CURRIE COOKS UP A STORM FOR ARDSCOIL
Razor-sharp full-forward guides Griffith Avenue boys to superb victory over brave Sutton crew
DUBLIN SENIOR ‘A’ HURLING LEAGUE
ARDSCOIL RIS…………………………………………….. 3-13
ST FINTAN’S HS…………………………………………… 1-6
By Daire Walsh
FULL-FORWARD Colin Currie led the way at Pairc Naomh Uinsionn last Friday, as Ardscoil Ris booked their place in the ‘A’ Championship with a commanding victory over St Fintan’s HS in the Dublin Senior ‘A’ Hurling League.
An opening day reversal against St Declan’s meant that Ardscoil required two wins in order to progress to the top grade.
However, after also recording a facile success over Scoil Chaitriona, they have responded in the best way possible.
Their Sutton opponents ultimately came up short in their quest to reach the ‘A’ competition, but the performances of Carl Sammon and Ben Howard do at least bode well for their future aspirations.
Playing with the breeze at their backs, the Griffith Avenue school made an impressive start to the proceedings.
With just six minutes gone, they had developed a four-point lead thanks to a 0-3 salvo from the dynamic Currie, and a fine score from play by corner-forward Ruadhan Clerkin.
Fintan’s were struggling to contain their northside rivals in these opening exchanges, and following a neat pass from wing-forward Oisin Lanigan, the lively Clerkin fired emphatically beyond the reach of netminder John Sammon.
Even at this early stage in the tie, things were looking decidedly ominous for Fintan’s, but they finally raised a white flag courtesy of an 11th-minute pointed free from Sammon.
Yet, this did little to curb the influence that Ardscoil were exerting throughout the field.
After the industrious Lanigan’s goal on the stroke of 15 minutes was supplemented by Currie’s fourth point of the half, they had stretched their lead to ten.
Back-to-back scores from Nathan Kidd (‘65’) and Cillian Costello did release some pressure on the Fintan’s rearguard, but a point from Ardscoil centre-forward Franklin O’Sullivan quickly restored order.
Sammon subsequently kept his side’s slim hopes alive with a well-measured score.
Yet, a brace from Currie helped Ardscoil to regain their ten-point cushion (2-8 to 0-4) in time for the break.
This left Ardscoil in pole position to secure the triumph they badly craved, and thanks to subsequent points from O’Sullivan and Currie (two) after the restart, extra daylight was created between the teams.
Fintan’s weren’t prepared to thrown in the towel just yet, however, and imposing centre-forward Howard provided them with a potential lifeline on 39 minutes.
After fetching a long-delivery deep inside enemy territory, Howard eyed up the target and delivered an unstoppable drive past the helpless Darragh Levins in the Ardscoil goal.
The concession of this three-pointer did unsettle Ardscoil for a time, but despite having to wait a further eight minutes before adding to their total, Fintan’s could only muster a single point from Sammon in response.
With the wind now working against them, the local side weren’t finding the target with the same regularity as the first half.
In spite of this, their third major of the day did arrive through half-forward Mark O’Keeffe five minutes from the end.
Sammon did cancel out a final Currie effort at the very end of normal time, but it proved to be a mere consolation on a day when Ardscoil were eager to issue a statement of intent.
Alongside seven of his team-mates, the ever-dependable Currie also starred for the victors in their Dublin Schools Junior ‘A’ Hurling success over St Aidan’s CBS last November, and they will be hoping to maintain this level of consistency at the senior grade.
SCORERS – ARDSCOIL RIS: C Currie 0-9 (6f, 1 ’65’), R Clerkin 1-1, M O’Keeffe, O Lanigan 1-0, F O’Sullivan 0-2, C Burke. St Fintan’s HS: C Sammon 0-4 (2f), B Howard 1-0, N Kidd (’65’), C Costello 0-1 each.
ARDSCOIL RIS: D Levins; M O’Driscoll, C Ryan, S Baxter; J Higgins, A Nicholson, B Davis; S McCaw, B McHugh; M O’Keeffe, F O’Sullivan, O Lanigan; R Clerkin, C Currie, M Gaffney. Subs: C Burke for Clerkin (h-t), M Dunleavy for Gaffney (50), R Maher for O’Driscoll (57), C Reynolds for Higgins (58), C Kelly for Baxter (60).
ST FINTAN’S HS: J Sammon; D Brodey, A Foley, M Tolan; C Murphy, G Bodar, D Gordon; N Kidd, F O’Flynn; A Carroll, B Howard, M Fogarty; C Costello, A Cosgrove, C Sammon. Subs: T Butterly for Gordon (40), S Boland for Brodey (40), H Dent for Cosgrove (51).
REFEREE: E Walker (O’Toole’s).