Cross & Passion beat Dungarvan CBS to retain their All Ireland title.

DOWN MEMORY LANE

Ten years ago this week Cross & Passion College retained their All Ireland B Hurling title when they beat Dungarvan CBS in the final at Finagllians GAC Swords. (They had beaten Caoliste Eoin from Dublin in the final the previous year in Newry)

I can’t find my own match report from the game but thanks to Joe Cassidy we have the report that appeared in the Munster Express. Some great memories here…….

All fall down! Cross & Passion captain Matthew Donnelly reaches out towards the O’Keefe Cup as the team celebrates their 1-12 to 0-11 win over Dungarvan CBS in the final of the All Ireland Senior Colleges B Hurling Championship at Finagallian’s Swords.

All Ireland Colleges B Hurling Final 2010 – O’Keefe Cup

Cross & Passion College 1-12 Dungarvan CBS 0-11

Dungarvan CBS succumbed to a storming finish from Cross and Passion College which saw the Antrim side retain the O’Keeffe Cup at the Fingallians club grounds in Swords on Saturday last.

Despite playing against the breeze in the opening half the Ulster champions held a 1-4 to 0-2 lead at the midway mark, their goal coming from the boot of James Black who kicked past Darren Duggan with just seven minutes played.

Cross & Passion College left-half forward James ‘Rocket’ Black celebrates after scoring his team’s goal in their 1-12 to 0-011 win over Waterford and Munster champions Dungarvan CBS in the final of the All Ireland Senior Colleges B Hurling Championship at Finagallian’s Swords, a victory which saw them retain the O’Keefe Cup.

Despite the Ballycastle boys’ bright start the Old Boro lads battled back bravely to go in at the break trailing by Black’s early goal, 1-5 to 0-5.

Dungarvan CBS came out all guns blazing at the start of the second half. Colm Curran, who was their only scorer on the day, hit three points in the 10 minutes after the restart to level the match.

James Black added a point for Cross and Passion to restore their lead, but as the game entered the final quarter the sides were all-square once again as Colm Curran riffled over yet another free for the Munster champions.

Into the final quarter Dungarvan CBS edged in from when Curran stuck his side’s only score from play over the course of the hour. Cross and Passion’s response was swift, however. Stephen McAfee levelled matters once more after Curran’s effort and then the Ulster side went back in front when Ciarain Clarke converted a 65.