A bridge too far
Early dismissal rocked bid for victory
COLAISTE CHOILM 3-11
ST. MARY’S (ENNISCORTHY) 1-6
A DISASTROUS closing ten minutes put paid to the hopes of St. Mary’s C.B.S. of continuing their interest in the Top Oil Leinster Colleges Senior hurling ‘B’ championship, when their midland opponents outscored them by 2-2 to just one point.
This Rest of Leinster final was played in windy conditions in the Fenians (Johnstown) pitch, with the stronger Tullamore side tolerating the conditions better, significantly helped by their extra man, after St. Mary’s lost a defender early in the game.
The first-half went mostly the way of Tullamore, though St. Mary’s put in a strong effort. The loss of Micheál Gahan at centre-back for St. Mary’s in the tenth minute, arising from a very harsh, dubious decision by the referee, was a major blow to the Slaneysiders.
Up to his dismissal, he had largely kept his immediate opposite number, scorer-in-chief Brian Duignan, under control; with his departure, Duignan, ranging widely on a long rein, scored 2-4 for the remainder of the game.
Early points from Tullamore’s Duignan, Stephen Fitzgerald and Billy Fogarty, were answered by Craig Foley (two) and Jack Reck for St. Mary’s, but the remainder of the half went largely the midlanders’ way, with the first of Duignan’s goals in the 22nd minute, in addition to points from the same player and accurate corner-forward Fogarty (two).
The C.B.S. scores were courtesy of their previous marksmen, Craig Foley and Jack Reck, leaving them trailing by six points at half-time (1-7 to 0-4).
However, the deficit seemed to energise the Slaneysiders and in the third quarter, after falling a further point behind in the first two minutes, they surged back into the game.
Points were registered by Foley and Reck again, before their opportunist corner-forward, Chris Lawless, shot low and hard into the corner of the net, thus leaving them trailing by a mere two points.
At this stage, the game could have gone either way, but entering the final quarter, the absence of their centre-back began to take its toll and the physically-stronger Tullamore 15 stood up better to the trying conditions, while the St. Mary’s side were slowly wilting under the extra manpower pressure.
A goal from Billy Fogarty opened the floodgates and, aided by points from full-forward Fitzgerald and Cathal Brady (two), the eventual winners eased into an eight-point lead, before their thorn-in-the-side centre-forward Duignan ran through the Enniscorthy defence and shot past goalie Kevin Cosgrave in the closing minutes.
This left the final score standing at 3-11 for Coláiste Choilm, to 1-6 for St. Mary’s.
All things being equal, the game would have been a close contest, with both sides being well prepared for the match. Tullamore stood up to the conditions better and ably capitalised on their extra man.
Their defence proved the more effective, confining the Enniscorthy scoring to one forward, a significant factor in the eventual outcome of the game. The defeated side may rue what might have been, but it must be admitted that Tullamore were worthy winners on the day.
They now meet the Dublin region winners, Terenure College, in the Leinster final, and on this display, they will be difficult opposition to overcome.
St. Mary’s C.B.S.: Kevin Cosgrave (Oylegate-Glenbrien); Rory Scallan (Ferns St. Aidan’s), Mike Kelly (Oylegate-Glenbrien, capt.), Tomás Cosgrave (Oylegate-Glenbrien); Craig Foley (Rapparees, 0-4), Micheál Gahan (Monageer-Boolavogue), Mick Delaney (Rapparees); Pádraig Walsh (Monageer-Boolavogue), Jack Reck (Oylegate-Glenbrien, 0-2); Oran Carty (Rapparees), Eanna Doyle (Cloughbawn), Jack Roche (Oulart-The Ballagh); Conor Nolan (Oylegate-Glenbrien), Niall Parker (Oylegate-Glenbrien), Chris Lawless (Oulart-The Ballagh, 1-0). Subs. - Mark Quigley (Marshalstown-Castledockrell), David Mernagh (Monageer-Boolavogue), Liam Flood (Cloughbawn), Michael Dempsey (Rapparees), Jack Doyle (Rapparees), Rob Foley (Oulart-The Ballagh), William Doyle (Rapparees), Gavin Murphy (Rapparees), James Flood (Cloughbawn), Cian Wickham (Ballyhogue), Kyle Murphy (Cloughbawn).
Coláiste Choilm: Conor Brophill; Diarmuid Egan, Ciarán Burke, Seán Beatty; Jack O’Brien, Luke Egan, Ross Ravenhill; Emmet Curley, Cathal O’Meara; Cathal Brady (0-2), Brian Duignan (2-4), Aaron Flanagan; Mark Dillon, Stephen Fitzgerald (0-2), Billy Fogarty (1-3). Subs. - Caolan Flanagan, Conor Doran, Ciarán Egan, Seán Robilliard, Conor Flynn, Luke Wyer.
Referee: Anthony Stapleton (Laois).