Second-half surge earns Kilkenny CBS place in semi-final
Croke Cup
Kilkenny CBS 3-9
Presentation College, Athenry 0-15
Daire Walsh
Kilkenny CBS booked their place in the semi-final of the All-Ireland Schools Senior ‘A’ Hurling Championship (Croke Cup) with a three-point victory over Presentation College, Athenry, at Abbotstown yesterday.
The dead-ball prowess of full-forward Evan Niland had helped the Tribesmen to develop a three-point lead at the midway point, but a strong second-half showing secured Kilkenny’s progression to the penultimate round of the competition.
The impressive Niland – an All-Ireland minor winner with Galway in 2015 – had a brace of early points cancelled out by Niall Brassil (free) and Conor Heary, before Kilkenny corner-forward Sean Bolger grabbed the game’s opening goal in the 17th-minute.
However, five points without reply moved Athenry into the ascendancy towards the latter stages of the opening period, and even though Kilkenny responded through Brassil, stoppage-time scores by Barry Callanan and Niland gave Athenry a 0-9 to 1-3 interval cushion.
Yet, their lead was immediately wiped out by a stunning Bolger three-pointer directly after the restart, and this was quickly supplemented by two points from Heary and one apiece from Brassil and Bolger.
A third goal courtesy of Sean Boyd on 43 minutes looked set to place the outcome beyond doubt, only for a determined Athenry to force their way back into the reckoning.
Unanswered scores by Oisin Connolly, Niland (four) and Eoin Caulfield cut their deficit to a minimum, but outstanding long-range points from Bolger and Brassil set-up a last-four meeting with Our Lady’s, Templemore, for Kilkenny CBS.
Scorers for Kilkenny CBS: S Bolger 2-2, N Brassil 0-4 (2f), S Boyd 1-0, C Heary 0-3.
Scorers for Presentation College, Athenry: E Niland 0-11 (10f), P Foley, B Callanan, O Connolly 0-1 each.
KILKENNY CBS: B Maher; J Molloy, M Butler, J Manogue; P Collins, C Flynn, L Stynes; N Brassil, R Buckley; S Boyd, S Bolger, C Heary; C Drennan, D Dunne, J Sheehan.
Subs: C Timmons for Manogue, S Staunton for Buckley (both h-t), T Wallace for Brennan (50).
PRESENTATION COLLEGE, ATHENRY: M Fahy; A Martyn, C Lee, E Hickey; H Lane, C Walsh, W Corcoran; D Loftus, A Clarke; L Forde, P Foley, E Caulfield; O Connolly, E Niland, B Callanan.
Subs: M Kennedy for Lane (33), K Conneely for Corcoran, S Quirke for Loftus (both 45), E O’Donnell for Clarke (58), A Brett for Forde (62).
Referee: B Gavin (Offaly).