KEVIN’S DOMINATE
Dunlavin students have too much for Coláiste Eoin
ST KEVIN’S CC COLÁISTE EOIN 5-16 2-08
A powerful second half showing from St Kevin’s CC earned the Dunlavin side a comfortable victory over a battling Coláiste Eoin of Hacketstown in the Top Oi Under-16 Football ‘C’ South Leinster Round 1 clash on Friday morning last.
On very soft ground, it was always the St Kevin’s side who looked the more comfortable on the ball with Darragh Dylan, Tadgh Barrett, Brian Crowe, Shane Daly and Michael Cassidy in superb form in the shadow of Eagle Hill on a crisp, clear November morning.
The conveyor belt of talent that has been running in the west of the county in recent years was certainly evident in this game with the Dunlavin school boasting some very decent footballers in their ranks.
The visitors took a 0-05 to 0-00 lead after 12 minutes thanks to some very capable attacking play and some stout defending.
Tadgh Barrett opened their account after two minutes before Shane Daly, Felix Lawlor, Daly again and Brian Crowe stretched their lead with Coláiste Eoin failing to convert some decent chances of their own at the other end.
Coláiste Eoin’s strong full-forward, Sean Moran, eventually found his range after 15 minutes when his hoisted effort brushed off the upright and raised the home side’s first white flag.
However, this score seemed to sting St Kevin’s into life and they moved up through the gears with points from Michael Cassidy and Felix Lawlor before a fine mark from Tadgh Barrett saw him charge up the field and pass to Cassidy who lashed home past Melvyn Kinch in the Coláiste Eoin goal for the opening goal of the game with 19 minutes gone.
Decent play from Billy Lawlor for Coláiste Eoin provided Sean Moran with another opportunity to score and he the full-forward took it sweetly before adding another and then a mistake from Colm Daly in the St Kevin’s goal allowed Killian Walsh the chance to net a real poachers goal and all of a sudden, things weren’t looking so bleak for the home side as they trailed by 1-07 to 1-03 after 25 minutes.
A converted free from Moran was answered by a tasty Alan Miley effort and the sides retired for the half-time break with the St Kevin’s students leading by 1-08 to 1-04.
The Dunlavin school’s management sent in Cormac ‘Mucky’ Burke at the break and the no-non- sense attacker was to have a major influence on the second half, bagging five points and getting through a serious pile of work.
The visitors got the best of starts in the second half. A Coláiste Eoin break down the rfight hand side of the field was broken up and St Kevin’s attacked in earnest, moving the ball swiftly through the phases. Key to the move was the burst from centre-half back Darragh Dylan who drove hard through the middle. He found Michael Cassidy with a dinky pass. Cassidy played a one-two with Felix Lawlor before flicking into space for Mikey O’Rourke who fairly lashed home past Kinch in the Coláiste Eoin goal to make it 2-08 to 1-04 and give the Hacketstown students a mountain to climb.
Things quickly got much worse for the home team. A poorly hit Michael Cassidy effort seemed to be tailing harmlessly wide of the Coláiste Eoin upright but the path of the ball deceived Melvyn Kinch and the shouts of criticism at Michael Cassidy from his colleagues suddenly turned to congratulations as the ball bounced into the back of the net to finish the game as a contest.
It was unfortunate for Coláiste Eoin because they were creating plenty of chances and were producing some very good moves and they rattled the back of the St Kevin’s net moments later when Cormac Connolly got on the end of a nice move to finish sweetly with his left, 3-08 to 2-04 with four gone in the second half.
Cormac Burke announced himself with two excellent scores before Billy Lawlor replied with a peach of his own at the other end.
Felix Lawlor coughed up a penalty chance after 10 minutes but pointed immediately afterwards to repair some of the damage.
Sean Moran kept Coláiste Eoin going with a converted free and Rory McGuire fired over a beauty from distance for the Carlow border team but another point from Burke and a whopper of a shot from Cassidy that flew into the top corner made it 4-12 to 2-07 with 20 gone in the second half.
It was all over bar the shouting. Mikey O’Rourke bagged the fifth goal for the visitors and they ran out comfortable winners on a score of 5-16 to 2-08 to complete their second victory in this competitive group.
– St Kevin’s CC Dunlavin: Michael Cassidy 3-02, Mikey O’Rourke 2-00, Cormac Burke 0-05, Felix Lawlor 0-04, Shane Daly 0-02, Tadgh Barrett 0-01, Brian Crowe 0-01, Alan Miley 0-01.
Scorers
Coláiste Eoin Hacketstown: Sean Moran 0-05 (2f), Killian Whelan 1-00, Cormac Connolly 1-00, Billy Lawlor 0-02, Rory McGuire 0-01.
Colm Daly; Dean Warren, Tom Moran, Ronan Kelly; Jack Grace, Darragh Dylan, Tadgh Miley; Tadgh Barrett, Brian Crowe; Felix Lawlor, Shane Daly, Mikey O’Rourke; Alan Miley, Michael Cassidy, Liam Crowe. Subs: Cormac Burke for L Crowe, James O’Brien for M O’Rourke, Jack Reid for M Cassidy, Niall Kelly for B Crowe, Sam McCabe for T Miley.
Melvyn Kinch; Ciarán Harmon, Sean Mulvanny, Adam Smith; Anthony McDonald, Cormac Connolly, Darragh McKernan; Luke Connolly, Rory McGuire; Eoin Connolly, Billy Lawlor, Keith Bowes; Brandon Ryan, Sean Moran, Killian Walsh. Subs: Sean Harmon for C Harmon, James Whelan for B Ryan, Aaron Corless for E Connolly, Kevin Kennedy for K Walsh, Niall Byrne for A Smith.
St Kevin’s CC: Coláiste Eoin: