LEINSTER PP SCH JFC ‘B’ FINAL
Ashbourne have measure of Eanna in provincial final
Daire Walsh
ASHBOURNE COMMUNITY SCHOOL were crowned Leinster Schools Junior ‘B’ Football champions with a comprehensive 5-17 to 1-4 victory over Colaiste Eanna at Blanchardstown IT last Friday afternoon.
On a day when they had eight different scorers over the course of the hour, Daire O’Rourke and Josh Flanagan amassed a combined haul of 4-6 for the victorious Meath side. While Eanna enjoyed a fruitful attacking spell in the early stages of the second period, it was never going to be enough to halt Ashbourne’s charge for provincial supremacy.
It had already been a memorable season of Gaelic games action for the Deerpark school. They defeated Skerries CC in March to claim the Leinster Senior ‘B’ Football championship.
Just seven days on from their impressive success in the Dublin U16 decider – also at the expense of Skerries – Eanna presented the final obstacle in their bid for a double triumph. There was an air of familiarity in this encounter, with a number of the Ashbourne squad playing their club football in the capital.
Fingal Ravens and St Margaret’s were particularly well represented as the in-form Royals came flying out of the traps. Courtesy of superb goals by O’Rourke (two), Flanagan (two) and Sean Kinsella – a Dublin minor footballer this year – they brought an unassailable 5-9 to 0-1 lead into the break.
To Eanna’s credit, they caused a number of problems for Ashbourne on the resumption and significantly enhanced their tally with a 1-3 blitz. Nevertheless, their opponents continued to rule the roost.
O’Rourke, Flanagan and Kinsella received signifiant help from Conor Foley (0-4) and Jake Pope (0-2), while Sam Hannigan, Kevin Cully and Shane Kane also finished with a point each to their name.