GAELIC GAMES: LEINSTER COLLEGES SF

Benildus draw champions in Leinster group

Daire Walsh

ST Benildus College will face title holders St Peter’s, Wexford in the newly-formed group stages of the Leinster Senior Football ‘A’ Championship, after the draw for the competition was made in Croke Park on Tuesday.

In a break from the traditional knockout format, the competing teams have been divided into six groups of three teams each – with the winners of each section being joined by two group teams at the quarter-final stage.

HOLDING

Leinster champions of 2015/16, Benildus, were represented at the draw by Oisin Donnelly, and he believes they are capable of holding their own against both Peter’s and Athlone CC.

“Peter’s obviously won it last year, but I feel we’re able to go out and challenge them. I feel that we’ve a good team this year, and we can go out and can get good results out of the games,” Donnelly remarked.

St Aidan’s CBS were drawn out with St Mel’s, Longford and Patrician Newbridge in Group A, but although they defeated both teams last season, their Whitehall Colmcille star – Brendan Daly – doesn’t expect it to have any bearing when the action gets underway on November 15.

“Between the schools it’s such a turnover of players. It doesn’t really matter who you’ve played or who you haven’t played.

“You might want to beat more teams than others, but I don’t think it really matters,” Daly stated.

Meanwhile, St Fintan’s HS, Sutton were drawn alongside Maynooth PP and Marist Athlone in Group F, whereas 2014 winners Colaiste Eoin will be joined in Group C by Colaiste Mhuire, Mullingar and Scoil Mhuire, Clane.

Eoin are also competing in the Leinster Senior Football ‘A’ League, and thanks to a hat-trick of goals from Conor Ó Cinseallaigh, they recorded a 4-12 to 1-11 win against Moate CS at Silver Park last Thursday.

GAELIC GAMES: DUBLIN SCHOOLS SENIOR ‘B’ HC

Terenure into the last-four

Daire Walsh

TERENURE College’s quest for a second Dublin Schools Senior Hurling ‘B’ title in the space of three seasons continued at Russell Park last Thursday, when they claimed a 5-22 to 4-13 win against Castleknock CC.

With county stars Luke McDwyer and Kevin Desmond leading by example, ‘Nure, who competed at the Senior ‘A’ grade last year, have emerged as the top team in Roinn One – which provides them with a direct route to the semi-final of the competition.

McDwyer registered a 0-10 haul in a previous victory over St Colmcille’s CS, and after Castleknock had raced into an early 2-2 to 0-2 lead, his switch to the full-forward line proved crucial.

SETTLE

A Conor Gilmour three-pointer had helped the southside school to settle into the game, and courtesy of two goals by McDwyer, they entered the break with a 3-14 to 3-5 advantage at their disposal.

Castleknock still posed an attacking threat upon the resumption, and the ‘Nure defence were kept on their toes throughout the course of the second-half.

Yet, McDwyer was a constant thorn in the side of their Carpenterstown Road counterparts, and he subsequently sealed his hat-trick with a neat finish.

His final tally of 3-8 made him the scorer-in-chief for Traolach Martin’s side, but a 1-3 salvo by Desmond – as well as scores from Benji Bowe, Seamus Noone, Jack O’Shea and Cillian Kirwan – also played a part in their eventual 12-point triumph.

Elsewhere, the 2016 winners of this competition – St Fintan’s HS – will face St Benildus College in the quarter-final of the ‘A’ Championship next Tuesday in Sutton (throw-in 2pm).

GAELIC GAMES: DUBLIN SCHOOLS SENIOR ‘A’ HC

Ardscoil Ris book semi-final spot

Daire Walsh

FOLLOWING their comprehensive victory over St Fintan’s HS, Sutton at Pairc Naomh Uinsionn last Thursday afternoon, Ardscoil Ris advanced to the semi-final of the Dublin Schools Senior Hurling ‘A’ Championship.

Defending champions Colaiste Eoin had already booked their place in the last-four, and Ardscoil knew a second group win would provide them with an automatic passage to the same stage. Fintan’s did keep in touch initially at the home of St Vincent’s GAA, but thanks to a second-quarter scoring burst, the wind-assisted Ardscoil brought a commanding 4-6 to 0-3 cushion into the interval.

