Emotional day as Coláiste Eoin win without Eoin
COLÁISTE EOIN 2-17 BLESSINGTON CC 2-2
WEDNESDAY last saw the meeting of these two sides in Blessington GAA Grounds in Round One of the Top Oil South Leinster Schools Senior Football D competition.
Before the throw-in, a minute silence was observed by both teams to remember Eoin Byrne. Eoin was a sixth year student in Coláiste Eoin Hacketstown who recently passed away and was a player in the current Senior football team, lining out regularly at centre-forward.
It was the Wicklow side who started more sprightly and with three minutes on the clock were up by three thanks to a goal by Jake O’Kelly after some confusion in the Hacketstown defence.
Coláiste Eoin levelled proceedings on the 10 minute mark with three points, all from play from the classy Jordan Tallon.
Operating as a roving corner-forward, Tallon, back from a successful season with Shamrock Rovers, was a thorn in the Blessington defence all afternoon.
His pace and running off the ball along with Ruairí Tompkins were relentless.
Tompkins pointed a free on 15 minutes to put the Carlow outfit in the lead for the first time in the game.
Two more from Billy Lawlor and captain Eoghan Byrne settled things somewhat only after Blessington’s full-forward Tomas O’Connor latched on to a poor clearance and should have really punished it with a goal with Coláiste Eoin net-minder Melvyn Kinch glad to see his effort go over the bar.
Coláiste Eoin went in at the break leading 1-7 to 1-2 thanks to points from Tompkins and Tallon once more.
However, Blessington started the second half strong again with Claude Tounou’s effort finding the back of the net on 35 minutes. It was to be the Wicklow side’s last score however as from then on it was all Coláiste Eoin.
The Carlow side took control of the game and showed why they have been Leinster champions. Points from the ever industrious Jake Hickey and Luke Connolly steadied the ship once more. The Carlow men opened up their lead to 10 points on 45 minutes after Tompkins and Tallon both raised green flags.
Further scores from Clonmore men Sean Moran and Rory McKernan along with Kiltegan’s Colm Keogh put the game beyond the reach of the Blessington men.
The game ended with both teams and mentors shaking hands on what was an emotional day for the Coláiste Eoin Hacketstown boys. Both teams are to be commended in the sporting manner in which the match was played.
COLÁISTE EOIN (Clonmore unless stated): 1, Melvyn Kinch, 2. Rory Maguire,
3. Rory McKernan (0-1), 4. Cormac Connolly, 5. Jake Hickey (0-1), Colm Keogh (Kiltegan) (0-1), 7. Seán Tompkins,
8. Luke Connolly (0-1), 9. Eoghan Byrne (Tinahely) (0-1), 10. Keith Bowes, 16. Billy Lawlor (0-1), 12. Noel Byrne (Knockananna), 13. Sean Moran (0-1), 14. Jordan Tallon (Clonmore) (1-5) 15. Ruairí Tompkins (Coolkenno) (1-5). Subs: 17. Darragh McKernan for Bowes (inj) 41’, 18. Eoin Connolly for Moran 52’, 19. Sean Harmon (Ballymanus) for Maguire 53’, 20. James Whelan for Byrne 53’. 21. Ciarán Harmon (Ballymanus), 22. Oisín Foley-Shorthall.
BLESSINGTON: 1. M. O’Toole, 2. JL Morris, 3. C Reid, 4. D Walsh, 5. C Mooney,
6. T Fisher, 7. C Roe, 8. D Cooney, 9. C. Maguire, 10. L O’Brien, 11. R. Miley (0-1), J Leitner, 12. J O’Kelly (1-0), 13. 14. T O’Connor(0-1), 15. C Tounou. (1-0). Subs: J Sammon for L O’Brien, K Reid for C Reid, D O’Connor for J Leitner, A Mills for T O’Connor, L Carey for C Tounou