Patrician Academy secure first Munster SFC title
Patrician Academy (Mallow) 3-6 Abbey CBS (Tipperary)
PATRICIAN Academy (Mallow) won their first ever Munster Schools SFC ‘B’ title at Kilmallock on Saturday. It was a game where defences dominated with scores at a premium all through.
Abbey CBS had the aid of the breeze in the first half but Academy had a dream start when Aidan Bolster and Conor Corbett worked well for Barry O’Shea to goal after four minutes.
The Mallow side failed to score for the rest of the half. Abbey lost Michael Lowry to the sin bin after 8 minutes. They had their first score in the 11th minute when Robbie Byron placed Tony O’Neill for a great point. Eoghan Lonergan pointed in the 13th minute. At the end of the first quarter good play by Robbie Byron and Diarmuid Looby led to an equalising point by Eoghan Lonergan. There were no scores during the second quarter.
Mallow defenders made some good blockdowns and clearances. Abbey CBS Michael Lowry resumed after the 10 minute period but they lost to another sin bin by Shane Maher in the 24th minute. Both sides had wides in the closing moments with the teams deadlocked at the break 1-0 to 0-3.
On the resumption Abbey moved Jim Quirke to midfield. The West Tipp side lost key midfielder Diarmuid Looby to an injury with his replacement Caleb
Molloy-Hickey doing well. Conor Corbett placed Tadhg O’Mahony for a point. Corbett pointed another free in the 38th minute 1-2 to 0-3. Pointed frees by Caleb Molloy-Hickey and Tony O’Neill had the sides level after 43 minutes 1-2 to 0-5.
At the end of the third quarter a long delivery by Tadhg O’Mahony found Barry O’Shea who goaled. The same player followed with a point. Good play by Jamie
O’Keeffe led to another O’Shea point as Academy moved double scores clear 2-4 to 0-5.
Academy sealed the win when Conor Corbett and Barry O’Shea worked a good movement with Corbett taking the return pass and scoring a fine goal 3-4 to 0-5. Conor Corbett received a red card with five minutes remaining. Eoin Kelleher pointed for Academy. Abbey CBS had two late points by Tony O’Neill and Caleb Molloy-Hickey
after good play by Niall Sharpe.
In injury time Eoin Walsh pointed for Mallow who emerged winners by an eight-point margin. Mallow’s only other appearance in this Munster final was in 1993 when losing to St Colman’s Fermoy.
After the game members of the Noonan family (Donacha, Donagh and Mark presented the Denis Noonan Memorial Cup to
Conor Corbett the winning captain. The late Denis Noonan who was the Treasurer of the Colleges Board would have been 84 on the date of this final.
Patrician Academy Mallow will now meet the Connacht champions on March 21 in the All-Ireland semi-final.
PATRICIAN ACADEMY MALLOW: T Hickey (Mallow), K Smith (Doneraile), N O’Riordan (Mallow), D Keane (Buttevant), K O’Mahony (Mallow), S Kelly (Clyda Rovers), A Bolster (Mallow), C O’Sullivan (Kilshannig), D Walsh (Clyda Rovers), T O’Mahony 0-1 (Knocknagree), B O’Shea 2-2 (Kilshannig), C Carroll (Mallow), E Kelleher 0-1 (do), C Corbett 1-1 (0-1f) (Clyda Rovers), E Walsh 0-1 (do). Subs: B Cotter (Killavullen) for C Carroll, G Deane (Clyda Rovers) for K O’Mahony, M Fitzpatrick (Mallow) for A Bolster, J O’Keeffe (Mallow) for D Keane, R Doherty (Clyda Rovers) for T O’Mahony, D Sheehan (Mallow) for K Smith.
ABBEY CBS TIPPERARY: D Heuston (Arravale Rovers), R Kelly (do), K O’Connor (Galtee Rovers), B Roche (Arravale Rovers), E Marnane (Golden/Kilfeacle), D Hickey (Arravale Rovers), N Sharpe (do), D Looby (Lattin/Cullen), E Lonergan 0-2 (Arravale Rovers), M Lowry (Arravale Rovers), R Byron (Galtee Rovers), J O’Halloran (Lattin/Cullen), T O’Neill 0-3 (2f) (do), J Quirke (Galtee Rovers), S Maher (Arravale Rovers). Subs: C Molloy-Hickey 0-2 (Arravale Rovers) for D Looby (inj), D Harrold-Barry (Galtee Rovers) for S Maher, O Jones (Knockaville-Kickhams) for J Quirke, B Carey (Aherlow) for M Lowry.
REFEREE: Jonathan Hayes (LImerick)