Scoil Mhuire agus Íde, Newcastle West claim silverware:
Masita GAA Post Primary Schools Senior C Hurling final
Scoil Mhuire agus Íde, Newcastle West 2-13 Boyne Community School, Trim 1-11
By Tom Clancy at Banagher,
West Limerick continues to see its hurling stock rise. Further evidence of this came on Friday afternoon when Scoil Mhuire agus Íde, from Newcastle West, collected a maiden All Ireland Colleges crown, thanks to a five-point victory over a determined Boyne Community School.
Goals from the hugely influential Conor Hough and Gavin Dorgan gave the Treaty school a sweet success, played at St. Rynagh’s GAA, in Banagher, Offaly.
For SMI, this was the culmination of heard work all season. Teachers Jeremiah Moroney, who has continued to drive the sport in the school and Kevin O’Brien, from the famed Patrickswell club, have brought this team to new heights.
Captain Diarmuid Lyons lifted the Michael Cusack cup before the majority of the school, with six different clubs in west Limerick represented in their starting XV.
After a score-shy opening 14 minutes, where Trim led 0-3 to 0-1, the first real blow of the contest was struck by Hough who found the net after a couple of neat passes found him in space close to goal.
The bright opening from Niall Regan’s Royals was thanks to points from Leon Harris, Joey Christie and Cathal Barron. Dunderry’s Barron looked a real threat throughout for his school.
After the goal, the west Limerick outfit collected the next two points, Diarmuid Mullaney clipping over before Dorgan showed his real quality with a point from near the sideline.
By half-time it was 1-5 to 0-4, with the breeze having favoured the Limerick men in the opening half.
An immediate Boyne point looked to ignite their efforts but Dorgan was at the end of a superb team move to dispatch to the net to open up a six point buffer.
Try as they might, the Meath men couldn’t get closer than two-points. A goal from a Christie free on 50 minutes gave them hope, but the accuracy from SMI down the closing stretch was noteworthy.
They had late points from captain Diarmuid Lyons, who pulled on a loose ball, as well as efforts from Monagea’s Hough before his clubmate Liam O’Connor arrowed over a beautiful effort in stoppage time.
The pitch invasion that followed saw the contrast in emotions that these competitions bring. Heartbreak for a formidable Meath outfit but pure joy for the victorious Limerick outfit.
Each of the thirteen scores from the winners came from play, with their unrelenting work rate undoubtedly the foundation of this historic breakthrough.
Scorers for Scoil Mhuire agus Íde, Newcastle West: Gavin Dorgan 1-5, Conor Hough 1-3, Diarmuid Mullaney, Cathal Kiely, Fionn Meehan, Diarmuid Lyons, Liam O’Connor 0-1 each.
Scorers for Boyne Community School, Trim: Joey Christe 1-2 (1-0 free); Shane Jordan 0-4 (0-2 frees, 0-1 ’65); Leon Harris, Cathal Barron 0-2 each; Kosei Kirwan 0-1.
Scoil Mhuire agus Íde, Newcastle West: Darragh Tierney (Newcastle West); David Moloney (Knockaderry), Odhrán Kelleher (Kileedy), Eoghan Sheehan (St. Kieran’s); Liam O’Connor (Monagea), Patrick Cagney (Feohanagh/Castlemahon), Seán Long (St. Kieran’s); Gavin Thompson (St. Kieran’s), Diarmuid Lyons (Newcastle West) (Capt); Diarmuid Mullaney (Kileedy), Seán Lyons (Newcastle West), Gavin Dorgan (Monagea); Conor Hough (Monagea), Andrew Lyons (Newcastle West), Fionn Meehan (Feohanagh/Castlemahon).
Subs: Cathal Kiely (Monagea) for Meehan, Conor McMahon (St. Kieran’s) for S Lyons (both 45); Jack O’Sullivan (St. Kieran’s) for A Lyons (51).
Boyne Community School, Trim: Conor Cummins (Na Fianna); Aron Doherty (Rathmolyon), Darragh McLaughlin (Trim), Ed Dunne (Kildalkey); Kosei Kirwan (Rathmolyon), David Regan (Kiltale), Luca Taheny (Trim); Leon Harris (Trim), Dan Quinn (Kildalkey); Seán Howley (Rathmolyon) (Capt), Cathal Barron (Dunderry), Joey Christie (Rathmolyon); Robbie Johnson (Kilmessan), Alex Cole (Trim), Shane Jordan (Na Fianna).
Subs: Charlie O’Connor (Dunderry) for Doherty (37); Ruairí McCaffrey (Trim) for Kirwan (57).
Referee: Peter Carroll (Tipperary).