JOY FOR CARNEW
Coláiste Bhride claim Senior title
THE REPLAY of the County Wicklow Post Primary Schools Senior football A championship took place in Aughrim on Wednesday last and once again provided an exciting encounter.
Victory on this occasion went to Colaiste Bhride Carnew, who had been narrow runners up in the past two years. However, they were made fight all the way by a strong Presentation College team from Bray, with the lead changing hands on a number of occasions during the game.
The Carnew School made a dream start with a first minute goal by Roan Lynch followed by a pointed free from Sean Mulligan. Pres opened their account with a Cillian Byrne point but Keith Farrell restored the four point lead.
There was no score for the next 10 minutes as play ebbed and flowed. Craig Dowling sent over a point for the Bray school in the 15th minute and a minute later the teams were level as a good run by Marc Lennon was finished to the net by Andy Bartley.
The same player added a point to put Pres ahead and then Cathal Martin had a great goal chance but Bob Fitzgerald in the Colaiste Bhride goal saved well. From the resultant clearance Roan Lynch was on hand to score another Carnew goal and put his side back in front.
Four minutes later the sides were level again as a fast break from defence led to a Craig Dowling goal for Pres. The final score of the half was an Andy Bartley point so Presentation led by 2-5 to 2-4 at half time.
However, just before the interval Pres suffered a serious blow when their influential midfielder Darren Walsh had to retire injured.
Pres chalked up the first two points of the second half to go three ahead but in the 8th minute the dangerous Roan Lynch was taken down at the other end and Sean Mulligan coolly slotted the penalty to the corner of the net to bring the sides level once more.
The high fielding Niall Hughes then added two crucial long range points to put Carnew ahead. Craig Dowling pulled one back from a free. John Fleming restored the two point advantage and in the 23rd minute Roan Lynch completed a hat trick of goals to extend the lead to five points.
Craig Dowling sent two frees over the bar and Pres battled hard for an equalising goal but Colaiste Bhride were not to be denied and in the last minute Niall Hughes had the final say with a great point from the sideline.
After the game the Cup was presented to the Colaiste Bhride captain Conor Lambert by the Chairman of Coiste Iarbhunscoileanna Brian Breen. There was a high level of intensity throughout from two well prepared teams with some excellent spells of football. In the second half referee Anthony Nolan issued a black card to one player from each side.
This is Colaiste Bhride's seventh win in this competition and they are in third place on the roll of honour behind St Kevin's Dunlavin on 12 and Scoil Chonglais Baltinglass on eight. Presentation College took the title on two occasions and on the evidence of this performance another win may not be far away.
SCORERS: Colaiste Bhride : Roan Lynch 3-1, Sean Mulligan 1-2, Niall Hughes 0-3, John Fleming and Keith Farrell 0-1 each. Presentation College: Craig Dowling 1-5, Andy Bartley 1-2, Cillian Byrne, Marc Lennon, Daire Henderson 0-1 each.