Double delight
Ross C.B.S. Seniors follow Juniors
NEW ROSS C.B.S. DUISKE COLLEGE
NEW ROSS C.B.S. completed a fantastic double of Top Oil South Leinster Post-Primary School ‘C1’ hurling championship successes as their Seniors matched their Juniors in powering past Duiske College (Graiguenamanagh) in MW Hire Park, Dunmore, on Tuesday.
Partly aided by their superiority, and partly by the helping breeze, New Ross broke away in the firsthalf of this encounter to ensure that there was none of the late drama that was necessary to see their Juniors to glory almost four weeks earlier.
The Kilkenny school deserve great credit for the way they battled away in this contest.
Because of the size of their school, their side range from Leaving Cert. students down to first year, and the fact that they refused to throw in the towel is a credit to everyone involved with them.
At times in the first-half the Wexford school looked like they could score at will. Once again the unstoppable Niall Connolly led the way but it was far from a one-man show.
Right throughout the forwards C.B.S. possessed dynamic performers and they rarely wasted chances to show their clinical nature.
New Ross scored 2-2 in the opening quarter as Dusike just about clung to their coat tails.
Eoin Dunne was first to find a way past Kian Murphy, and he then turned provider with a delightful scoop pass that Connolly latched on to and rattled to the net.
Conor Morrissey scored a nice point in the 14th minute, shortly after his side fired a few wides, and it gave them a shooting blueprint.
Connolly took advantage with three straight points and Darragh McDonald kicked to the net to make it 3-5 to 0-1.
Quickfire Duiske goals by Dylan Cahill and Jack Dunne came completely out of the blue but New Ross refocused and, after points from Patrick Barron, McDonald and Martin Stafford, Connolly found the net again to leave his school 4-9 to 2-1 in front at the break.
Things looked to continue in the same vein after the interval with McDonald scoring two fantastic minors.
However, Duiske slowly worked their way into the game. Cahill’s fortunate goal from distance, plus four consecutive points, cut the gap to nine by the 43rd minute (4-11 to 3-5).
Any lingering hope for the Kilkenny school was wiped out when Connolly rattled home his hat-trick major just before the end of the third quarter.
New Ross managed just a brace of points in what remained of the final but it was still more than enough to see them claim the title with plenty to spare.
New Ross C.B.S.: Ryan Gardiner (Geraldine O’Hanrahans); Conor Ryan (Tullogher-Rosbercon), Ryan Morris (Bannow-Ballymitty), Ciarán Doyle-Maher (Rathnure); Kevin Roberts (Rathgarogue-Cushinstown), Gary Mernagh (Glenmore), Jordan Richards (Rathnure); Colum Feeney (Adamstown), Conor Morrissey (Glenmore, 0-1); Darragh McDonald (Tullogher-Rosbercon, 1-4), Patrick Barron (Rathgarogue-Cushinstown, capt., 0-2 frees), Martin Stafford (Clongeen, 0-2); Niall Connolly (Rathgarogue-Cushinstown, 3-4), Jack Murphy (Rathgarogue-Cushinstown), Eoin Dunne (Rathgarogue-Cushinstown, 1-0). Subs. - Dylan Delaney (Rathgarogue-Cushinstown) for Murphy (60), also Ciarán Royce (Geraldine O’Hanrahans), Danny Nolan (Horeswood), Dean Roberts (Horeswood), Adam Fenlon (Geraldine O’Hanrahans), Patrick Richardson (Geraldine O’Hanrahans), Matt Rossiter (Rathgarogue-Cushinstown), Cian Gaffney (Rathgarogue-Cushinstown), Sam Dunne (Adamstown), Eoin Colfer (Geraldine O’Hanrahans), Denis Kilbride (Adamstown).
Duiske College: Kian Murphy; Seán O’Neill, Jim Lyng, Joseph O’Neill; Thomas Doherty, Aaron Foley, Tadhg Delaney; Pierce Blanchfield (0-3, 1 free, 1 ‘65), Stephen Carroll; Oran Canning (0-1), Pádraig Murphy (0-3, 1 free), Dylan Cahill (2-1, 0-1 free); Ted Dunne, Jack Dunne (1-0), Shane Cleary (0-1). Subs. - Tadhg O’Brien for T. Dunne (57), Liam Cahill for Carroll (60).
Referee: John McCormack (Carlow).