Our Lady’s & St Patrick’s Knock 2-8 St Louis Ballymena 1-6
OUR Lady’s & St Patrick’s Knock qualified for their first ever Ulster Schools hurling final when they beat St Louis Ballymena in Thursday’s semi-final at Jordanstown. In a game played in terrible conditions (‘you wouldn’t put your wheelie bin out on a day like that”) to quote match referee Brendan Toland, the Knock side held the upper hand, and though the sides went in level at half time, Knock took charge after the break and handled conditions much better than their opponents to book a place in next Tuesday’s Foresters final against CPC.
The Down school went into an early lead with points from Ben Taggart (two) and Shane O’Connell. It was 15 minutes before Paudie Martin got St Louis off the mark with a point and, when Fintan Bradley grabbed the opening goal of the game they held the upper hand. It was short lived however and when centre back Ben Teggart crashed a 20 metre free to the net they were back on top, though St did pull back to level at the break and the teams turned around level on 1-3 apiece.
Knock broke for the finish line during the third quarter with two more points from Teggart and a goal from full forward Frank Kane increasing their lead to 2-6 to 1-3.
St Louis were treading water but midfielder Paudie Martin pulled back a couple of scores, but it was took little, too late, as late points from Liam Blaney and Rónán Donnelly sealed victory for Knock.
Knock: Ben Teggart 1-4, Frank Kane 1-0, Shane O’Connell 0-1, Rónán Donnelly 0-1, Luke Doran 0-1, Liam Blaney 0-1
Fintan Bradley 1-1, Paudie Martin 0-4, Caolan McCollum 0-1
Three players from Antrim and Ulster Champions Dunloy Cuchullains have been selected on the AIB Club Hurling team of the Year with Kevin Molloy, Ryan McGarry being chosen in defence and Conal Coby Cunninng named in the forwards.
After winning back the Ulster crown for the first time in nine years Dunloy went on to beat Galway champions St Thomas in the All Ireland semi-final at Croke Park and set up a final meeting with Ballyhale Shamrocks, the most successful team in the history of the competition.
The Ulster champions played really well in the final and pushed the nine times champions hard right up to the final minutes when a late flurry of scores gave the scoreline a somewhat flattering look.
The three men selected on the All Star team have played really well throughout and are fully deserving of their honours. Going into the ste semi-final and final most pundits had predicted that it would be the Dunloy forward division who would shine, but just as they had done in Ulster the men at the back showed just what they can do. Molloy was outstanding in the semi-final win over St Thomas, while the ever improving Ryan McGarry was outstanding at full-back on the day of the final.
Conal ‘Coby’ Cunning has been the club’s top scorer over the past few years and his accuracy from play, and from frees proved in vital on the keys games during the campaign.
All Ireland Champions Ballyhale have eight members on the team with Killian Corcoran, Joey Holden, Richie Reid, Darragh Corcoran, Adrian Mullen, Eoin Cody, TJ Reid, and Colin Fennelly included.
The AIB Club Hurling Team of the Year is: Stephen O’Keeffe (Ballygunner); Killian Corcoran (Ballyhale Shamrocks), Joey Holden (Ballyhale Shamrocks), Ryan McGarry (Dunloy); Kevin Molloy (Dunloy), Richie Reid (Ballyhale Shamrocks), Darragh Corcoran (Ballyhale Shamrocks);. Conor Sheahan (Ballygunner), Adrian Mullen (Ballyhale Shamrocks); Eoin Cody (Ballyhale Shamrocks), TJ Reid (Ballyhale Shamrocks),. Pauric Mahony (Ballygunner), Conal Cunning (Dunloy) Colin Fennelly (Ballyhale Shamrocks), Patrick Fitzgerald (Ballygunner).
A better all around display of score taking saw CPC book their place in the Foresters Cup final as they beat St Killian’s Garron Tower with a bit to spare in Monday afternoon’s semi-final, which was played in bitterly cold conditions at Dunsilly
The Ballycastle school took their chances much better, while Garron Tower missed a series of good chances, including a penalty when top scorer Oran McCambride saw his well struck shot well saved by Anthony Mullan in the CPC goal. The St Killian’s boys were also too intent in going for goals, when simple points were there for the taking.
St Killian’s midfielder Callagh Mooney breaks clear to set up an attack
0-10 to 0-5 ahead at the interval, with the breeze at their backs in the second half, CPC pushed on with full forward Roan Donnelly hitting a series of excellent points. Centre forward Darragh Donnelly, his brother Conor and midfielder Calum Cane also go in on the act with two points apiece in the second half, but the score of the game came from substitute Caedan Crawford who scored a ‘killer’ goal soon after being introduced. Crawford pounced on a ball that broke loose to the right of goal before firing home from a narrow angle to put the gloss on a very good performance by CPC
Caedan Crawford scores the only goal of the game with a fantastic finish from a narrow angle
Liam McGhee, James Kearney, John Scullion, Conor McCann, Aodhan Campbell, Charlie McAuley, Oran McClintock, Colla Ward, Callagh Mooney (0-1), Alex McCambridge, Calum McIlwaine (0-1) , Michael Furey (0-1), Joe McKay, Oran McCambridge (0-5f), Daire Higgins
Antrim minor hurlers headed off to County Offaly for a training camp at the weekend in preparation for their Ulster final against Down this Saturday.
