By Niall Gartland

HAVING tasted the pain of defeat on MacRory Cup final day two years ago, St Patrick’s, Academy skipper Davin McKeown is hoping for the reverse experience in Sunday’s showdown against Abbey CBS at the BOX-IT Athletic Grounds.

Davin was only a fifth-year student when he lined out in the half-back line against Omagh CBS in their ill-fated final appearance in February 2024, losing out by 1-18 to 1-12 against the eventual Hogan Cup champions.

Most of this year’s panel is new to the bells and whistles attached to the biggest day in Ulster Schools football, but that’s not to say they’re lacking in the experience stakes.

Many of them, including McKeown himself, have won prestigious schools titles in years gone by and have excelled at underage level for the county.

McKeown, already a regular starter at senior level for Ardboe, said: “It does bring back memories of two years ago. That was a big occasion for the school – we came up short so we’d be hoping to right the wrongs of that one.

“It was different to anything else I’ve been part of, though I was captain when we won the Oisin McGrath and Rannafast Cup so I suppose this would complete the full set if things go to plan.”

St Patrick’s showed incredible resilience to come through a marathon clash away to Donegal’s Abbey Vocational School in the semi-final, which they hope will set them in good stead for the final.

“It was a bit of a thriller,” said Davin. “We probably didn’t win in the fashion we’d have liked, it went to extra-time and it looked for a while it could have gone to penalties.

“I think we’ve a lot of talent in the team but we know ourselves that we haven’t really given a full performance yet.

“We’ve been hit and miss. If we click on Sunday I think it’ll take a good team to beat us.”

Their opponents Abbey CBS certainly merit their place in the final, and McKeown’s past experience of playing the Newry-based school suggests it could go either way.

“We played them in the Corn na nÓg final in the Dub Area in Belfast, that was both team’s first experience of those big crowds.

“We also met them in a challenge match earlier in the year in Saval – it was a feisty enough encounter, so both of us know what to expect from each other.”