St. Peter’s power to provincial honours
Two late goals crown awesome all-round display as title returns after 25 years
ST. PETER’S 2-13
MOATE C.S. 0-7
IF YOU’RE going to bridge a long gap, you may as well do it with a bit of class and style.
A superb St. Peter’s (Wexford) side did more than just end 25 years without the Top Oil Leinster Post-Primary Schools Senior football ‘A’ championship title in O’Moore Park, Portlaoise, on Friday.
This wasn’t merely about the victory in itself, even though that’s clearly the be-all and end-all. What really set this memorable success apart was the sheer quality of the display produced by the Summerhill side as they exerted their authority on a fancied Moate Community School outfit and ultimately ground them into submission.
Two late goals from sharpshooters Barry O’Connor and Cathal Devereux left them with a commanding winning margin of twelve points, and it was no more than Peter’s deserved as they joined the class of 1992 as proud holders of this prestigious crown.
The talented Wexford lads, superbly prepared by Brian Malone and Chris Murphy, took the game to the midlanders from the off, so much so in fact that Moate didn’t get the ball into their attacking third of the field until the ninth minute.
Peter’s led by 0-3 to nil at that stage, and the only concern was that they hadn’t made full use of their complete dominance, missing the first of two golden goal chances created before the break.
That slight anxiety seemed to be well founded when Moate finally freed themselves from the defensive shackles to draw level with three points on the trot, but it proved a false dawn.
Indeed, Peter’s went on to kick four scores without reply to lead by 0-7 to 0-3 at the break, and they remained in control thereafter despite the concession of an early Moate point on the re-start.
To say that each and every player contributed to this famous win would be an understatement, as it was a tremendous team effort and the workrate shown by the new champions was first rate.
Only one of Moate’s highly-rated forwards managed a score from play, and that was a solitary point from Seán Pettit in the 39th minute.
While defenders Ciarán Kelly and Kieran Hartnett did manage to split the posts, there was no end product from the lively David Fleming, free-taker Robert Forde or Shamrock Rovers soccer player Harry Cornally.
And this was all down to the admirable tackling and shadowing of St. Peter’s all over the field, giving their opponents no time to settle and using their physical strength to great advantage.
Team captain Conor Firman had the game of his life at centre-back, and in an era of safety-first and endless lateral handpassing at inter-county level, it was so refreshing to see his desire to burst forward and take on the opposition at every opportunity.
He was richly rewarded with a point in either half, while just ahead of him clubmate Rory O’Connor enjoyed a huge influence on proceedings. He always seemed to have time on the ball which is the hallmark of a classy player, and his vision and ability to pick out the best pass left Moate in all sorts of bother.
The man of the match accolade went to Rory’s first cousin, Barry, who alternated between full- and centre-forward at different stages and finished as second top scorer with 1-4, one point behind the excellent Cathal Devereux.
Barry claimed a couple of spectacular marks, and it evoked fond memories of his high-fielding father, George, soaring through the air more than 30 years ago.
Peter’s owned possession from the off, with powerful midfielder Brian Deeny responsible for two marks inside four minutes, but they were still a little nervy and struck three wides.
That second clean catch from the Volunteers youngster led to a giltedged goal chance as he fed Barry O’Connor who quickly picked out Rory O’Connor arriving at pace. He was one-on-one with the netminder but Jordan Nugent brought off a magnificent save to Moate’s relief.
A foul on Conor Firman, after embarking on the first of his strong runs, led to Barry O’Connor getting Peter’s off the mark in the fifth minute.
Left-footed free-taker Cathal Devereux then doubled the lead after Moate full-back Luke Gavin-Mangan touched the ball on the ground, and he was involved in the move that ended with the first point from play as Finn O’Driscoll fed Rory O’Connor in the eighth minute.
Moate finally broke into the opposition’s half, aided by the first of just 14 frees conceded by Peter’s who were awarded 20 themselves. And after Robert Forde was fouled, he picked himself off the ground and put the Westmeath side with a strong Offaly influence on the scoreboard in the tenth minute.
They were about to enjoy their only purple patch, and it was shortlived. Referee Seamus Mulhare had a word with an umpire after Conor Firman tripped Forde, but he decided that no further action was warranted before Seán Pettit converted the free.
And the leveller came near the end of the first quarter when a miscued kick by Forde found Seán Farrell who handpassing to overlapping Ciarán Kelly on the outside and the defender did the rest (0-3 each).
It was time for Peter’s to get the show back on the road, and a bone-crunching shoulder by Brian Deeny on Dan Heavin set the tone.
Just under two minutes later, a first mark was claimed by Barry O’Connor, now at centre-forward, and his delivery picked out Cathal Devereux who duly restored the lead.
The second good goal chance for Peter’s followed in the 21st minute, with Barry O’Connor spraying a beautiful pass to David Gouldson who knocked the ball into the path of Ben Moore whose shot was saved by Nugent.
O’Connor followed up with their sixth and final wide of the half (they had eleven in all), before Conor Firman drove down the right and saw his kick for the posts tipped over the crossbar by the netminder.
Then Ben Moore got on to his right side after good work by the O’Connor cousins and made it 0-6 to 0-3, before Moate wasted a chance to hit back in emphatic fashion when an off-balance Robert Forde screwed a shot on goal to the right and wide.
