GLIST: Ulster sides and the Hogan Cup semi-final

By Niall McCoy

2025
St Patrick’s, Maghera (Derry) 2-10
Mercy Mounthawk (Kerry) 1-8

THE Tralee side were targeting a second successive Hogan Cup final and they gave a hotly-tipped Maghera side their fill of it.

The Munster champions led 1-1 to 0-1 early on thanks to a Ben Murphy goal, but Darach McGonigle struck back at the other end to give Maghera a one-point lead at the break.

The second half continued to be close, with Dara O’Kane adding a second goal for Maghera in the closing seconds for a win that was less comfortable than the scoreline suggests.

2024
Omagh CBS (Tyrone) 1-14
St Gerald’s, Castlebar (Mayo) 0-9

IT was all too easy for the Tyrone school in Ballyshannon as they reached their second Hogan Cup final in succession.

Despite a slow start, Omagh soon took control and that was rewarded with a Paudi Dillon goal. Eoin Donaghy and Charlie Donnelly were dominant in midfield and they continued to tag on the scores with Liam Óg Mossey landing a number of scores.

Dara Neary did cause problems for the Ulster side with four points from play, but it was mostly one-way traffic.

2023
Omagh CBS (Tyrone) 4-14
Naas CBS (Kildare) 0-8

SEMI-FINAL wins don’t come much more comprehensive than this as Omagh overpowered Naas to eventually win by 18 points.

With the breeze at their back, Omagh dominated the first half as they chased a second-ever Hogan Cup final spot to go with their 2007 triumph, and goals from Ruairi McCullagh and Liam Óg Mossey had them 2-10 to 0-1 ahead at the break, effectively ending the game as a contest.

There could be no question of that in the first five minutes of the second half as Conor Owens and Caolan Donnelly added further goals for the Ulster champions.

Ryan Sinkey, now with the Kildare seniors, tried his best, but this was a complete mismatch.

2022
St Brendan’s College, Killarney (Kerry) 1-10
St Mary’s, Magherafelt (Derry) 1-8

THE last time an Ulster side failed to win a Hogan Cup semi-final was back in 2022 but St Mary’s did at least give their famed opponents a real battle.

Played in windy conditions at Bekan, the Derry school made a strong start with points from Ryan McEldowney, Conchúir Johnston and Niall O’Donnell, but a 0-6 to 0-4 lead felt not nearly enough given the breeze had been at their backs in the opening 30 minutes.

That looked even more evident when Cian McMahon’s goal opened the second-half scoring to put Killarney ahead, but St Mary’s replied minutes later through Tom Shivers.

The MacRory side held a two-point lead heading into the final 10 minutes, but St Brendan’s eventually fought back to progress.

* NO HOGAN CUP PLAYED IN 2020 AND 2021 DUE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC *

2019
St Michael’s, Enniskillen (Fermanagh) 2-13
St Colman’s College, Claremorris (Mayo) 1-10

ENNISKILLEN reach their third-ever Hogan Cup final courtesy of a six-point win over St Colman’s in Longford.

The success was built on a lightning start when the Ulster champions put 2-4 on the scoreboard in no time, Caolan Duffy and Conor Love with the goals as they moved 10 points ahead.

The Connacht school found their feet after that and Enda Hession’s late goal saw them just two points behind at the break.

That was whittled down to a point on the restart and all momentum seemed to be with the Claremorris school, but Love and Darragh McBrien started to respond as the Fermanagh school set up a final date.

2018
St Ronan’s College, Lurgan (Armagh) 2-10
Pobalscoil Chorca Dhuibhne (Kerry) 1-10

ST RONAN’S built on their first-ever MacRory title by securing a first-ever Hogan final appearance a few weeks later.

Rioghan Meehan’s early goal had helped the Lurgan side into an early five-point lead, but they were coming up against strong opposition with Ruairí Ó Beagloaich, the brother of Kerry senior player Brian, notching a point before Dylan Geaney found the net.

The second half, like the first, was tight throughout and was in the balance until substitute Josh Megoran nabbed a second goal seven minutes from time and the Armagh school held out.

2017
St Peter’s College, Wexford (Wexford) 2-10
St Mary’s Grammar School, Magherafelt (Derry) 2-9

A RARE Hogan Cup semi-final defeat for an Ulster side in recent time as Leinster champions St Peter’s just fended off a late Magherafelt fightback in Inniskeen.

The first-time MacRory Cup winners were seven points down with five minutes to play, but they hit 1-3 in a dramatic finale before running out of time.

St Peter’s led 1-8 to 0-5 at the break with Quinn Saunders hitting the net just before the break, but Kevin Small replied with a green flag early in the second half.

Rory O’Connor, more noted as one of Wexford’s best hurlers currently, scored a second goal for the victors and despite a late St Mary’s rally – sparked by a Cormac Murphy goal – they held on to reach Croke Park.