Robinson brace proves difference as Eanna retain crown
By COLAISTE EANNA 3-8 ARDSCOIL RIS 1-10 DUBLIN SCHOOLS SH ‘A’ FINAL
Thursday October 18 2012
A brace of goals — one in each half — from Keith Robinson proved decisive in Tom Russell Park, as Colaiste Eanna successfully retained their crown.
Played on the immaculate all-weather surface at St Brigid’s GAA Club in testing conditions, it wasn’t until the ninth minute that first score of the contest arrived, a well-taken point from Eanna corner-forward Eamon Forman.
Ardscoil hit back with efforts from Patrick Spellacy (free) and Shane Barrett, but a point each from Robinson and Colm Basquel restored the Ballyroan school’s slender advantage.
The north Dublin school weren’t going to be dismissed lightly, though, and struck for unanswered scores through Conor Mullins and Spellacy.
It was Eanna who were the happier of the two teams at the break, however, as a 25th-minute goal by Robinson helped them into a two-point lead (1-4 to 0-5).
This major from Robinson was cancelled out six minutes after the restart when Mullins ran through the heart of the Eanna defence before kicking to the net, but the southsiders exploded back into life as Darragh O’Shea’s first point of the contest was added to on 42 minutes by a clinically taken goal from Robinson.
A third goal arrived courtesy of centre-forward Tim O’Connor with just eight minutes left.
The Griffith Avenue outfit fought until the bitter end, but two monstrous frees from influential skipper O’Shea late on were enough to secure back-to-back success for Eanna.
Scorers — Colaiste Eanna: K Robinson 2-2 (2f), T O’Connor 1-0, D O’Shea 0-3 (2f), C Basquel, E O’Toole, E Forman 0-1 each. Ardscoil Ris: C Mullins 1-2, P Spellacy 0-3 (2f), S Murphy (f), P Donnelly, S Barrett, S O’Sullivan, S Hannigan 0-1 each.
COLAISTE EANNA — A Boyd Lyons; J McDonnell, J Mernagh, J Hamm; I Mellett, T Hanafin, E Giles; D O’Shea, F Maguire; C Basquel, T O’Connor, K Robinson; E O’Toole, J Madden, E Forman. Subs: S Brennan for O’Toole (36), A McGrath for Robinson (49-53, blood sub), J Holland for Giles (53).
ARDSCOIL RIS — B Cushen; K McDonnell, P Donnelly, M Moore; S Cassedy, L Carey, C Burke; S Barrett, C McGuire; L Nickerson, P Spellacy, S O’Sullivan; C Mullins, S O’Cuainachain, S Murphy. Subs: S O’Meara for McGuire (46), S Hannigan for Spellacy (50).
REF — F McGreevy (Dublin).