LEINSTER JUVENILE HURLING ‘B’
Peel adds polish as Ris secure title
Daire Walsh
ARDSCOIL Ris were crowned Leinster Schools Juvenile Hurling ‘B’ champions with a 2-14 to 3-5 victory over Colaiste Mhuire, Mullingar at Dunganny last Thursday.
The Griffith Avenue side held off a late surge by Mhuire to claim provincial honours. Full-forward Daniel Peel impressed with a final haul of 1-7, while there were also strong scoring contributions from Paddy Gilroy (son of Dublin hurling supremo Pat), Adam McAweeney and Oisin Mulcahy.
Although they advanced to the Leinster stage with a commanding county final triumph against St Colmcille’s CS in April, the northsiders were always likely to face a stubborn resistance in the Meath venue. Midfielder Sean Leech posed a significant threat for Mhuire throughout the course of the action, but the opening half belonged to the Dublin school.
At the end of a powerful purple patch, the lethal Peel found the back of the net to offer Ardscoil a 1-8 to 0-4 cushion on the stroke of half-time.
The increasingly-influential Leech aimed to kick-start a Mhuire revival on the restart with a superb goal, only for substitute Brian Murray to do likewise at the opposite end.
Indeed, with a nine-point lead (2-11 to 1-5) at their disposal on the three-quarter mark, Ardscoil looked set to ease their way over the line.
Leech and David Williams goals did throw a spanner into the works late on, before centre-forward Andrew Keegan and Peel added insurance points for Ris to hold off the gallant Colaiste Mhuire charge.