GAELIC GAMES – DUBLIN JHC ‘A’ FINAL: COLAISTE EOIN 0-13 ARDSCOIL RIS 0-5
EOIN AVENGE ARDSCOIL
Booterstown boys take Junior ‘A’ hurling crown from champs
Daire Walsh
PADRAIG Ó Luinneacháin and Dara Puirséil were in excellent form at Abbotstown on Monday, when Colaiste Eoin secured the Dublin Schools Junior ‘A’ Hurling Championship crown with a convincing win over Ardscoil Ris.
Eoin were narrowly defeated by Ardscoil in last year’s decider at this grade, but despite conceding an early point to opposition midfielder Rory Finn, they were awarded a penalty with just four minutes gone in the action.
The subsequent place-ball strike by Ó Luinneacháin was brilliantly turned away by Ardscoil goalkeeper Neil Currie, before unanswered scoring hauls from Ó Luinneacháin (three) and Dara Puirséil (two) helped the Booterstown boys take control.
Ardscoil responded through Joe O’Connell, only for Conall Ó Tuathaill’s stoppage-time effort to present the Booterstown school with a 0-6 to 0-2 interval cushion. Currie played with great authority for Ardscoil, and after he produced a double save from Puirséil and Ó Tuathaill on the resumption, Finn cut the gap from an expertly-converted free.
The Griffith Avenue outfit remained in contention following swapped scores between Ó Luinneacháin and Finn, but Eoin threatened to pull away with consecutive scores from Ó Tuathaill and Puirséil.
Ardscoil kept their hopes alive with a 49th-minute point from Daniel Peel, but with Ó Luinneacháin (two), Puirséil and Dárach Mac Giolla Bhríde all finding the target in the closing stages, Colaiste Eoin celebrated a well-deserved triumph.
Scorers – Colaiste Eoin: P Ó Luinneacháin 0-6 (4f), D Puirséil 0-4, C Ó Tuathaill 0-2, D Mac Giolla Bhríde 0-1. Ardscoil Ris: R Finn 0-3 (2f), D Peel (f), J O’Connell 0-1 each.
COLAISTE EOIN: D Mac Gabhann; C Mac Mathúna, B Mac Síthigh, C Ó Gráinne; C Ó Cathasaigh, I Ó hEithir, F Ó Murchú; R Ó Maoileoin, D Mac Duinnsléibhe; O Mac Gearailt, P Ó Luinneacháin, D Mac Giolla Bhríde; S Ó Cuanaigh, D Puirséil, C Ó Tuathaill. Subs: H Bál for Ó Cuanaigh (39), C Ó Maoileoin for Ó Tuathaill (62).
ARDSCOIL RIS: N Currie; M Higgins, C O’Neill, C Nolan; D Clerkin, M L’Estrange, T O’Brien; J O’Connell, R Finn; C Sheridan, P McCaw, C Kelly; S Mulcahy, R O’Neill, S Hession. Subs: D Peel for Hession (42), S Carty for Mulcahy (49).
Referee: J Dunning (St Brigid’s).