CORN DUBLIN TROPHIES
Chronain rally to grab deserved win over brave Earcain
SCOIL CRONAN SNS……………………………8-5
GS UI EARCAIN………………………………….3-10
Daire Walsh
SCOIL Chrónáín SNS, Brackenstown delivered a late flourish on Tuesday to finally see off the challenge of Gaelscoil Uí Earcáin in a compelling Corn Dublin Trophies decider.
Sixteen points to the good in the closing stages of the opening period, the Swords school were seemingly on course for a convincing victory. However, powered by the exceptional duo of Cathal Ó Bearáin and Charlie Mac Coisdealbha, Earcáin rallied and brought the gap down to three points in a frantic second half.
Yet Chrónáín dug deep when the chips were down and Matthew Molloy came up with a brace of final-quarter goals to ensure his team weren’t to be denied.
DEADLOCK
Earcáin broke the deadlock through an Ó Bearáin point. A Molloy goal and Ryan Hand point signalled Chrónáín’s intent, but Earcáin were back on level terms after Mac Coisdealbha fired over three scores in the space of just six minutes.
It had been tight and tense between two teams that appeared evenly-matched on paper, until Chrónáín’s eye for goal offered them significant breathing space. Either side of Kyle O’Reilly rattling the net, Matthew Broderick did likewise with two majestic solo efforts that were worthy of gracing the hallowed Croke Park turf.
The dynamic Broderick went on to complete his hat-trick and with Lee McGrath Hickey also producing a 1-1 salvo, Chrónáín were in firm control. That was before Mac Coisdealbha angled a shot to the opposite net and sparked an extraordinary fightback by Earcáin.
Within three minutes of the resumption in play, Ó Bearáin and Mac Coisdealbha had found the net to change a 13-point interval deficit into a more manageable seven. The towering Ó Bearáin was becoming more influential with each passing minute and he recorded four points without reply – including a stunning sideline cut – to provide Earcáin with further momentum.
He had brought his personal tally up to 1-7 by the end of the contest, but it wasn’t quite enough to get his side over the line. A Pierce Moran free had ended a lengthy scoring drought for Chrónáín and while Molloy’s majors were important, Hand and Evan McDonagh also pointed to seal a hard-earned win.
SCORERS – Scoil Chrónáín SNS: M Molloy, M Broderick 3-0 each, L McGrath Hickey 1-1, K O’Reilly 1-0, R Hand 0-2, E McDonagh, P Moran 0-1 each. GS Uí Earcáin: C Ó Bearáin 1-7, C Mac Coisdealbha 2-3.
PLAYER OF THE MATCH: Cathal Ó Bearáin (GS Uí Earcáin).