Counsel survive despite defeat

DESPITE LOSING to Kilkenny C.B.S., Good Counsel (New Ross) booked their spot in the Top Oil Leinster Schools Senior hurling ‘A’ championship semi-finals in St. James’ Park, Kilkenny, on Wednesday.

The manner of the defeat will worry the New Ross boys, given they are highly likely to face St. Kieran’s in the last four, but the performance clearly gives them plenty to work on in the next few weeks.

Having walloped Borris in their opening encounter, the Good Counsel lads just had to avoid defeat by an equal or larger manner to ensure a spot in the knockout stages, with the Carlow school yet to face Kilkenny C.B.S.

They managed to do just that, despite the fact that they were never really in the game, falling heavily behind in the first-half as they did.

To their credit the fight was there, they kept battling to the end, and it was enough to see them safely into the last four on score difference at worst.

A.J. Redmond put Counsel ahead in the second minute, but frees became a struggle against a difficult cross-breeze.

As they missed several chances, Kilkenny C.B.S. eased their way clear with five points in a row.

It got worse just before the end of the opening quarter. Liam Moore proved a constant threat travelling from deep positions, and it was no surprise that he created the game’s only goal, a clinical finish by Aran Murphy.

With Tommy Clifford, Billy Drennan and Murphy chipping away with points, the hosts moved 1-9 to 0-2 ahead after 20 minutes.

There seemed very little hope for Good Counsel, even at that stage, but they did start to chip away towards the end of the opening 30 minutes.

Cian Byrne got his school’s first point from play seven minutes before the interval, Redmond followed seconds later, and a couple of long-range Pádraig Dempsey frees made it 1-11 to 0-6 at half-time.

If there was disappointment in the performance at the break, the reaction after the re-start didn’t make things much better as C.B.S. rattled off three points in a row to move eleven ahead.

Emmet Cullen, Byrne and Dempsey did get a mini-run going but it petered out quickly.

The final quarter was nip and tuck. Kilkenny C.B.S. were adept at cancelling out Good Counsel scores, but the New Ross school did match the four points they scored in the second quarter.

They had a couple of cracks at goal too. A.J. Redmond came closest with a low free that was scooped up onto the crossbar and rolled over, but in the end Kilkenny C.B.S. were good value for their nine-point success.

Barring a stunning result between Kilkenny C.B.S. and Borris, Good Counsel will face the winners of the other group, St. Kieran’s, in the provincial semi-final on the weekend of February 12.

Good Counsel: Philip Roche (Rathnure); Billy Reid (Glenmore), Donal Porter (Rathgarogue-Cushinstown), Dylan Whelan (Fethard); Conor Foley (Horeswood), Pádraig Dempsey (Mullinavat, 0-3 frees), Emmet Cullen (Gusserane, 0-1); Jack Kehoe (Horeswood), Páidí O’Shea (St. Mullins); Colman O’Sullivan (Tullogher-Rosbercon), Jamie Sheehan (Gusserane), Cian Byrne (Fethard, 0-4, 2 frees); Conor Kehoe (St. Mullins), Anthony O’Connor (Tullogher-Rosbercon), A.J. Redmond (Rathnure, 0-5, 4 frees). Subs. - Páraic Wickham (Adamstown) for O’Shea (26), Eoin O’Brien (The Rower-Inistioge) for Sheehan (35), Robin Davis (Mullinavat) for Cullen (45), Mark Kehoe (Gusserane) for O’Connor (50).

Kilkenny C.B.S.: Brian Manogue; Niall Rowe, Tristan Roche, Colm O’Hara; Dan Dowling (0-1), Gearóid Dunne, Justin Manning; Liam Moore (0-1), Jamie O’Keeffe (0-1); Tommy Clifford (0-3), Billy Drennan (0-8, 5 frees, 1 ‘65), Aran Murphy (1-3); Seán Ruth, Kieran O’Neill (0-1), Cathal Beirne. Subs. - Cormac Kennedy (0-1) for Beirne (31), Eoghan O’Neill for Ruth (50), Seán Maher for O’Keeffe (57).

Referee: David Coady (Kildare).