There was time for Barry O’Connor to claim two more marks before the break, and the lead was widened to four after Cathal Devereux converted another free awarded for a Moate player touching the ball on the ground.
Peter’s had looked calm, composed and in control for the most part, but the job was only half-done, a reality underlined inside three minutes of the new half when Moate centre-back Kieran Hartnett finished the good work of David Fleming, Seán Pettit and Seán Farrell with a point.
Substitute Ben Cox was unlucky to see his high kick rebound off the post, but an off-the-ball foul by Charlie Parker on Dylan Lyne gave Cathal Devereux the relatively simple task of making it 8-4.
Dylan Furlong replaced David Gouldson at wing-forward before Lyne was fouled again by the same opponent and Barry O’Connor drove this one between the posts.
Seán Pettit was next to register with a good kick under pressure, and the action featured two Peter’s wides and a brace of Rory O’Connor marks before their double-scores lead was restored.
It came at the start of the last quarter when Finn O’Driscoll, Brian Deeny and Barry O’Connor combined to create the space for Cathal Devereux to grab his second point from play (0-10 to 0-5).
Less than 60 seconds later Devereux was denied a goal by another fine save after Ben Moore and Barry O’Connor put him through.
However, Moate broke downfield immediately and almost raised the green flag they were crying out for. David Fleming’s pass was flicked by Seán Pettit into the path of Robert Forde whose shot was kept out by Richard Ryan, and Pettit’s rebound was bravely blocked by the inspired Conor Firman.
If there was any lingering fear that Peter’s might still be caught, it was erased completely with three points in less than two minutes to widen the gap to eight.
Barry O’Connor scored from a free after Rory was fouled, and added another from play after Rory’s long line ball was knocked into his path by Ben Moore, back at full-forward.
A spectacular mark followed from Rory as he brought the ball under control one-handed before Conor Firman surged forward again to make it 13-5 with nine minutes left.
Robert Forde converted a Moate free but their composure deserted them in the 56th minute when centre-back Kieran Hartnett received a straight red card for kicking out at Brian Deeny after the Peter’s midfielder delivered a pass.
The leaders seized upon the extra space with glee, adding their
first goal and the icing on the cake when a high, probing delivery from Firman was fisted to the net by Barry O’Connor.
Just over 90 seconds later it was entirely fitting that the two O’Connors were involved again in picking out an unmarked Cathal Devereux who drilled a low shot to the net to bring his personal tally to 1-5.
Seán Pettit kicked a consolation point from a free in added time, but this was St. Peter’s day and their vocal fans swarmed on to the field moments later to celebrate an admirable victory and look forward to an All-Ireland semi-final clash against the Ulster champions.
St. Peter’s: Richard Ryan (Glynn-Barntown); David O’Keeffe (Taghmon-Camross), Ben Maddock (St. Martin’s), Eoin O’Leary (St. Martin’s); Quinn Saunders (Our Lady’s Island), Conor Firman (St. Martin’s, capt., 0-2), Finn O’Driscoll (St. Anne’s); Brian Deeny (Volunteers), Rory O’Connor (St. Martin’s, 0-1); David Gouldson (St. Mary’s, Rosslare), Ben Moore (St. Anne’s, 0-1), Peter Barry (St. Martin’s); Cathal Devereux (Our Lady’s Island, 1-5, 0-3 frees), Barry O’Connor (St. Martin’s, 1-4, 0-3 frees), Dylan Lyne (Glynn-Barntown). Subs. - Dylan Furlong (Sarsfields) for Gouldson (35), Michael Codd (St. Martin’s) for Lyne (54), Jack Devereux (St. Martin’s) for Barry (60+1), also Jake Clancy (Sarsfields), Aaron Breen (Glynn-Barntown), Kyle Firman (St. Martin’s), Patrick Glover (Volunteers), Brian Kavanagh (St. Anne’s), Cormac Rowe (Glynn-Barntown), Cathal Devereux (Crossabeg-Ballymurn), Cian Meyler (Our Lady’s Island), Fiach O Crualaoich (Sarsfields), Jack Brazzill (Glynn-Barntown), Mark Power (Shelmaliers), Seán Banville (Sarsfields), David Roche (Glynn-Barntown), Patrick Gallagher-O’Toole (St. Martin’s), Jack Butler (Buffers Alley), Adam O’Leary-Murphy (Glynn-Barntown), Philip Lambert (St. Mary’s, Rosslare), Sky Moroney (Volunteers), Stephen O’Keeffe (Taghmon-Camross), Thomas Carley (Kilmore), Conor Hillis (Sarsfields), Adam Cantwell (St. Martin’s).
Moate C.S.: Jordan Nugent; Charlie Parker, Luke Gavin-Mangan, Rúairí Aspell; Ciarán Kelly (0-1), Kieran Hartnett (0-1), David Mullins; Seán Clinton, Paul Gorman; Seán Farrell, Dan Heavin, Harry Cornally; David Fleming, Robert Forde (0-2 frees), Seán Pettit (0-3, 2 frees). Subs. - Ben Cox for Mullins (27), Jack Bradbury-Hughes for Clinton ( 47), Liam O’Neill for Farrell (54).
Referee: Seamus Mulhare (Laois).