They continued their dominance when the action resumed, and with an outstanding personal tally of 2-4, 2017 Dublin minor star Sean Currie was once again a key performer for the Griffith Avenue school. Sean Lambe (2-2), Mark Sweeney (2-0) and Liam McGovern (1-1) also made significant contributions for last year’s finalists, and with James Mulcahy, Tom Keogh and Micheal Murphy all in fine form, they eventually secured a 7-14 to 0-4 triumph.

DUBLIN SHC ‘A’ QUARTER-FINAL: COLAISTE EANNA 1-19 ST AIDAN’S CBS 2-14 (AET)

EANNA PROVE EXTRA SPECIAL

Cashmans and Codd steer Southsiders to dramatic win

Daire Walsh

THEY had to dig deep on their home patch, but Colaiste Eanna eventually booked their place in the semi-final of the Dublin Senior ‘A’ Hurling Championship with a narrow extra-time victory over St Aidan’s CBS yesterday afternoon.

Eanna had raced into an early three-point lead with scores from Ben Kelly (’65’), Enda Cashman and half-back Cillian Wall, but even though Aidan’s centre-back Lee Gannon (a Dublin U17 and minor hurler this year) had a penalty saved by opposition netminder Jack Lambert, singles by Michael Noonan (two) and Enda O’Donnell helped his side to level matters on the stroke of 10 minutes.

BOOST

Eanna then received a massive boost just three minutes later – when Malachy Codd’s attempt at a point from the left wing drifted into the back of the Aidan’s net. This three-pointer was supplemented by white flag efforts from Enda Cashman and Codd, before Aidan’s worked their way back into contention with a 0-2 Noonan salvo.

The Aidan’s centre-forward added to his tally before the end of the half, but with Codd and Kelly finding the target either side of Noonan’s fifth, Eanna found themselves four points in front (1-7 to 0-6) at the midway stage in the contest.

Their Northside counterparts weren’t out of sight just yet, though, and unanswered scores by Enda O’Donnell, Gannon and Noonan cut the gap to a minimum after the restart.

Eanna briefly regained their composure with Ciaran Cashman’s first of the day, before Aidan’s moved into the ascendancy for the very first time with consecutive efforts from Noonan, Josh Thorpe and O’Donnell.

The Whitehall Colmcille star also added a brilliant individual score on the hour, but with Ciaran Cashman (0-3) and Codd (0-2) discovering their top form, Eanna looked set to claim a spot in the final-four.

There was still time for some late drama, though, and when Gannon flicked a stoppage-time Noonan free beyond the reach of Lambert, the sides were tied at 1-13 apiece.

This meant that 20 minutes of additional play were required, and although Ciaran Cashman and Codd combined to give the hosts a two-point advantage on 70 minutes, Sean Lowry finished neatly from close-range to hand the Collins Avenue outfit another slender cushion.

Yet, their momentum was halted by Ciaran Cashman (two) and Dan O’Riordan scores, and though the impressive Noonan set up a tense finale, Cashman’s eighth point from a long-distance free finally secured Eanna’s progression.

Scorers – Colaiste Eanna: C Cashman 0-8 (8f), M Codd 1-5, B Kelly (1f, 1 ’65’), E Cashman 0-2 each, C Wall, D O’Riordan 0-1 each. St Aidan’s CBS: M Noonan 0-8 (6f), L Gannon 1-1, E O’Donnell 0-4, S Lowry 1-0, J Thorpe 0-1.

COLAISTE EANNA: J Lambert; L McDonnell, J Dalton, J McDonnell; C Wall, R Hester, J Kenny; T Glynn, B Kelly; D O’Riordan, J O’Donoghue, E Cashman; C McDonnell, C Cashman, M Codd. Sub: C Corcoran for C McDonnell (40).

ST AIDAN’S CBS: C McLoughlin; B Daly, Cian Murphy, D Noonan; K Doran, L Gannon, Ciaran Murphy; E O’Donnell, J Thorpe; E Flaherty, M Noonan, S Lowry; S Finn, C Gleeson, K O’Sullivan. Subs: C Sheridan for O’Sullivan (16), T Gleeson for Daly (36), A Moran for Finn (44), N Power for Flaherty (53), R Fahey for C Gleeson (76).

Referee: D Sweeney (St Oliver Plunkett’s/Eoghan Ruadh).