After a training session at Abbotstown, they proceeded onto Tullamore for a recovery session and a range of games/activities. On Sunday they played Offaly in a challenge game at the impressive Offaly centre of Excellence (Faithful Fields Kilcormac). The physical game was not one for the faint hearted with some great scores from both teams – half time score was Offaly 0-08 Antrim 0-09. With the winds at their backs the Antrim forwards started to dominate with goals coming from Callum Kane (2), Roan McGarry and Enda McGurk. Full time score Offaly 0-19 Antrim 4-13.
Antrim would like to thank Kieran the referee and the Offaly minor hurling management team for their unreal hospitality. Both the players and management wish player Colm O’Boyle a speedy recovery and look forward to seeing him back with the panel soon.
All Ireland Colleges B semi-final – Paddy Buggy Cup
Colaiste Naimh Cormac 1-19 St Louis 1-12
A spirited second half fight back by St. Louis, which saw them close the gap to two points with 4 minutes still on the clock, came up just short in Sunday’s Paddy Buggy Senior Colleges Senior Hurling semi-final at Darvar, Co Louth on Saturday
However it was not enough to get them over the line as Colaiste Naomh Cormac of Offaly hit back to score the last five points of the game and seal their place in the All-Ireland senior colleges B final in two weeks time. The Ballymena school simply took too long to get going and were 8 points adrift at halftime. They battled bravely in the second half despite losing a man to a second yellow card and when Ronan McCollum scored their only goal of the game it looked like they might just do it. But the Offaly boys had that little bit in reserve and closed out the game to seal their place in the decider.
St Louis Aodhan McGarry breaks through the Naomh Cormac tackles
Centre forward Donal MacLaithimh gave Colaiste Naimh Cormac and early lead but St Louis came back and points from Ronan McCollum from a free and Jack McCloskey from play got St Louis ahead. The Ulster champions had opportunities to add more to their total but on a couple of occasions were slow in their striking and the Offaly side managed to get in a ‘hook’ to deny them
Right half forward Laoi Caomhanach brought Colaiste Naimh Cormac level with a fine point from play and full forward Alec O Caomhananch put them back in front before Jack McCloskey intercepted a ball and broke through but failed to connect properly with his shot for goal and a great opportunity was gone.
Colaiste Naimh Cormac then began to ease away and points from Adan Screeney, Leigh Kavanagh and full forward Alec Kavanagh to open up a six point gap.
Jack McCloskey gets in a shot at goal
With time almost up in the first half Ronan McCollum cut it back to five when he sent over a free, but in first half injury time Screeney drove a shot from a narrow angle high into the St Louis net to give his team a 1-8 to 0-3 lead at the break.
Ronan McCollum pulled a point back early in the second half but the Ulster champions were dealt a bad blow seconds later when they had a man sent off for a second yellow card. Points from Paudie Martin and Jack McCloskey, in reply to one from Screeney kept hopes alive but the Offaly side pulled away again to restore their eight point cushion by the midway stage in the second half.
To their credit St Louis kept battling away and in the next ten minutes they outscored their opponents by six points to one, four of them from Aodhan McGarry, who was now in brilliant form around the middle of the field. With five minutes, plus injury time left to play the gap was back to two, but Colaiste Naimh Cormac regained control and driven on by their brilliant corner forward Screeney they hit the last five points of the game to seal the win.
St Louis Kevin O’Boyle makes a great high catch
ST LOUIS BALLYMENA: Caolan McFerran; Senan O’Boyle, Pearce Patterson, Michael Traynor; Kevin O’Boyle, Darragh Patterson, Francis McMullan; Sean Og Blaney, Aodhan McGarry; Tom McFerran, Jack McCloskey, Paudie Martin; Barry McCloskey, Ronan McCollum, Dara Martin. Subs. Joe McCormick (for Tom McFerran, 41 mins), Fintan Bradley (for Dara Martin, 47 mins).
Subs – Fintan Bradley
COLAISTE NAOMH CORMAC: Cillian Spain (Drumcullen); Luke Bracken (Kilcormac/Killoughey), James Mahon (K/K), Mark Mulrooney (K/K); Richard Bracken (K/K), Brecon Kavanagh (K/K), Oisin Guinan (K/K); Colin Spain (K/K), Harry Sweeney (K/K); Leigh Kavanagh (K/K), Daniel Hand (K/K), Ciaran Scully (K/K); James Hennessy (Drumcullen), Alex Kavanagh (K/K), Adam Screeney (K/K). Sub. Dylan Hollywood (Drumcullen) (for Ciaran Scully, 39 mins).
Adam Screeney who was the star of the for the Offaly school
