Counsel bring their ‘A’ game
New Ross school too strong for arch-rivals in decider
GOOD COUNSEL ST. PETER’S
GOOD COUNSEL College proved far too strong for St. Peter’s College as they eventually went on to secure a comfortable eleven-point victory in this Top Oil Leinster Colleges first year Division 1 hurling final at St. Patrick’s Park, Enniscorthy, on Wednesday.
The New Ross side will be pleased with the win, particularly the manner in which it was achieved.
While they had a number of outstanding individual displays, it eventually came down to a fine team effort, and it was the balance of their side through each line that proved the real difference between the sides.
On the other hand, St. Peter’s strove valiantly in defence to contain the opposition attack, but despite the best efforts of Luke Roche and Fionn Ryan they could do little to curtail the pressure being applied.
The winners had outstanding forwards in Danny Glennon, Kyle Rankin and Cathal Parker, while Darby Purcell and Darragh Flannelly held a decisive edge in midfield.
And with Peter McDonald, Eoin Whelan and Eoin Nunan outstanding in defence, there was only going to be one outcome.
Darragh Murphy, one of St. Peter’s better players, opened his side’s account with a pointed free on four minutes, while Kyle Rankin and Murphy went on to exchange scores.
Good Counsel eased their way into a 0-4 to 0-2 lead by the end of the opening quarter, and Peter’s were finding scores difficult to come by even with the assistance of the breeze.
Darragh Murphy went low from a 25-metre free but the ball was knocked down on the line before eventually being cleared to safety.
Good Counsel put in a real burst in the second quarter that produced the opening goal from the impressive Danny Glennon. He got on the end of good approach play from Kyle Rankin to finish low to the net, giving his side a 1-6 to 0-3 interval lead.
The second-half was only one minute old when Good Counsel put the issue beyond doubt, with Joe Devlin goaling from close range.
While St. Peter’s responded with a Darragh Murphy point, Good Counsel remained firmly in control as Darby Purcell struck over two fine points from midfield to help extend his side’s lead to 2-11 to 1-4 by the end of the third quarter, with the Peter’s goal arriving on 40 minutes from Daniel Ormonde.
Good Counsel went into the final quarter knowing they only had to protect their lead, and this they managed to achieve. Playing all the quality hurling, they denied the best efforts of the Peter’s attackers who lacked the finishing quality to seriously test them.
Good Counsel College: William Foley (Horeswood); Seán Nunan (Fethard), Peter McDonald (Mullinavat), William Holden (Glenmore); James Quinn (Rathgarogue-Cushinstown), Eoin Whelan (Fethard, 0-1 ‘65), Lar Murphy (Tullogher-Rosbercon); Darby Purcell (Faythe Harriers, 0-4), Darragh Flannelly (Geraldine O’Hanrahans); Cathal Parker (Horeswood, 0-2), Danny Glennon (Tullogher-Rosbercon, 1-6), Joe Devlin (Bannow-Ballymitty, 1-0); Darragh Redmond (Cloughbawn), Kyle Rankin (St. Fintan’s), Cillian Byrne (Fethard, 0-1). Subs. - Fionn Nunan (Fethard) for Quinn, Dean Kehoe (Adamstown) for Redmond.
St. Peter’s College: Cian Turner (Glynn-Barntown); Ciarán Hearne (Shelmaliers), Luke Roche (Shelmaliers), Josh Murphy (St. Martin’s); Robbie Delaney (Shelmaliers), Fionn Ryan (St. Anne’s), Ciarán Cash (Blackwater); Darragh Murphy (Glynn-Barntown, 0-5, 2 frees), Cathal Murphy (St. Anne’s); Daniel Ormonde (Shelmaliers, 1-1), Joe Mernagh (St. Martin’s), Luke Murphy (Faythe Harriers); Ferdia Reynolds (Glynn-Barntown), Conor Lyne (Glynn-Barntown), Seán Cooney (Glynn-Barntown). Subs. - Seamus Cooney (Oulart-The Ballagh) for Mernagh, Daniel Devereux (St. Fintan’s) for Ormonde, Paul Goggins (St. Martin’s) for Hearne.
Referee: Pat Moran (Laois).