St Kieran’s College 5-19
Presentation College Athenry 3-16
(after extra-time)
Kevin O’Brien reports from Semple Stadium
PRESENTATION COLLEGE ATHENRY pulled-off a brave fightback to force extra-time but they couldn’t prevent Kilkenny powerhouses St Kieran’s College from sealing their 22nd Croke Cup title in Thurles this evening.
Athenry found themselves 12 points behind early in the second-half but a 64th-minute goal from Adam Brett, his second of the game, capped off a remarkable comeback and sent the game to extra-time.
Athenry over-turned a 10-point interval deficit to defeat Kilkenny CBS in the semi-final, but St Kieran’s eventually secured victory in extra-time thanks to goals from Jamie Young and Ciaran Brennan.
It was a fourth All-Ireland in five years for the Kilkenny school, who are now eight clear of second-placed St Flannan’s of Ennis in the All-Ireland senior hurling roll of honour.
This was their fifth Croke Cup final in-a-row, with last year’s final defeat to Our Lady’s Templemore their only defeat in five appearances in the decider. Indeed 10 players from last year’s final defeat lined out again today.
Athenry were aiming to become the first Galway school to win the All-Ireland senior A hurling title since St Raphael’s in 1995, and that remains the county’s sole victory. Their last visit to the final, in 1976, also ended in defeat.
Adrian Mullen, who played at full-forward on Kilkenny’s Leinster minor winning campaign of 2017, starred with seven points from midfield while O’Loughlin Gaels youngster Conor Kelly (0-7) and Bennettsbridge’s Ciaran Brennan (2-1) also impressed.
St Kieran’s led by 0-4 to 0-1 after the opening seven minutes, but Athenry moved a point in front by the 14th minute mainly due to the accuracy of Mark Kennedy’s free-taking.
Athenry were struggling to create scoring chances from open play, while at the far end St Kieran’s were cutting them open. They dispatched three goals between the 21st and 26th minute through Daithi Barron, Ciaran Brennan and David O’Carroll, to lead by 3-7 to 0-6 at half-time.
St Kieran’s pressed ahead into a 12-point lead by the 35th minute, but the Galway side bagged 3-5 over the next 25 minutes to send the game to extra-time. The three goals arrived after the 55th minute, with Brett popping up twice for close-range finishes while Kennedy dispatched the other.
St Kieran’s responded in extra-time with a flurry of scores from Mullen and Kelly, while Young and Brennan hit the pivotal goals to seal the win.
Scores for St Kieran’s College: Ciaran Brennan 2-1, Daithi Barron 1-2, Adrian Mullen 0-7 (0-1f), Conor Kelly 0-7 (0-2f), David O’Carroll and Jamie Young 1-0 each, Ian Walsh and Eoin O’Shea 0-1 each.
Scores for Presentation College Athenry: Mark Kennedy 1-8 (0-6f), Adam Brett 2-2, TJ Brennan 0-2, Eoin Caulfield, Brion Connolly (0-1f), Ian McGlynn (0-1f), Cillian Lawless 0-1 each.
St Kieran’s College
1. Dean Mason (Ballyhale Shamrocks)
2. Tommy Ronan (Graigue-Ballycallan)
3. Conor Murphy (Bennetsbridge)
4. Mark Nolan (Dicksboro)
5. Diarmuid Phelan (Danesfort)
6. Jesse Roberts (Graigue-Ballycallan)
7. Luke Murphy (James Stephens)
8. Killian Egan (Graigue-Ballycallan)
9. Adrian Mullen (Ballyhale Shamrocks)
10. Eoghan Moylan (Dicksboro)
11. Eoin O’Shea (O’Loughlin Gaels)
12. Daithi Barron (Thomastown)
13. Conor Kelly (O’Loughlin Gaels)
14. Ciaran Brennan (Bennettsbridge)
15. David O’Carroll (Lisdowney)
Subs
19. George Murphy (Rower-Inistioge) for O’Carroll (36)
18. Ian Walsh (Dunamaggin) for Moylan (46)
20. Jamie Young (O’Loughlin Gaels) for O’Shea (49)
17. Eoin Cody (Ballyhale Shamrocks) for Barron (51)
12. Barron for Egan (half-time in extra-time)
22. David Blanchfield (Bennettsbridge) for Murphy (half-time in extra-time)
Presentation College Athenry
1. Patrick Rabbitte (Athenry)
9. Jason Reilly (Turloughmore)
2. Adam Clarke (Craughwell)
4. Eoin Lawless (Athenry)
5. Karl Conneely (Turloughmore)
3. Conor Lee (Clarinbridge)
7. TJ Brennan (Clarinbridge)
12. Brian Connolly (Turloughmore)
8. Shane Quirke (Athenry)
10. Eoin O’Donnell (Ardrahan)
6. Conor Walsh (Turloughmore)
14. Cillian Lawless (Athenry)
13. Mark Kennedy (Clarinbridge)
11. Adam Brett (Killimordaly)
15. Eoin Caulfield (Athenry)
Subs
17. Oisin Salmon (Clarinbridge) for O’Donnell (43)
24. Ian McGlynn (Reilly (47)
21. Bobby Concannon (Killimordaly) for Connolly (59)
20. Donal Parr (Athenry) for Caulfield (61)
19. Brandon Lee (Athenry) for Lawless (73)
18. Dara Coleman (Abbeyknockmmoy) for Walsh (77)
Referee: Fergal Horgan (Tipperary)
******
Colaiste Choilm, Tullamore 0-17
St Patrick’s, Maghera 0-13
Meanwhile in the All-Ireland Post Primary Schools senior B hurling final, Colaise Choilm lifted the title after a four-point victory in Inniskeen.
