St Benildus book Leinster semi-final place after victory against Dublin rivals St Aidan’s

A last four place beckons for the Kilmacud school.

St Benildus (Stillorgan) 2-10
St Aidan’s CBS (Glasnevin) 1-9

Daire Walsh reports from Páirc Ciceam

ST BENILDUS COLLEGE goals from Callum Pearson and Aaron Bradshaw were crucial at Pairc Ciceam this afternoon, as the Kilmacud school secured a four-point victory over St Aidan’s CBS in the Leinster Schools’ SAFC quarter-final.

Well-worked points from 2015 county minor Pearson (two), Joseph Rafferty and Tom Keane helped Benildus to develop an early platform.

Aidan’s finally opened their account courtesy of a 17th-minute score from full-forward Patrick Small (brother of Dubllin footballer John).

However, Benildus responded with unanswered efforts by the central attacking duo Joseph Rafferty and Tom Fox. Following an impressive 1-1 salvo from the athletic Pearson, they brought a 1-7 to 0-4 advantage into the second period.

Small and Fox swapped points upon the resumption, but Benildus moved into a seemingly unassailable position when an incisive 37th-minute move produced a goal from raiding half-back Bradshaw.

Indeed, with Keane recording sublime points either side of a James Doran effort for Aidan’s, the southsiders were ten points to the good (2-10 to 0-6) with four minutes remaining.

Aidan’s significantly cut their deficit when three points without reply from Doran (two) and O’Sullivan were supplemented by a fortuitous Adam Conway three-pointer in stoppage-time.

But they couldn’t prevent Benildus’ progression to the penultimate rounds.

Scorers for St Benildus College: Callum Pearson 1-3; Tom Keane 0-3 (1f); Aaron Bradshaw 1-0; Joseph Rafferty, Tom Fox 0-2 each.

Scorers for St Aidan’s CBS: Adam Conway 1-1; Patrick Small (2f), James Doran 0-3 each; Tony O’Sullivan, Keith Campbell 0-1 each.

St Benildus College

1. Adam O’Callaghan

2. Aaron Walsh
3. Luke Doran
4. Patrick O’Brien

7. Simon O’Reilly
6. David Keogh
5. Aaron Bradshaw

8. Callum Pearson
9. Patrick Flaherty

10. Dan O’Brien
11. Joseph Rafferty
12. Andrew Fox

23. Eoin Foley
14. Tom Fox
15. Tom Keane

Subs
24. Glenn Soraghan for T Fox (50, black card)

St Aidan’s CBS

1. Sam Bruton

2. Darragh Bergin
17. Tony O’Sullivan
4. Luke McCarthy

5. Lee Gannon
6. Daire Gray
7. Dillon Constantine

8. Donal Ryan
9. Keith Campbell

10. Cian Gerrard
11. James Doran
12. Tony McCaul

13. Rory Kerins
14. Patrick Small
15. Adam Conway

Subs
20. Enda O’Donnell for McCaul (half-time)
3. Matt Moran for Bergin (39)

Referee: Alan Lagrue (Kildare)