Sth Leinster P.P Schools Junior Football Division 1 Section 2-Final

                                    

Sth Leinster P.P Schools

Junior Football Division 1 Section 2-Final

Gaelchólaiste Na Mara  ( Wicklow) 1-10

Colaiste Abhainn Rí Callan 2-8

Eoin Horkan

Pearse Park

 

Who ever said there was no football in Kilkenny! It was Callans’s day in Wicklow as they won the south Leinster title by a solitary point last Thursday.

After a delayed start to this  match the visitors to Pearse park didn’t let this stop them as they flew out of the blocks. It was clear that the wind would play a big part in this game and that was the case as Callan played long balls in the early phases of the game reaping the rewards as corner forward Robbie Jackman and midfielder Tim Doherty raised the opening white flags of the game. It was the turn of   Paul Hanrahan who gathered a long ball before firing into the back of the net as Callan looked in control. Charlie Meirtneach  narrowed the gap with a cultured effort from outside the exclusion zone.

This small reprieve didn’t stop the Kilkenny men as they went on to fire over the next four scores with two coming from the boot of dangerous inside man Noah Cahill, before Hanrahan added to his tally. The final score of this onslaught came from wing forward Ned O’ Meara who drove forward with the aid of the breeze. With eight  minutes to go in the half Cian Ó Broin narrowed the gap again. Callans last two scores of the half came from Jackman from play before the aforementioned Cahill slotted a forty five in between a fine left footed effort from Fenn Ó hUallacháin , leaving eight points between the sides at the interval.

With the breeze against them in the second half it was Callan who made light work of this as the aforementioned Cahill drove a high ball towards the post that landed into the back of the net to give his side a huge advantage to hold on too.

The second half turned into a carbon copy of the first after that early goal as the home side pushed forwards at every opportunity with Meirtneach and Ó  hUallacháin narrowing the gap in between an effort from substitute Aaron Mac Aodha. With GCM slowly turning the screw it was clear that this game was far from over , after a goal mouth scramble the ball ended up in the Kilkenny net  off the hands of goalie Zac Evans.  The Arklow side were making positional changes and one of these paid off as Seosamh O’ Caoindealbháin  moved forward to split the posts before Kyle Mac na Mhuillin drove over a forty five. With minutes to go in the tie and the game there for the taking Ó  hUallacháin drove another effort over from play. The final score of the game came from the boot of Brian Mac Cathmhaoil. This come back wasn’t enough as Callan held on for victory.

 Gaelchólaiste Na Mara; Adam O’ Laoire; Zach Ó Tuathail, Seosamh O’ Caoindealbháin (0-1), Luke Mac Craith, Kyle Mac na Mhuillin (0-1 45), Brian Mac Cathmhaoil (0-1), Jack O’ Diomsaigh; Callum De Róiste, Fenn Ó hUallacháin (0-3 1f); Harry De Faoite, Charlie Meirtneach (0-2), Jack Ó Braoin; Dylan Ó Loinsigh, Cian Mac Réamoinn, Cian O Broin (0-1)

Subs Used: Jack Mac Fhlionn for Zack Ó Tuathail , Aaron Mac Aodha (0-1) for Harry De Faoite Cian Ó’ Nualáin for Cian Ó Broin

 

Colasite Abhainn Rí: Zac Evans; Luke Power, Aidan Comerford, Adam Doyle, Eoin O Shea, Eoin Sheill,Tom Power; Tim Doherty (0-1), Sean Lawton; Pa Gibbs (0-1f), Ryan Dononvan Cooke, Ned O’ Meara; Noah Cahill (1-3 1 45), Paul Hanrahan(1-1), Robbie Jackman (0-2).

Subs used Shane McGrath for Paul Hanrahan.

Referee Kieron Kenny.