Managed by former Offaly hurler Colm Cassidy, the Tullamore school secured the victory after extra-time.
Brian Duignan, son of Faithful legend Michael Duignan, scored a late equaliser and fired over 0-12 altogether to help secure the victory for Colaiste Choilm.
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Serious atmosphere here in Cavan. This is exactly where you want to be playing the All Ireland Champions. Whatever the result these games against the top 4 will stand to us in the summer months
It’s exactly the gate the county board needed as well
Mind blowing that people would actually travel to watch that rubbish sport.
@Ordinary lad: the much “hyped” Irish Rugby team lost yesterday. How much money do those lads earn?
Mind blowing that someone would take the time to open an article about a sport they consider to be ‘rubbish’ and then take the time to comment on it.
How can a team that receives €120k in funding compete against a team that receives €1.4million
Hahaha give over Al . Deep down you love the gaa
@Alan b..: Sure all the money we’ll be spending here we’ll double that funding for you pal ;)
a decent workout so far get rid of the Jamaican rum and redstripe against another nordie team who’s sole intention is to pull drag and hit off the ball.
Don’t know what game your watching. The hits off the ball have been 50:50.
Eh cavan is in the south of Ireland Einstein
fergal reilly should count himself lucky to share a pitch with these wonderful dublin footballers instead of going around like a drunk at a wedding looking for a fight.
That was stared by the Dublin man on the ground. You’re incredibly anti ulster football
And then mdma was the first man to get involved.
And who look for a figth at a wedding
ah lorcan stop it now.
fergal reilly would.
it’s north of me ya tit
@Alan b..: that explains why the dubs were late they looked at a map and headed north. When did this geographical transplant take place.
don’t be a tit like alan cavan play in ulster which is up north so they are nordies.
Cavan is not in Northern Ireland you don’t cross the border or use sterling
I didn’t say it was in Northern Ireland .
What do you mean by nordie then?if you are calling them that cos they’re north of you does that mean someone from cork would class Dublin as a nordie team
if they wanted to yes beacuse they would be northern to a Cork person now cavan is in ulster and part of the Republic of Ireland beacuse the brits didn’t want the kip so yes you are nordies which we where stuck with.
Stop you’re just embarrassing yourself
What part of Dublin are you from?
what difference does it make?
cavan play in the ulster champions with the other 8 nordie counties it’s no big deal just accept it is the way it is don’t be embarrassed alan.
All the complaints about dublins fans. Have any other county brought a few thousand fans with them today ?
@Gavin Byrne: In comparison Dublin have a fan base of about 10 times what other counties have. So of course they will bring large numbers with them.
Fair play today they really brought a fantastic atmosphere and plenty of money to Cavan town today
That a few time in the last three years the cavan has been delayed because of the fans.
If the dubs can’t make it to croke park on time how do you expect them to make it to cavan on time
@Lorcán Coyle: Should know by now that nothing in Cavan ever starts on time, nearest fifteen minutes, sure that’ll do.!!!
Ref jersey looks too like Dubs
We’ll save that excuse for later
Massive achievement if Roscommon can some how stay up in Division 1.
Lorcan are u watching the match