Page 58 - INTO THE WEST - March-April 2018

Brave Athenry finally come up short
St Kieran’s
(Kilkenny) ........5-19
Presentation College
Athenry ...........3-17 (after extra-time)
MASITA GAA ALL-IRELAND POST-PRIMARY SCHOOLS CROKE CUP
A By DARAGH SMALL Media West Ireland
dAM Brett scored two goals, while Mark Kennedy fired the other, but despite the most dramatic of come-
backs Presentation College Athenry fell to an agonising Croke Cup final defeat to St Kieran’s from Kilkenny.
St Kieran’s had all of the pedigree coming into this final, and looking for their fourth All-ireland in five years they domi- nated the opening half at Semple Stadium in Thurles.
The Leinster school were 3-7 to 0-6 in
SKILL: Athenry forward Adam Brett collects possession ahead of St Kieran’s defender Tommy
Ronan.
Photo: Eoin Noonan/SPORTSFILE
front at half-time, after goals from daithi Barron, Ciaran Brennan and david O’Car- roll.
semi-final.
They forced extra-time but couldn’t find
They still held a commanding 3-12 to 0-12 lead with six minutes remaining but then the Athenry outfit staged an almighty comeback.
enough to keep tabs with their rejuvenated opponents who only held on for a draw in normal time.
in all Pres Athenry scored 3-5 in the last 25 minutes of the match and they forced extra-time when Brett finished his second goal to the net. But St Kieran’s had too much in extra-time.
Jamie young and Ciaran Brennan were on target with the vital goals, and Pres Athenry missed out on becoming the second Galway school to win the Croke Cup.
Eoin O’Shea, daithi Barron, Conor Kelly and Adrian Mullen were all on target for Kilkenny CBS in the opening minutes as they raced into a 0-4 to 0-1 lead.
ST KIERAN’S COLLEGE: D Mason, T Ronan, C Murphy, M Nolan, D Phelan, J Roberts, L Murphy, K Egan, A Mullen (0-7, 0-2f), E Moylan, E O’Shea (0-1), D Barron (1-2), C Kelly (0-7, 0-1f, 0-1 ‘65’), C Brennan (2-1), D O’Carroll (1-0). Subs: G Murphy for C Kelly (35m), Ian Walsh (0-1) for E Moylan (46m), J Young (1-0) for E O’Shea (48m), E Cody for D Barron (52m).
PRESENTATION COLLEGE: P Rabbitte, A Clarke, C Lee, E Lawless, K Conneely, C Walsh (0- 1), TJ Brennan (0-3), S Quirke, J Reilly, E O’Don- nell, A Brett (2-1), B Connolly, M Kennedy (1-9 (0-6f, 0-2 ‘65’), C Lawless (0-1), E Caulfield (0-1). Subs: I McGlynn for J Reilly (47m), B Concannon for B Connolly (59m), D Parr for E Caulfield (59m), D Coleman for C Walsh (76m).
REFEREE: Fergal Horgan (Tipperary).
But Pres Athenry held their heads and points from Cillian Lawless and Kennedy.
However between the 21st and 26th minutes St Kieran’s ran riot and their three-goal haul pushed them into a ten- point lead at half-time.
STRENGTH: Athenry’s TJ Brennan powers his way forward against St Kieran’s in the All- Ireland semi-final at Thurles.
Photo: Stephen McCarthy/SPORTSFILE
Page 58 – INTO THE WEST
St Kieran’s went 12 points head shortly after half-time and Pres Athenry looked lost. But this was a Galway side who had come back from the death to clinch an unlikely win against Kilkenny CBS in the