Devereux nets the late winner
JACK DEVEREUX netted a late winning goal as St. Peter’s College won back-to-back Top Oil Leinster Senior football ‘A’ league titles in Tinryland, Co. Carlow, recently.
With his school two points down against the Leinster champions, the St. Martin’s attacker cut in and scored a clinical winning goal from an acute angle to give St. Peter’s their third league win since the 2012-’13 season.
It was a nice way to end the season for the St. Peter’s lads, as things didn’t work out for them in their bid to retain their Leinster title but they finished with more silverware in the cabinet in Summerhill.
Naas got off to a fast start with a couple of points, but St. Peter’s had a purple patch. Dylan Lyne and Mikey Carroll registered points and the latter flashed home a goal after a strong assist from Aaron Breen.
With Breen and Ben Maddock excelling in midfield, and Conall Clancy and Cian Meyler energetic in the half-back line, St. Peter’s were matching their opponents at the break (1-2 to 0-5). They started the second-half on the front foot too.
Liam O’Connor’s frees were important, so too was a Devereux point, but Aaron Breen’s 1-1 put the side mentored by Brian Malone and Shane Roche into the lead as the game approached the final quarter.
Things then looked to be slipping away when Naas scored two quick goals and raced into the lead. However, with five minutes to play Liam O’Connor popped over to leave just two points between the sides (2-9 to 2-7).
St. Peter’s weren’t going to go down without a fight and they got their reward when Devereux drove in to give his side the league title and prevent Naas C.B.S. from matching their own Senior double from last season.
St. Peter’s: David Pettit (Our Lady’s Island/St. Fintan’s); Matthew Banville (Glynn-Barntown), Philip Dempsey (St. Martin’s), Ryan Furlong (Sarsfields); Conall Clancy (Sarsfields), Cian Meyler (Our Lady’s Island/St. Fintan’s), Ross Banville (Shelmaliers); Aaron Breen (Glynn-Barntown, 1-1), Ben Maddock (St. Martin’s); Diarmuid Barry (St. Martin’s), Jack Devereux (St. Martin’s, 1-1), Michael Carroll (Glynn-Barntown, 1-1, 0-1 free); Liam O’Connor (St. Mary’s, Rosslare, 0-3 frees), Adam Cantwell (St. Martin’s), Dylan Lyne (Glynn-Barntown, 0-1). Subs. - Sam Audsley (St. Martin’s) for Furlong, Liam Berry (Glynn-Barntown) for Barry, Darragh Nolan (Glynn-Barntown) for Lyne.