last 16 outing against Donaghmore was perhaps their best performance to date. Donaghmore was the team that drew with the Academy.
There will be a two-week gap between the quarter-finals and the semi-finals that are scheduled for dates between January 21 and 24.
Danske Bank MacRory Cup quarter-finals
(A) Wednesday, January 7: Omagh CBS v St Patrick’s, Armagh (Healy Park, 7.30pm)
(B) Thursday, January 8: St Patrick’s Maghera v Abbey CBS (Owenbeg, 7.30pm)
(C) Friday, January 9: Abbey Vocational v St Mary’s Magherafelt (Convoy, 4.30pm)
(D) Saturday January 10: St Patrick’s Academy, Dungannon v Our Lady’s Castleblayney (Stewartsown, 7pm)
Danske Bank MacRory Cup Semi-finals (January 21–24)
A v B
C v D