POWERFUL STUFF!
Wicklow Schools drive through to Leinster ‘A’ semi-final
WICKLOW SCHOOLS OFFALY SCHOOLS 4-7 0-9
WICKLOW SCHOOLS marched on to the Top Oil Bro. Bosco Cup semi-final after this dismantling of Offaly Schools in Blanchardstown IT on Saturday afternoon last.
St Pats of Navan will be their last-four opponents after the Meath outfit saw off Marist Athlone by 4-8 to 2-6 in their quarter-final.
Superb play for 45 minutes of this game was enough to secure their place in the last four of the Leinster Post Primary Schools Senior ‘A’ competition but manager John Paul Davis will be only too aware of the need to avoid the third-quarter lapse that saw them allow Offaly recover from the 2-5 to 0-2 deficit at half-time to close within five before being overpowered by a re-awakened Garden County side.
However, Davis and his management team of Paudge McWalter, Garret Doyle and Alan Deering won’t be overly concerned given that every team will experience a purple patch in a game and for the most part the Wicklow Schools side were by far the superior outfit on the day.
The ability to run at the Offaly Schools defence and grab goal opportunities was the difference on the scoreboard after the 60 minutes.
Half-back and captain Mark Reid lashed home the first of Wicklow Schools’ four goals after just two of those 60 minutes, and what a stunning goal it was.
It came about thanks to superb full-back play from Andy Maher who was outstanding in this game. The Arklow student put in a massive shift for his county side and attacked at every opportunity which caused the Offaly Schools side no end of difficulties.
Maher got out in front of full-forward Sean Courtney after a sweet ball from Offaly Schools’ brilliant centre-half forward Cathal Flynn and the AGB man sprinted up the field like a young deer, winning a free in the Offaly Schools’ half.
The ball was worked to Scoil Chonglais midfielder Sean Doody who fired in a wicked ball to full-forward Aaron Kennedy who flicked on to the onrushing Reid and the St Kevin’s man fired home sweetly past Adam Nugent for a wonderful start for the Wicklow lads.
Davis’ men were on a mission in the early stages and opened up a 1-3 to no score lead after 16 minutes with points from the impressive Aaron Kennedy (two frees) and a converted free from corner-forward Daire Wright who would finish with 2-2 for the day.
Wright’s first goal arrived after 26 minutes with the score reading 1-3 to 0-2. A sweeping move up the field by Wicklow ended with the ball being passed across to the St Kevin’s sharpshooter and he finished to the bottom corner of the net with aplomb for a major fillip for the Garden County outfit.
Another free from Wright and a fine point from play from Oisin McGraynor after a ball from the hardworking Doody left Wicklow leading by 2-5 to 0-2 on the solid pitch in Blanchardstown IT.
It was as if Wicklow just didn’t arrive back on the field psychologically for the start of the second half and in a flash Offaly Schools had four points registered with 10 minutes gone in the second period and you wondered where it was going to stop.
But stop it did. Wicklow’s Andy Conway broke up an Offaly Schools attack and after some very patient and healthy keep ball from the Wicklow students the impressive Brian Crowe won a free in his own half.
He spotted Oisin Graynor up ahead and played a dream ball which he gathered on the gallop with an Offaly man chasing desperately behind.
The Offaly Schools defender did manage to dislodge the ball from McGraynor’s hands, but the Avondale man had the wherewithal and the poise to allow the ball to spill to the ground before finishing home off the ground to the back fo the net. Exactly what the doctor ordered.
Two Cathal Flynn points either side of a Brian Crowe score left the score reading 3-7 to 0-8 but the killer blow was landed when Daire Wright bagged his second major of the day to complete a stunning move up the field.
Ben Fennell’s kick out was gathered by midfielder Ciaran Coffey for a mark. He moved the ball swiftly to Sean Doody who galloped up the field before handpassing to Wright who stepped inside a defender and drove low and hard to the bottom corner for a beautiful goal.
Wicklow Schools had enough done at that stage and saw out the rest of the game to secure a semi-final berth in the province’s flagship post primary football competition.
Key to the victory was the performace of Andy Maher at full-back. He was quite simply excellent and besides his defensive capabilities he provides a serious attacking outlet when he sirges forward.
A strong half-back line next door to a powerful midfield combination of Sean Doody and Ciaran Coffey proved very useful for Wicklow Schools on the day and a talented attack led by Aaron Kennedy at full-forward proved too much for Offaly Schools.
Add to that a very strong bench and the fact that Tinahely’s Eoin Darcy was unavailable for selection and who is to say how far this team can go?
– Wicklow Schools: Daire Wright 2-2 (2f), Oisin McGraynor 1-2, Mark Reid 1-0, Aaron Kennedy 0-2, Brian Crowe 0-1.
Offaly Schools: Cathal Flynn 0-3, Cormac Delaney 0-2 (1f), Jacob Beatty 0–2 (2f), Ciaran Farrell 0-1, Rory Egan 0-1
Ben Fennell (Arklow CBS); Gavin Fogerty (East Glendalough), Andy Maher (Gaelcholáiste na Mara), Andy Donway (Pres Bray); Mark Reid (St Kevin’s), Patrick O’Keane (Gaelcholáiste na Mara), Oisin Cullen (Coláiste Chraobh Abhann); Sean Doody (Scoil Chonglais), Ciaran Coffey (Coláiste Chill Mhantáin); Craig Maguire (Blessington C.C.), Oisin McGraynor (Avondale C.C.); Darragh Rochford (Pres Bray); Daire Wright (St Kevin’s), Aaron Kennedy (St Kevin’s), Brian Crowe (St Kevin’s). Subs: James Hedderman (Coláiste Bhríde) for C Coffey (46), Cillian McDonald (Coláiste Bhríde) for B Crowe (50), John Doyle (Coláiste Bhríde) for D Wright (60), Tadgh O’Toole (Scoil Chonglais) for C Maguire (60).
Scorers WICKLOW SCHOOLS: OFFALY SCHOOLS:
Adam Nugent; Aaron Brazil, Kieran Dolan, Shane Enright; Ciaran Farrell, Rory Egan, Clive Keena; Aidan Bracken, Cathal Donoghue; Tom Mangan, Cathal Flynn, Calvin Fox; Jacob Beatty, Sean Courtney, Cormac Delaney. Sub: Adam Reams.