LEINSTER SCHOOLS’ SENIOR FOOTBALL ‘A’ CHAMPIONSHIP FIRST ROUND
Last year’s semi-finalists suffer last gasp defeat
COLAISTE EOIN………………………………. 1-11
SCOIL MHUIRE, CLANE……………………….. 2-7
By Daire Walsh
There was heartbreak for Scoil Mhuire, Clane at Silver Park last Wednesday afternoon, when they suffered a last-gasp defeat to Colaiste Eoin in the opening round of the Leinster Schools’ Senior Football ‘A’ Championship.
With 2016 county minor star Ciaran Kelly helping himself to a personal tally of 2-4, Mhuire held a slender advantage during the closing moments of the contest. However, following late points from substitute Colum Ó Sé and Sean Ó Giolláin, it was their south Dublin counterparts who ultimately progressed.
Eoin had broken the deadlock in the third minute with a pointed free from close-range by Tomás Mac Aodha, but with Mhuire captain Shane McCormack acting as a sweeper in front of his full-back line, attacking opportunities were at a premium for the Metropolitan outfit.
Indeed, Mhuire received a massive boost on seven minutes, when the visitors were awarded a penalty for a foul on full-forward Sean Callan. The aforementioned Kelly stepped forward to negotiate this spot-kick, and he coolly fired beyond the reach of Eoin netminder Tadhg Ó Braonáin.
With scoring chances proving to be few and far between as the half wore on, this three-pointer was helping Mhuire to maintain a slender distance between themselves and the gaelscoil.
However, excellent Eoin midfielder Eoghan Mac Giolla Phádraig brilliantly split the posts from an awkward angle on the right-hand side just before the first-quarter, and although Mhuire replied with a fine effort from play by Callan, Mac Giolla Phádraig was once again on target from a subsequent attack.
Yet, this turned out to be the final score of the half, and as a result, Mhuire brought a 1-2 to 0-3 lead into the interval period. This cushion was cut in half by the raiding Mac Aodha when the action resumed, but after Shane Sullivan had cancelled out this score in eye-catching fashion, they were awarded their second penalty of the tie.
Eoin centre-back Mark Ó Treasaigh was black-carded for fouling Sullivan, and Kelly added to his personal tally with an calm finish to the bottom corner.
This placed Mhuire in an ideal position, but Eoin worked their way back into contention with much-needed points from Mac Giolla Phádraig, Mac Aodha and Dara de Poire – before back-to-back scores by the increasingly-prominent Sullivan and Kelly settled Mhuire once more.
Eoin were beginning to build serious attacking momentum, though, and as a supplement to Mac Aodha’s fourth point of the day, a superb right-footed finish courtesy of Mac Giolla Phádraig restored parity with 49 minutes gone on the clock.
This set-up a nerve-wracking conclusion to the game, and thanks to swapped scores between Kelly and Mac Aodha, the sides remained delicately poised. Then, with just seven minutes of normal time remaining, Mhuire were incredibly presented with a third opportunity from the penalty spot.
With Eoin’s Ó Braonáin also being black-carded for upending Billy Samba, Kelly was odds on to secure his hat-trick, but stand-in goalkeeper de Poire (who started at centre-forward, but has experience as a goalkeeper with the Dublin minor hurlers) pulled off an outstanding low save.
This was a significant lift for Eoin, and even though an exceptional long-distance free by Kelly moved Mhuire back into the ascendancy two minutes from time, Colum Ó Sé replied in swift style for the Booterstown school.
As the final whistle beckoned, Eoin were beginning to dominate possession, and Ó Giolláin was on hand to decide the outcome with a calmly-struck point from 25 metres.
COLAISTE EOIN: Tadhg Ó Braonáin; Naoise Ó Cróinín, Peadar Ó Cofaigh-Byrne, Ruairi Ó Gallachóir; Antaine Ó Cuinn, Mark Ó Treasaigh, Diarmuid Ó Floinn; Eoghan Mac Giolla Phádraig (1-3), Jack Ó hAirtneada; Sean Ó Giolláin (0-1), Dara de Poire (0-1), Tomás Mac Aodha (0-5, 3f); Conchúr Cinnsealach, Fionn Ó Ceallaigh, Eoghan Seoige.
SUBS: Daniel Ó Laoghaire for O Treasaigh (25, black card), Colum Ó Sé (0-1) for Cinnsealach (47), Des O Dúgáin for Ó Braonáin (53).
SCOIL MHUIRE, CLANE: John Ball; Mark Brien, Brian Giffney, Justin Reilly; Josh Browne, Sam McCormack, Michael Gill; David Kelly, Rory O’Neill; Billy Camba, Shane Sullivan (0-2), Conor Harris; Ciaran Kelly (2-4, 2-0 pen, 0-3f), Sean Callan (0-1), Shane McCormack.
SUBS: Liam Kennedy for Gill (37), Chris Delaney for D Kelly (46).