Victory for St Mary’s Rathfarnham Heartache for Holy Rosay Ballycragh
ON THE first day of the Cumann na mBunscol primary school football finals at Croke Park last Thursday, St Mary’s BNS, Rathfarnham dug deep to squeeze past the challenge of Scoil Mhuire BNS, Marino in the Corn Kitterick boys decider reports Daire Walsh.
Always a worthwhile spectacle for all involved, GAA HQ also played host to the capital’s first-level finals on Friday.
This clash between Mary’s and their northside counterparts proved to be one of the most compelling across the two days of action and the sides were on level terms at 2-3 to 0-9 when the opening period drew to a close.
Mary’s were the team who possessed the goalscoring touch with Shane Horgan (who finished with a personal tally of 1-4) and Mark Cashin both rattling the net in clinical fashion. Theo Duggan impressed in the defence, but with Adam Kelly leading the way, Scoil Mhuire were breathing down the necks of their Rathfarnham opponents.
A fifth point from Kelly had edged the Marino outfit in front during the closing stages, but Mary’s rallied to good effect.
Dan O’Mahony popped up with an excellent equaliser and it was then left for Keelan Fitzgerald to split the uprights and handed St Mary’s a precious 2-6 to 0-11 win.
Holy Rosary PS, Ballycragh were close to pulling off a victory in the Corn Matt Griffin showpiece against Gaelscoil Lios na nÓg, before eventually succumbing to a 2-8 to 2-6 reversal.
At the third-quarter mark in this boys encounter, the Ballycullen-based Holy Rosary were five points to the good. Zikora Nwankwo and Tyrone Vokalombe fired home goals either side of the break to give them a strong platform at the Jones’ Road venue.
Graham O’Neill and Andrew Lee also helped themselves to two points apiece, but Lios na nÓg remained calm and ultimately pushed forward in the dying moments of the tie. Isaac Ó Corragáin had found the net for the Ranelagh school in the first half and following another three-pointer from Dylan Mac Eiteagáin, Holy Rosary came up agonisingly short.
Meanwhile, there was disappointment for Gaelscoil Eiscir Riada, Leamhcán in the Corn An Chogilitis Naisunta final at the hands of St Mochta’s NS, Clonsilla.
Despite points from Fionn Ó hEarchaí (two), Darragh Mac Eochaidh and Daniel Ó Dufaigh, the Lucan school trailed 1-8 to 0-4 at the midway stage in this affair. Eiscir Riada did receive a much-needed boost on the resumption when a Caolin Ó Raghallaigh penalty was followed up by a Conor Ó Dúlaoich point.
Yet Mochta’s remained in the ascendancy and eventually recorded a 3-12 to 1-5 success thanks to goals from Finn O’Brien and David Stanciu.