GAELIC GAMES: LEINSTER SF ‘A’
Benildus, Fintan’s are out of picture
Daire Walsh
THERE was disappointment for St Fintan’s HS, Sutton and St Benildus College, whose Leinster Schools Senior ‘A’ Football Championship campaigns to an end in the past week.
An opening round defeat to Maynooth PP had left Fintan’s with ground to make up in Group F, while a draw against defending champions St Peter’s, Wexford had offered Benildus a possible path to the knockout stages from a competitive Group E.
Fintan’s welcomed Marist Athlone to Sutton last Thursday afternoon, and though they did their utmost to keep a tight rein of their opponents, points from the likes of Fred Kelleher, Eoin Mulvihill, Brian Ruane, Tom O’Carroll and Joe Carmody helped the Westmeath school to bring a 0-7 to 0-3 cushion into the interval.
CANCELLED
Fintan’s cancelled out another O’Carroll score when the action resumed, but thanks to the dead-ball accuracy of Kieran Colclough, Marist remained in control of the action.
Sutton initially kept themselves in contention moving towards the final quarter, but with Ciaran Sugrue, O’Carroll, Mattie Nally and Josh Beaumount also finding the target, Marist eased towards a 0-17 to 0-6 victory.
With just one team guaranteed to progress from each group, Benildus knew that their game against another Westmeath school – Athlone CC – was a must-win encounter.
The southside school battled well throughout in a tricky away venue, but ultimately were on the receiving end of a 0-9 to 3-15 reversal to the Lake County side.