Counsel respond to pressure
Victory in must-win home tie secures knockout place
GOOD COUNSEL ST. FINTAN’S H.S.
GOOD COUNSEL simply had to win on home soil on Wednesday to preserve their interest in the Top Oil Leinster Schools Senior football ‘ A’ championship, and they duly delivered in some style with a commanding success against St. Fintan’s High School from Sutton.
There was an urgency about the New Ross lads from the off that was quickly transferred into scores, and in truth most of the heavy lifting was done in the opening quarter as they established a commanding 1-6 to nil lead.
It was 2-9 to 0-2 by half-time and, while the addition of just two scores after the break won’t have pleased their mentors, by the same token there was never even a remote chance that the Dubliners would mount a comeback.
The fact that all three members of the half-back line hit the target in the opening period was a clear indication of the dominance exerted by Counsel.
Pádraig Dempsey, Jack Kehoe and Dylan Whelan were ever-willing to bomb forward, while Cian Byrne was central to everything positive from the victors as his general play-making on the ’ 40 and accurate left-foot finishing were stand-out features.
In a group of three, the mathematics were simple after the previous week’s loss away to Coláiste Eoin, and the hosts set the tone from the off despite losing A.J. Redmond to injury as early as the fourth minute.
His replacement, Joe O’Sullivan, opened their account with his first touch, before Jack Kehoe availed of an interception by Emmet Cullen to double their advantage.
It was a half featuring a mere seven frees, with the first converted by Cian Byrne in the ninth minute as the tenacious tackling of the Counsel forwards yielded several turnovers.
Donal Porter, Rúairí O’Brien and Byrne all picked off points before
Dylan Whelan surged forward from left half-back to accept an Adam Sinnott lay-off and plant the ball in the top right corner of the net in the 15th minute (1-6 to nil).
Pádraig Dempsey then completed the triumvirate of half-back marksmen before St. Fintan’s finally got off the mark from a Thomas Hurley free.
Cian Byrne and Rúairí O’Brien widened the gap to eleven before Hurley grabbed the first Sutton point from play, but a breakaway goal just before the interval left them with absolutely no hope of making a comeback.
Fintan’s earned their sole goal chance from a cheap giveaway of possession at midfield, but Tadhg O’Donoghue’s strike was saved by Kyle Martin at his near post.
Half a minute later, an accurate long pass from Pádraig Dempsey was gathered on the run by Rúairí O’Brien, and he didn’t break stride before crashing home a fine goal to ensure an interval lead of 2-9 to 0-2.
Just six scores followed in the second-half, four from the visitors, but they had accepted their fate and used more than the stipulated number of substitutes in order to give all panel members some playing time before exiting from the championship.
The third Counsel goal arrived in the 38th minute when a Donal Porter shot looped off a defender after a blocking attempt and ended up in the far corner of the net.
That made it 3-9 to 0-2, with Eoin Kelly pulling back a point before Cian Byrne closed the scoring for the winners near the end of the third quarter.
Kevin Byrne, Thomas Hurley (free) and Cathal Brennan put a slightly better look on the final scoreline from Sutton’s point of view, but Counsel remained comfortable and won’t need anyone telling them that their next test will be significantly tougher.
Good Counsel: Kyle Martin (Rathnure); Páraic Wickham (Adamstown), Killian Griffin (Glenmore), Jamie Sheehan (Gusserane); Pádraig Dempsey (Mullinavat, 0-1), Jack Kehoe (Horeswood, capt., 0-1), Dylan Whelan (Fethard, 1-0); Emmet Cullen (Gusserane), Mark Kehoe (Gusserane); A.J. Redmond (Rathnure), Cian Byrne (Fethard, 0-4, 1 free), Paddy Whitty (Cloughbawn); Rúairí O’Brien (Adamstown, 1-2), Donal Porter (Rathgarogue-Cushinstown, 1-1), Adam Sinnott (Taghmon-Camross). Subs. - Joe O’Sullivan (Horeswood, 0-1) for Redmond, inj. (4), Stephen Dundon (Clongeen) for Wickham (46), Conor
Foley (Horeswood) for Sinnott (51).
St. Fintan’s: Daniel Lloyd; Reuben Cantwell, Seán Alexander, Liam Glynn; Ronan Patterson, Eoin Kelly (0-1), Alex Byrne; Kevin Byrne (0-1), Leo Cunningham; Joe Flanagan, Eoin Bridgeman, Tom O’Donnell; Thomas Hurley (0-3, 2 frees), Joe Cummins (capt.), Tadhg O’Donoghue. Subs. - Charlie McCarthy for Patterson (26), Brian Dunne for McCarthy, inj. (37), Max Hession for O’Donoghue (50), Seán Cummins for Bridgeman (55), Leon Coakley for Alexander, inj. (55), Cathal Brennan (0-1) for Hurley (59), Cian Mulligan for J. Cummins (59), Cian Mitchell for O’Donnell (59).
Referee: Pat Moran (Laois).