Final spot secured
Coláiste Bhríde power past Avondale to face St Kevin’s
COLÁISTE BHRÍDE AVONDALE CC 2-13 1-04
COLÁISTE BHRÍDE Carnew powered into the Wicklow Schools Senior ‘A’ football final with this 2-13 to 1-04 demolition of Avondale CC in a blustery Kilcoole last Friday afternoon.
An early goal from Cillian Gilligan sent the Carnew students on their way and their second major of the day – from Seán Forde in the 48th minute – pretty much killed off the Avondale challenge after they had struggled for the entire game in the face of strong tackling and excellent defending from the defending champions.
Avondale did enjoy a brief moment of hope when Mark Cullen’s effort in the 44th minute hit the back of full-back Jim Sharry and caught the impressive Darragh Brookes wrong footed on the Coláiste Bhríde goal before ending up in the back of the net.
However, the Avondale students were also on the back foot against what looks to be a very formidable Coláiste Bhríde side who will present St Kevin’s Dunlavin with a major headache come the final at a date to be decided.
The Wexford border side are strong all over the field with half-forward Eoin Darcy proving to be a quality play-maker and free-taker. Inside, Cillian Gilligan has the ability to rip a defence apart in a flash while Kilanerin’s Seán Forde (nephew of Mattie Forde) bagged 1-03 in this semi-final with some excellent points and a well-drilled goal that Aidan Murray couldn’t keep out.
Full-forward James Hedderman roamed out the field in this semi-final and there’s plenbty of football in the Tinahely man while Frankie Kavanagh caught the eye with some excellent play all over the field.
But while their attack is causing major problems at one end, their defence is strangling attacks at the other. Full-back Jim Sharry from Kilrush looks like a class act. Behind him Castletown’s Darragh Brookes provides a really strong and reassuring presence with his kick-outs out of the Stephen Cluxton school.
Feisty corner-backs Gearoid Donohue (Tinahely) and Jason Bolger (Kilanerin) give little away cheapy while the all-Tinahely halfback line were hungry for ball and more than capable over the course of the hour.
A very strong showing from Rory Stokes and Ian Clancy at midfield made Avondale CC’s life very difficult on the day.
St Kevin’s Dunlavin will bring a much tougher challenge to the table in the decider, however. Avondale will be disappointed with their performance with key men never really imposing themselves on the game and their defence being found guilty of fouling time and again by referee Eddie Leonard.
Coláiste Bhríde goalkeeper Darragh Brookes opened the scoring with a sweetly struck 45 and the Carnew side followed this up with their opening goal when James Hedderman found Cillian Gilligan and he showed a dainty turn to fire home past Aidan Murray.
Both sides were dropping a man deep and playing two inside. James Hedderman was that
A boomer of a point from Oisin McGraynor got Avondale CC off the mark but it was clear to see that the Coláiste Bhríde side were operating at a different level and were able to move the ball at pace up the field whereas Avondale’s long balls in were more often than not coming back out or going wide.
Eoin Darcy (free) and Frankie Kavanagh pointed either side of two Avondale wides and one of their own and a pointed free from Oisin McGraynor left it at 1-03 to 0-02 after 18 minutes.
The wind was a big factor in this game as well. Coláiste Bhríde had it at their backs for the opening half and they profited well while Avondale’s progress up the field was halted quite often by the tenacious Coláiste Bhríde defence.
Eoin Darcy, Rory Stokes and Darcy again (from a free) left Pat Nolan’s men leading by 1-06 to 0-02 at the break.
Any hope that Avondale would get a decent start to the second half was quashed when Cillian Gilligan swung over a beauty before Rory Stokes stroked over a delicious free into the teeth of the blustery wind to increase the Coláiste Bhríde lead to 1-08 to 0-02.
Avondale stopped the rot when David Miley pointed a free and they grabbed something of a lifeline when Mark Cullen launched a ripper that deflected off Jim Sharry and into the back of the Coláiste Bhríde net, 1-09 to1-03, Seán Forde grabbing Coláiste Bhríde’s other point, a beauty off his left.
Unfortunately for Avondale, that was as good as it got with Coláiste Bhríde taking full control of the game. Eoin Darcy was in superb form all over the field and his linking up with Seán Forde was very impressive. Cillian McDonald got through an amount of work in the half-back line and Rory Stokes proved capable and abrasive at midifeld.
Eoin Darcy, (two points, one free) and Seán Forde with two points either side of a missile of a goal that Aidan Murray couldn’t keep out of the top corner put the finishing touches to this fine win for Pat Nolan and Kevin Morris’ side.
St Kevin’s Dunlavin await Coláiste Bhríde in the decider and going on the two semi-finals we’ve had so far it could be a belter of a final.
Scorers - Coláiste Bhríde Carnew: Eoin Darcy 0-05 (3f), Seán Forde 1-03, Cillian Gilligan 1-01, Rory Stokes 0-02 (1f), Frankie Kavanagh 0-01, Darragh Brooks 0-01 (45).
Avondale CC: Oisin McGraynor 0-02 (1f), Mark Cullen 1-00, Ross Ward 0-01 (f), David Miley 0-01 (f).
Darragh Brookes (Castletown); Gearoid Donohoe (Tinahely), Jim Sharry (Kilrush), Jason Bolger (Kilanerin); Cillian McDonald (Tinahely), James Tyrrell (Tinahely), Fionn Furlong (Tinahely); Rory Stokes (Tinahely), Ian Clancy (Aughrim); Frankie Kavanagh (Castletown), Sean Barden (Kilanerin), Eoin Darcy (Tinahely); Cillian Gilligan (Carnew Emmets), James Hedderman (Tinahely), Sean Forde (Kilanerin). Subs: Bradley Hickey for S Barden (48min).
Aidan Murray; Liam Dickenson, John Kavanagh, Jack Manley; Ian Merrigan, Michael Fahy, Shane Whelan; Matthew Traynor, Oisin Furlong; Zach Cullen, Ross Ward, David Miley; Eric Olohan, Richard Sugrue, Mark Cullen. Subs: Diarmuid Whelan for R Sugrue (44min).
Eddie Leonard (St Pat’s)