DUBLIN SCHOOLS JUVENILE ‘C’ HURLING CHAMPIONSHIP SEMI-FINAL
Goals galore in dramatic finale send Maynooth PP through to final
Daire Walsh
THANKS to a stunning goal blitz in the final eight minutes of their encounter with Skerries Community College on Tuesday, Maynooth PP booked their place in the upcoming Dublin Schools Juvenile Hurling ‘C’ Championship decider.
The north Kildare outfit were facing into an eight-point deficit during the closing stages of the contest, but following a dramatic finale at Skerries Harps GAA, they edged out their Townparks counterparts with a single point to spare (3-5 to 1-10).
Maynooth advanced to the knockout stages from a four-team group that included Salesian College, Colaiste Cois Life and Lucan CC, while Skerries had faced Colaiste Choilm, Portmarnock CS and Malahide CS in Roinn One.
The home side were facing into a strong breeze during the opening half, and with goalkeeper Gearoid Hogan and Cillian Kearney leading by example, Maynooth brought a slender 0-4 to 0-3 advantage into the break.
However, Skerries enjoyed a strong purple patch after the restart, and a goal at the end of the third-quarter helped them to develop a 1-10 to 0-5 cushion.
Yet, Maynooth didn’t allow their heads to drop, and after David Qualter and Cormac Nolan had raised green flags in quick succession, a third goal without reply from Eoin Kelleher ensured that Cian Hogan’s charges triumphed in the most dramatic of circumstances.