Courage under fire
Brave Coláiste Bhríde secure deserved ‘C’ crown
COLÁISTE BHRÍDE PRES DE LA SALLE 3-06 2-07
A late 1-01 from team captain Conor Hughes sealed a deserved victory for the Coláiste Bhríde Carnew under-16 hurlers in the Top Oil South Leinster Post Primary Schools Junior Hurling ‘C’ Championship final in a bitterly cold Éire Óg GAA grounds in Carlow town last Friday afternoon.
Prior to Hughes’ fortuitous strike from a free out on the sideline, the Coláiste Bhríde side were coming under sustained pressure from their Bagenalstown opponents who had the benefit of a stiff wind at their backs and anything other than a win for the south Carlow outfit was looking unlikely.
But Hughes’ goal changed the match entirely, and although Pres De La Salle brought it back to a one-point game shortly after the lucky major that floated in over the heads of the Pres defence, a superb point from Hughes with four of normal left gave the Co. Carlow side a steep hill they couldn’t climb.
The biting wind was a major factor in the game. Kevin Morris and Pat Nolan’s side had it at their backs for the opening 30 minutes but might have headed to the sideline with slight concern in their minds that they hadn’t done enough with only a 2-04 to 0-03 lead on the board.
The Carnew side owned the opening five minutes and led 1-02 to no score with Craanford’s Joe Conroy turning in a fine first half and opening the scoring with a pointed free early on before watching his low drilled free flash into the back of the net a few moments later. Centre half-forward Eoin Kavanagh added the second point in between Conroy’s efforts; a lovely rocket of a shot that flew over Dean Syle’s crossbar.
Pres De La Salle found the elements difficult to handle in the opening half but Daragh Nolan’s opener was superb from out near the sideline. Jamie Doyle and the excellent Jack Treacy both fired wide before Carnew’s James McGing gave Coláiste Bhríde a 1-03 to 0-01 lead after 11 minutes.
A long-distance Conroy point from a free was answered by a Jack Treacy effort from a placed ball and then Conor Hughes won a ball in front of his man, flicked a dainty pass to Eoin Young inside and the Carnew man stroked home the gentlest goal you ever did see with 27 on the clock.
Treacy added a free for Pre De La Salle but the sides retired at the break with Coláiste Bhríde leading by 2-04 to 0-03 with the question on everyone’s mind being whether or not they could keep the Bagenalstown lads at bay for the second half.
Things were looking very good on that front in the opening stages of the second half when Conroy pointed a free won by James McGing.
But a rapid 2-03 from the Pres De La Salle men left Coláiste Bhríde reeling and under all sorts of pressure with about 12 minutes to go in the second half. Both sidelines were incensed at times by decisions made by the Laois official but the Carnew side had it all to do going into the last 10 minutes.
Tom Mordaunt won a free out on the sideline for Coláiste Bhríde and up stepped Conor Hughes. Interestingly, for the duration of the barren spell for the Carnew side, Joe Conroy had been sent into the edge of the Pres De La Salle square. Upon his return out the field Coláiste Bhríde started to dominate again.
Hughes free dropped short and should well and truly have been dealt with by the defence but it somehow found its way into the back of the net for a gift of a goal and it pushed Coláiste Bhríde two points ahead at a vital stage.
Jack Treacy pointed a free But Hughes rifled over a sweet score to give the Carnew side a bit of breathing space and put pressure on Pres to have to go for goal with time almost up.
They did come looking and they were afforded several frees close in by Pat Moran but the Coláiste Bhríde defence stood strong and repelled the attacks and the final whistle was greeted with great joy by the players, management and the small band of loyal supporters who made the trip over the border.
Scorers - Coláiste Bhríde Carnew: Joe Conroy 1-03 (all from frees), Conor Hughes 1-01 (goal from a free), Eoin Young 1-00, James McGing 0-01, Eoin Kavanagh 0-01.
Presenation De La Salle Bagenalstown: Jack Treacy 1-05 (5f), Jake Doyle 1-00, Daragh Nolan 0-01, Sean Smithers 0-01.
Patrick Kavanagh (Craanford); Cormac Redmond (Carnew), Conor Wafer (Carnew), Cillian Wafer (Tinahely); John Young (Carnew), Aidan Kavanagh (Craanford), Ricky Byrne (Kildavin); Joe Conroy (Craanford), Tom Mordaunt (Kilanerin); James McGing (Carnew), Eoin Kavanagh (Carnew), Jason Bolger (Kilanerin); Stephen Kenny (Askamore), Conor Hughes (Kilanerin), Eoin Young (Carnew). Subs: Jack Murray for C Redmond (47min).
Dean Slye; Colin Byrne, Michael Mullins, Eoghan Dowling; Jamie Doyle, Niall Bolger, James Lennon; Patrick McDonnell, Sean Smithers; David Watkins (18), Jack Treacy, Daragh Nolan; Kealan Guidera, Jack McCullagh, Jake Doyle. Subs: Conor Hanson for K Guidera (59min).
Pat Moran (Laois)