Enniscorthy bow out to very strong Kilcock outfit

SCOIL DARA ENNISCORTHY C.B.S. 4-10 2-6

ENNISCORTHY C.B.S. came up a tad short in their bid to claim the Top Oil South Leinster Schools Junior ‘B’ football championship title, falling to a talented bunch from Kilcock’s Scoil Dara on Thursday.

There was no lack of effort or endeavour from the St. Mary’s boys, but the added big ball nous from their opponents proved a little too much to overcome in difficult conditions in the Kildare G.A.A. Training Centre at Hawkfield.

From a C.B.S. point of view, they did have a handful of decent performers. Eddie Kelly and Darragh Rochford both put in a serious shift but Ballyhogue clubman Liam Doyle stole the show with a terrific performance, scoring four fine points from play.

Things got off to a bad start for the Enniscorthy lads as they fell 1-3 to nil behind early. They kept plugging away and got a goal midway through the half when Rochford’s long ball was grabbed by Micheál Kinsella and he tucked it away.

A couple of points from Doyle and a Rochford effort ensured that St. Mary’s C.B.S. were within touching distance at half-time, albeit with plenty of work to do to fight back and claim an unlikely victory (2-6 to 1-3).

The horrible weather didn’t let up after the break and neither did the effort of the boys from the south-east.

They got another goal back when Ronan O’Leary broke onto a long ball forward and finished it soccer-style to the net.

They also added a trio of second-half points, as Doyle completed his salvo with another brace and Eddie Kelly picked up the score his hard work and all-round strong performance deserved.

However, the classy Kildare lads kept picking off the scores themselves and there was no doubt in the end that they were worthy champions as they advance to the provincial semi-final in the coming weeks.

St. Mary’s C.B.S.: Niall Mernagh (Oylegate-Glenbrien); Eamon Doyle (Ballyhogue), Ben Harrington (Ballyhogue), Matthew Balfe (Starlights); Eddie Kelly (Davidstown-Courtnacuddy, 0-1), Joe Whelan (Oylegate-Glenbrien), Shane Kehoe (Cloughbawn); Darragh Rochford (Ballyhogue, 0-1), Evan Murphy (Starlights); Ciarán Murphy (Starlights), Micheál Kinsella (Oylegate-Glenbrien, 1-0), Michael McGrath (Starlights); Ronan O’Leary (Monageer-Boolavogue, 1-0), Jim Moulton (Oylegate-Glenbrien), Liam Doyle (Ballyhogue, 0-4). Subs. (all used) - Seán Maher (Davidstown-Courtnacuddy), Josh Waldron (Crossabeg-Ballymurn), Conal Kervick (Davidstown-Courtnacuddy), Craig Peare (Starlights), Conor Dawson (Ballyhogue).