Abbey CBS remembered the late Jody Gormley by carrying his initials on their jersey sleeves as they rescued a draw with St Patrick’s, Dungannon in a thrilling MacRory Cup final yesterday.

The Newry outfit came from nine points down at half-time to earn a 0-18 to 1-15 draw, culminating in Daniel Carr’s late, late equaliser. It was a fightback the much-missed and dearly-loved Gormley would have been proud of, having led the school to their last MacRory Cup success 20 years ago as well as a Hogan Cup.

The former Tyrone star passed away in December 2024 following a brief illness. Aged just 53, the father-of-three had been diagnosed with liver cancer three months earlier after suffering a stroke while on holiday. In spite of this, he continued to manage his club Trillick who reached the Tyrone SFC final, only to lose to eventual Ulster champions Errigal Ciarán by a point.

In a heartfelt Facebook post before yesterday’s decider, Abbey CBS said: “As we build up to Sunday’s MacRory Cup final, we pause to remember one of our truly special colleagues and dear friend, the late Mr. Jody Gormley. In his memory, the boys’ tops will carry his initials on the sleeve, ensuring that he will be with them in spirit as they take to the Athletic Grounds at 3pm.

"His passion, dedication, and friendship remain a guiding presence for our team, and we know he will be watching proudly on Sunday.”

The replay will take place this Friday, February 13.

Tweet

Most Read Stories