Faherty fires Kevin’s to title
Eimhin was in electric form
A stunning hat-trick from the flying Eimhin Faherty helped St. Kevin’s CC Dunlavin to a sweet victory over Newbridge College in the FAI Schools Leinster Boys Midlands Senior League Division 2 final played at SETU Carlow on Friday evening.
Michael Kinsella’s charges took a 3-0 lead into the break in this game following some scintillating passages of play where they ripped the Co. Kildare school apart with sublime passing and movement, Faherty responsible for two of those lethal strikes and the excellent Max Walsh opening the scoring after nine energetic minutes.
Newbridge had no answer in the opening half an hour as they struggled to deal with a ravenous St. Kevin’s defence, a busy midfield and the pure quality in Faherty and Callum Kelly who tormented a back four of Tim Flanagan, Conor Kraus, Ciaran Scanlon and Daire O’Beirne.
Signs of the high standard of football that was going to be produced in this game arrived early on when Callum Kelly sent Bradley Guing through only for his shot to be saved by PJ Cashman in the Newbridge College goal.
Conor O’Donovan’s free after six was the first real Newbridge threat on Cian Bruce’s goal but it would tail harmlessly wide, an example of how much of the game was to unfold for the Newbridge students.
Max Walsh’s opener was expected when it came after nine minutes, the St. Kevin’s man finishing superbly past Cashman.
Callum Kelly watched as his effort after 12 was saved by the Newbridge College goalkeeper while Cian Bruce made the first of his superb stops a moment later, this one from a free struck by Leo Healy.
There were 15 minutes on the clock when Faherty pounced for his first, collecting a wicked through ball before slotting home beautifully to the bottom corner before heading off to the corner flag to celebrate with his colleagues. The Monread FC man was unstoppable in this game.
He bagged his second after 25 following superb play from Callum Kelly and although Newbridge College started to ask more questions, they couldn’t trouble a defence manned so capably by team captain Eoin Deering, David Johnston, Dylan Whyte and Liam McDonald to any great extent.
Throw in really impressive showings from Max Walsh, Eoin Kearney, Eoin Miley and Bradley Guing alongside cracking displays from Faherty and Callum Kelly and you had a quality first-half performance from the Dunlavin students.
The Newbridge College huddle at the break spoke of being back in the game if they could grab one goal and their energetic start to the second half proved that they all bought into that plan with Andrew Hyland going close in the first minute, Cian Bruce saving smartly after four before the Co. Kildare students found the net off a sweet header from a well-struck free-kick with nine minutes gone.
Michael Kinsella implored his charges to up the energy levels again, but they had to endure some decent Newbridge play that resulted in two wides by Leo Healy.
A stunning ball from Bradley Guing set Faherty through but he fired wide by a matter of inches and the same man was released by a magnificent long ball only for his to pull the trigger too soon and sent his effort wayward of the posts.
Tensions rose over the next while with referee Mixie Monaghan having his work cut out to quell minor incidents and late tackles and the likes and he also had the roar of the Newbridge College students and supporters in his ears when they appealed for two handballs in the St. Kevin’s square with the Carlow official deciding both had no validity.
As well as those big moments, Newbridge College proved wasteful in front of the St. Kevin’s goal, squadering three chances.
Faherty’s hat-trick arrived after 38 of the second half, the Monread FC man firing home to the absolute delight of his colleagues and supporters.
Newbridge finally found the target for a second time when the lively Conor O’Donovan fired home from a Leo Healy ball, but there would be no miraculous revival as this excellent St. Kevin’s side marched on to claim the crown.