DUBLIN SCHOOLS’ SENIOR ‘A’ HURLING
Aidan’s and Eanna qualify for the semi-finals
NOW THERE ARE FOUR …
Daire Walsh
THANKS to their respective victories over St Benildus College and Terenure College this week, St Aidan’s CBS and Colaiste Eanna have reached the semi-finals of the Dublin Schools’ Senior ‘A’ Hurling Championship.
Aidan’s enjoyed a perfect start to their quarter-final encounter with Benildus on Monday afternoon, as an early goal from Enda O’Donnell offered them a strong platform.
Despite the best efforts of 2016 Dublin minor Eoin Foley for Benildus, Aidan’s were 1-9 to 0-6 to the good at the mid-way point, and a second goal by Sean Lowry provided the Collins Avenue outfit with a seemingly insurmountable advantage after the restart.
Benildus (who are coached by Kilkenny hurler Walter Walsh) worked their way back into contention with goals from Ciaran Foley and Aaron O’Toole but even though Eoin Foley and fellow county panellist David Keogh led by example, O’Donnell, Lowry and centre-back Donal Ryan ultimately guided Aidan’s towards the last four, where they will face holders Ardscoil Ris.
Meanwhile, Colaiste Eoin’s opponents at the penultimate stage will be Eanna – who secured a 1-18 to 0-15 victory against Terenure on Tuesday.
Terenure were playing in their first Senior ‘A’ quarter-final, but with a strong breeze against them in the first half, scores were hard to come by.
A Ciaran Ryan goal created daylight between the teams, and courtesy of a 0-4 haul by Shane Kennedy, Eanna established a 1-8 to 0-3 interval cushion.
However, ‘Nure didn’t allow their heads to drop, and thanks to a 0-4 salvo by centre-forward Philip Jordan, as well as contributions from David Croke and Luke McDwyer, they cut the gap to five points by the 42nd-minute.
Jordan was the game’s top-scorer with a final total of 0-8, but with James Holland (Dublin’s minor football captain this year) recording three points from midfield, it was the Colaiste Eanna who eventually progressed.