Quarter-final spot at stake for St. Michael's

St. Patrick's Armagh 2-13

St. Michael's face a crunch clash against St. Macartan's Monaghan on Tuesday with the winner securing an automatic quarter-final place in the MacRory Cup.

Dom Corrigan's side lost out to St. Pattrick's Armagh last Friday but they can put that defeat firmly behind them by overcoming St. Macartan's and progressing through to the last eight of the competition, avoiding the need of a play-off.

"These are the type of games that we want to be involved in, it will be just like a championship match and we will have to be ready to meet the challenge right from the start," said Corrigan.

St. Michael's struggled against Armagh's physicality at times last week and Corrigan says they can expect more of the same against the Monaghan side.

"Armagh's physicality was a telling factor and Monaghan, as well as being a good side, are going to be equally physical and aggressive so we're going to have to stand up to that," he added.

St. Michael's had responded well to an opening day hammering from Dungannon with victories following against St. Pat's Maghera and St. Mary's Magherafelt to put them in a position to challenge for an automatic qualification spot.

And the Fermanagh school started Friday's game against Armagh brightly despite playing against the breeze in the first half.

Indeed, St. Michael's managed to forge an early advantage, grabbing two goals during this period from Matthew McAloon and Lorcan McStravick. However, Armagh, who had bossed possession, began to take control on the scoreboard in the second quarter and they twice found the net, the second of which arrived on the stroke of half time, to go in at the interval with a six point lead, 2-07 to 2-01.

St. Michael's enjoyed much greater possession in the second half but some wayward shooting was to let them down while Armagh's strength in the middle third was crucial and they managed to chip over a number of points.

McStravick did grab his second goal with a fisted effort five minutes from time that saw the gap closed back to two points but Armagh were able to shut up shop in the latter stages as they held on to win.