Gaelcholáiste Chiarraí win O’Connor Cup final

Gaelcholáiste Chiarraí 2-11 Coláiste na Sceilge 0-10

IN a lightning start, Colaiste na Sceilge almost got in for early goals by Ronan Teahan and Kain O’Shea.

Instead, it was Gaelcholáiste who inflicted fatal early damage. Kieran Corcoran did well to tip Caolán Ó Conaill’s rasper over the bar. He then saved well from Mikey Kavanagh, only for an alert Seán Ó Conaill to fist in the rebound.

Oisín Breen and Ben Egan got Colaiste na Sceilge on the scoreboard but once Peter Breathnach finished a great team move to the net, Gaelcholáiste had a 2-1 to 0-2 lead. Odhrán O’Shea and Jack Clifford were unlucky with scoring chances for na Sceilge.

Ronan Teahan did split the posts but the always dangerous Seán Ó Conchúir replied. Coláiste na Sceilge found their bearings and scored the last three points of the half through Donagh O’Sullivan (f), Kain O’Shea (f) and Jack Clifford. Half-time Gaelcholáiste Chiarraí 2-3 Coláiste na Sceilge 0-6.

Gaelcholáiste made the start to the second half that na Sceilge needed. The gaelgóirí showed great composure as they reeled off three points on the trot from Seán Ó Conchúir, Caolán Ó Conaill, and Jack Dughail. Kain O’Shea and Donagh O’Sullivan (f) responded.

Both sides missed chances before a trojan Cian O’Donoghue fired over to make it 2-6 to 0-9, but Jamie Mac Gearailt soon cancelled that out. Colaiste na Sceilge pressed very hard now, Oisin O’Sullivan and Cian O’Donoghue leading the charges, but Gaelcholáiste were able to calmly soak up relentless pressure.

Thomas Kelly did trim the gap, but Sean Ó Conchúir (2f) and Eoin de Staic closed out a historic win. Like Pres. Milltown, this is Gaelcholáiste Chiarraí’s first title – on this kind of performance, it won’t be their last. GAELCHOLÁISTE CHIARRAÍ: Gavin Ó Briain, Cian Ó Neill, Breandán Breathnach, Darren Ó Briain, Jack Ó Dughail (0-1), Colmáin Ó Meara (0-1), Eoin de Staic (0-1, Caolán Ó Conaill (0-2), Dominic Finnegan, Cian Ó Grifín, Kieran Ó Conchúir, Jamie Mac Gearailt (0-1), Muiris Ó Conaill, Seán Ó Conchúir (1-4, 2f), Peter Breathnach (1-1) Fear ionad: Gary Ó Loinsigh for M Ó Conaill, 57

COLÁISTE NA SCEILGE: Kieran Corcoran, Seán Kennedy, Alex Coffey, Cian Murphy, Sam O’Driscoll, Oisin O’Sullivan, Mikey Kavanagh, Jack Clifford (0-1), Cian O’Donoghue (0-1), Odhrán O’Shea, Oisin Breen (0-1), Kain O’Shea (0-2, 1f), Ronan Teahan (0-1), Donagh O’Sullivan (0-2, 2f), Ben Egan (0-1) Subs: Josh O’Sullivan for M Kavanagh, 14, Thomas Kelly 0-1 for O O’Shea, 18, Kieran O’Donnell for B Egan, 42, Daragh O’Shea for S O’Driscoll, 54

REFEREE: Brendan Twiss (Milltown/Castlemaine)

Dermot ‘Weeshie’ Lynch presents the Joe O’Connor Cup to Colmain O’Meara, Gaelcholaiste captain