TOP OIL: LEINSTER SCHS PP SFC ‘A’ ROUND 2: ST AIDAN’S CBS 0-15 ST MEL’S COLLEGE 1-9
LEE STARS FOR ST AIDAN’S
Gannon enjoys inspired form as Dubs finish in a flourish to overhaul Longford’s St Mel’s
Daire Walsh
LEE Gannon produced a superb individual display in Whitehall Colmcille GAA on Friday afternoon, as St Aidan’s CBS booked their place in the quarter-final of the Top Oil Leinster Schools’ Senior Football ‘A’ Championship.
Their opponents, St Mel’s College of Longford, had edged in front with a superb goal from wing-back Brian Harte, but a final-quarter surge was once again crucial for the victorious Collins Avenue side.
Gannon and wing-forward Dublin minor of this year, James Doran, were key figures for Ollie Denneher’s outfit in an opening round triumph over Patrician Secondary School, Newbridge seven days earlier, and it was midfielder Donal Ryan, also a Dublin minor footballer, who opened the scoring with a fantastic solo point straight from the throw-in.
Mel’s replied with a score of their own from Gerard Flynn, before Aidan’s restored their slender advantage through Tony McCaul, son of Dublin footballer Anto, in the fourth-minute of play.
The hosts were using Brian Ashton as a sweeper deep inside their own half, but after breaking inside the Mel’s ’45’, the nominal corner-forward split the posts in impressive fashion. Mel’s were somewhat wasteful in attack during the first-quarter, and even though Robbie O’Connell was on target from a close-range free, it was subsequently cancelled out by the excellent Gannon.
Gannon’s first effort of the day was off his left-foot, but following an excellent point by Mel’s substitute Cian Dooner, he added a second score of his right-peg on the stroke of 20 minutes.
Mel’s did restore parity with back-to-back scores by O’Connell and Padraic Halpin, but although Daire O’Brien also found his range at the end of the opening period, earlier contributions from Gannon and Doran (free) offered Aidan’s a slender 0-7 to 0-6 cushion at the break.
Indeed, the dynamic duo of Gannon and Doran helped Aidan’s to create a two-point lead upon the resumption, but after raising a white flag from an earlier attack, Harte turned the game on its head by firing beyond the reach of Aidan’s custodian Ciaran McHugh 17 minutes from the end.
The gauntlet had been thrown down to the current Dublin SF ‘A’ champions, and courtesy of swapped scores between Gannon and Dooner, they faced into a one-point deficit with ten minutes remaining.
However, it was at this point that Aidan’s found an extra gear, and a sixth point by the magnificent Gannon kick-started a decisive purple patch for the Metropolitan boys. Doran moved them back into the ascendancy after Enda O’Donnell’s goal-bound strike had been turned away, and this was supplemented in clinical style by points from Keith Campbell (two) and Runin.
Prior to a late O’Connell free, Tony McCaul was black-carded, but with Halpin receiving a similar punishment for the midlanders, St Aidan’s emerged with three points to spare – and will now compete in the last-eight of the provincial championship for a second consecutive year.
Scorers – St Aidan’s CBS: L Gannon 0-6, J Doran 0-3 (2f), K Campbell 0-2 (1f), D Ryan, T McCaul, B Ashton, S Runin 0-1 each. St Mel’s College: B Harte 1-1, R O’Connell 0-3 (2f), C Dooner 0-2, P Halpin, G Flynn, D O’Brien 0-1 each.
ST AIDAN’S: C McHugh; D O’Connell, M Moran, D Bergin; R Harte, C Murphy, R Kelly; D Ryan, K Campbell; E O’Donnell, T McCaul, J Doran; B Ashton, J Leonard, L Gannon. Subs: E Berry for Kelly (14-15 & 19), S Runin for Berry (h-t), A McCaul for Leonard (42), C McCormack for Ashton (55), Berry for T McCaul (60).
ST MEL’S COLLEGE: B Carr; P Brady, L Harte, N Farrelly; B Harte, P Duggan, M McCann; P Halpin, G Flynn; R O’Connell, D Connell, D O’Brien; D O’Connell, D Smith, L Sheridan. Subs: C Dooner for Smith (13), S Creevy for Brady (54).
Referee: P Coyle (Meath).