LEINSTER: NORTH SF ‘A’ FINAL COL EOIN 2-10 COL MHUIRE, MULLINGAR 2-8
Eoin secure Leinster title with late flourish
A LATE scoring burst from Colaiste Eoin was crucial at Cusack Park yesterday afternoon, as the Gaelscoil secured the North Leinster Senior Football ‘A’ League title with a dramatic two-point triumph against Colaiste Mhuire, Mullingar.
Eoin defeated St Mel’s of Longford at the semi-final stage in December, and thanks to an impressive goal from Dara de Poire (a key player in the school’s Dublin Senior ‘A’ Hurling success last month), they developed a slender advantage.
However, this score had been preceded by an expertly-struck TJ Cox penalty for Mhuire, and following another goal by Ciaran Nolan, the Westmeath outfit brought a five-point cushion (2-4 to 1-2) into the interval.
Eoin were playing with the aid of a strong breeze in the second half, and with Des Ó Dúgáin, Chonchúr Cinnsealach, Fionn Ó Ceallaigh (two) and Daniel Ó Laoghaire all on target, they remained within reach of their Lake County opponents.
Fine Mhuire scores by Adam Loughrey, Tom Molloy and Cox initially kept the Booterstown school at arm’s length, but after a second de Poire goal in the latter stages was supplemented by a Cinnsealach point, Colaiste Eoin sensationally snatched victory from the jaws of defeat.