St Louis steeled for McLarnon Cup test on Friday

ST Louis Senior Football Team face their toughest challenge of the year when they take on Our Lady’s Castleblayney in the last eight of the BT Ulster College’s McLarnon Cup this Friday (10th February).
By The Newsroom
Published 9th Feb 2012, 09:21 BST

The Kintullagh boys finished top of their group at the end of November with wins over St Malachy’s Belfast, St Michael Lurgan and St Eunan’s Letterkenny. 

December’s draw saw them paired with St Pius X, Magherafelt in the last sixteen of the competition. Played at Kilrea GAC, the Magherafelt side settled quicker and registered 1-1 within the first 5 minutes. However, credit to St Louis they never panicked and greater composure, high work rate and impressive defending, earned them a 3-7 to 1-7 victory.

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St Louis met this weekend’s opponents in the semi final stages of last season’s BT O’Doherty Cup. Our Lady’s won that encounter by four points but on that occasion it was a depleted and under strength Ballymena side they faced.

The St Louis boys have worked hard since the St Pius game. 

Despite all players being involved in January exams, they have still managed to come together for challenge games and weekend training sessions.

Michael O’Mullan captains the side and along with Emmet Crawford they form a strong midfield pairing. Ben Johnston is a strong and confident ‘keeper. Vice Captain, Niall Delargy marshalls the team from Full Back and is ably assisted by Gerard McCorley and Neil McCafferty. 

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The Ballymena half back line of Padraig Conlon, Joseph Scullion and Jordan Duffy epitomise the strength and character of the whole St Louis team. St Louis were bolstered by the news that Dermot McAleese was awarded a College’s All Star before Christmas also. 

The Casement’s Club Man has been in inspirational form all season for St Louis and is very worthy recipient of such a prestigious award.  While Dermot leads the St Louis attack, Patrick McAleer and Connor McNeill have been instrumental in all games to date and with a full forward line of Dermot McWilliams, John Cassidy and Peter Duffin the St Louis attack can ask serious questions of the Castleblayney defence. 

The team welcome Declan Traynor back from injury and the Glenravel man has the ability to make an impact when called in to the game.

 It is 13 years since St Louis have appeared in the semi finals of the McLarnon Cup.  The contest with Our Lady’s has the potential to be a real tough, mouth watering encounter but with the same determination, work rate and attitude that the Kintullagh boys have shown to date, can see them progress to the semi finals. 

 The game will take place in Galbally on Friday evening at 5:30pm.