Dowling’s side dig deep to remain school kingpins
BY NIALL SHERRY, SPORTS EDITOR
Masita GAA Post Primary Schools Croke Cup Final
Croke Park, Dublin
St Kieran’s College (Kilkenny) 0-26
St Raphael’s, Loughrea (Galway) 1-18
(After extra-time)
For an incredible 25th time, St Kieran’s College are Croke Cup champions! The Kilkenny school recorded back-to-back wins at Croke Park last weekend when they overcame the gallant challenge of St Raphael’s, Loughrea after a thrilling contest which required extra-time to separate this year’s finalists.
With the scoreline tied at 0-18 to 1-15, Brian Dowling’s outfit found a higher gear in extra time and outscored their Galway opponents by five points to retain the Masita sponsored ‘A’ grade championship. One of the key players on the day for the champions was corner forward Rory Glynn, who notched 4 lovely points in an eye-catching performance that saw the Clara man pick up the POTM award.
With a good number of players remaining from their previous years triumph, Kieran’s raced into an early lead, thanks to scores from Edward McDermott and Aaron McEvoy (2) as they settled much the quicker of the two sides, but Raphael’s got the scoreboard moving on 6 minutes with scores from Paddy MacCarthaigh and Bobby Feeney (f). James Stephens Ed Lauhoff and Bennettsbridge’s James Hughes sent over scores for the Noresiders who were appearing in their 9th consecutive final.
Rory Glynn & opposite number 13, Vince Morgan swapped scores, before the Loughrea side enjoyed a period of dominance which saw points from Feeney, MacCarthaigh, Luke McInerney and Cullen Killeen, along with the games only major from Vince Morgan whose shot struck the post before nestling in the Kieran’s net to give the Westerners the lead for the first time in the final.
To their credit, Dowling’s charges responded like champions do, notching scores from Graigue Ballycallan’s Aaron McEvoy, Hughes and even one from corner back, Sean Bergin to leave the interval score St Kieran’s 0-10, St Raphael’s 1-7.
The second half started a little cagey, with top scorers on both sides, Vince Morgan and Aaron McEvoy registering efforts before Kieran’s retook the lead thanks to a sumptuous score from Clara’s Rory Glynn. The Galway side were not going to be rolled over and fought hard, as the sides swapped the lead with Paddy MacCarthaigh the latest players to deadlock the sides again.
Raphaels’s placed ball expert Feeney popped over a couple of frees either side of a score from St Martins Sean Hunt before defender Oscar O’Gorman and the impressive Paddy MacCarthaigh put the Connacht side back in lead with 53 minutes of pulsating action played at Croker. When the challenger’s midfielder Cullen Killeen dispatched a lovely effort between the Kilkenny sides posts, the Loughrea side dared to dream. Momentum swung back Kieran’s way, thanks to three successive scores from that lad hunt as it appeared the defending champions had done enough to secure victory.
Deep into stoppage time Raphael’s were given the opportunity to level matters once more, and Bobby Feeney split the posts to force an additional 20 minutes at headquarters.
The top scorers on each side, McEvoy and Morgan traded points at the beginning of the extra time, but Kieran’s quality and superior fitness told points from Glynn, Lauhoff and The Village’s Bill McDermott gave the Marble City side a little breathing space. The MacCarthaigh’s, Paddy and Diarmuid tagged on points for Raphael’s, but a brace of scores from Aaron McEvoy and Tullaroan’s Ciallin Brennan ensured the Croke Cup was returning to Kilkenny for a second successive season and a 25th time in Total. Final score at Croke Park, St Kieran’s College 0-26 St Raphael’s Loughrea 1-18 (After Extra-Time) .
Scorers for St Kieran’s College: Aaron McEvoy 0-8 (4fs, 1 ‘65’), Sean Hunt, Rory Glynn 0-4 each, James Hughes 0-3, Ed Lauhoff, Ciallin Brennan 0-2, Sean Bergin, Edward McDermott, Bill McDermott 0-1 each.
Scorers for St Raphael’s College, Loughrea: Vince Morgan 1-3, Bobby Feeney 0-5 (5fs), Paddy MacCarthaigh 0-5, Cullen Killeen 0-2, Oscar O’Gorman, Diarmuid MacCarthaigh, Luke McInerney 0-1 each.
St Kieran’s College: Stephen Manogue; Sean Bergin, Evan Murphy, Timmy Kelly; Cathal Hickey, Jeff Neary, Tom McPhillips; Rory Connellan, Ed Lauhoff; James Hughes, Sean Hunt, Tomas Roche; Rory Glynn, Edward McDermott, Aaron McEvoy.
Subs: Oisin Bateman for Glynn (48-49), Bateman for Roche (50), James O’Neill for McDermott (51), Ciallin Brennan for Hughes (60+2), Tom Brennan for Kelly (61), Bill McDermott for Glynn (66-71), Bill McDermott for McPhillips (72), Sean Deely for Hickey (78).
St Raphael’s College, Loughrea: Shane Murray; Jason Griffin, Daniel Keane, Gavin Maher; Oscar O’Gorman, Diarmuid MacCarthaigh, Finn Beirne; Luke McInerney, Cullen Killeen; Donnacha Campbell, Paddy MacCarthaigh, Eoghan Mulleady; Vince Morgan, Thomas Stratford, Bobby Feeney.
Subs: Stephen Keane for Stratford (39), Jack Shaughnessy for Mulleady (56), Louis Keary for Griffin (66), Mulleady for Feeney (75), Eoin Spellman for Beirne (78).
Referee: John Keenan (Wicklow)
