Enniscorthy boys bow out
Piper Hill packed a punch
PIPER HILL simply had too many weapons for Enniscorthy Vocational College as the Naas school claimed the South Leinster Senior ‘D’ football title in style at Eire Og, Carlow, on Thursday.
While the end result says that the County Wexford school lost by 21 points, the contest was far closer than that, with Enniscorthy giving as good as they got for the first three-quarters.
Only when the legs began to tire, on an unseasonably warm March day, did a raft of goals follow.
Despite the Murphys, Anthony and John, both getting on the scoresheet early, Piper Hill led by 0-3 to 0-2 after seven minutes. The Kildare lads began to ease clear as the quarter ran on with Richie French poking home the opening goal.
However, a determined Enniscorthy chipped away. Three Lee Jordan dead-balls and a second point from Anthony Murphy narrowed the deficit to just three after 22 minutes (1-6 to 0-6).
A purple patch from Naas, which saw Jack Conway rattle the net twice, looked set to kill off Enniscorthy hopes. Yet, just before the break, Dean Levingstone picked out Scott Tobin in space and the corner-forward found the net with a classy finish.
Trailing by 3-8 to 1-6 at the break, Enniscorthy closed the gap to six with a brace of frees from Jordan.
There was still only seven points in it when John Murphy scored a classy point in the 43rd minute (3-10 to 1-9).
Then things got out of hand. Piper Hill netted through the impressive Paul Farrelly and added a fifth when substitute Eoin O’Neill fired past Ryan Kirwan. The replacement had a chance to register another one minute later but Anthony Larkin saved his spot-kick.
It was probably fitting, as the Naas school ended with all of their 20 scores coming from play. Jack Conway completed his hat-trick with nine minutes left but Enniscorthy kept battling on and Lee Jordan scored a lovely point with 57 minutes on the clock.
O’Neill put a seal on the Piper Hill victory with his second major in the final minute, leaving Enniscorthy looking a little dishevelled, despite putting in a strong challenge for most of the match.
Enniscorthy V.S.: Ryan Kirwan; Lee McHale; Jack Kirwan, Aaron Murphy; Tomás Wildes, Seán Breen, Anthony Larkin; John Murphy (capt., 0-2), Lee Jordan (0-6, 5 frees); Thomas Kennedy, Anthony Murphy (0-2), Michael Andrews; Dean Levingstone, Shane Lynch, Scott Tobin (1-0). Subs. - Evan Ryan for Levingstone (43), Dylan O’Sullivan for Tobin (53), Kyle Lacey for Andrews (53), Aaron Roche for A. Murphy (53), Jordan O’Brien for Kennedy (53).
Piper Hill: Matthew Farrelly; Oisín Byrne, Killian Murphy, Ciarán Eaton; Eoin Curley, Seán Jameson, Eoghan Walsh; Ben Buggy (0-1), Paul Farrelly (capt., 1-4); Conor Kelly, Luke Doyle (01), Seán O’Toole (0-1); Richie French (1-0), Jack Conway (3-2), Jordan Deegan (0-2). Subs. - Edi Tampu for Curley, inj. (30), Ciarán Devoy for Eaton (31), Ross Mantle (0-2) for Kelly (31), Eoin O’Neill (2-0) for French (46), Seamus Gallagher for Buggy (52).
Referee: Pat Kehoe (Carlow).