Colaiste Eoin, Hacketstown 6-12 Moyle Park College 2-7
By Kieran Murphy, Nationalist.
This was a proud day for the Hacketstown School in Blessington on Wednesday as they won the Leinster Juvenile Football “D” final. A first provincial title since 1981. Their last final appearance in 2005 brought disappointment when they lost a provincial vocational schools senior football “B” final to Dunshaughlin of Meath by a narrow two points.
This time there were no worries. Colaiste Eoin set their stall early. Rock solid in defence, a dominant midfield duo of Eoghan Byrne and Ruairi Tompkins, and a slick forward line propelled their side to glory. It wasn’t just their superiority in these departments which won the day. They competed ferociously for everything.
The opening exchanges suggested this was going to be close. Tompkins landed a brilliant long range point and a superb Andy Foley kick-pass picked out Jake Hickey who in turn fed Noel Byrne for the opening goal. Points by Moyle Park’s Adam Byrne and Mitchell Byrne focussed Colaiste Eoin rather than lifting their opponents. The Carlow side replied with another goal through Billy Lawlor. Again it was a Foley pass threaded through which unhinged the defence.
After that, it just got better and better for the Carlow-Wicklow border school. Byrne scored his second goal and Foley raced away to raise another green flag. Eleven points in front with less than ten minutes to the break, this game was all but over.
Moyle Park created a number of chances. Notably when it looked as if Conor Gallagher looked certain to find the net from close range but Colaiste Eoin keeper, Sean Tompkins, drew his body on the ball and cleared to safety.
At half-time, Colaiste Eoin led 5-4 to 0-4. By that stage, Noel Byrne had completed his hat-trick. They eased up somewhat in the second half. Not a lot but enough to allow Moyle Park in for goals from Eoin Richardson and another at the death by Sean Casey. Crucially, every time the Dubliners threatened, the eventual winners were able to respond.
Easy in the end but that shouldn’t take from the fact that this is a good footballing side who, from a range of different clubs, have gelled well to bring a provincial title to County Carlow.
Colaiste Eoin (all Clonmore unless stated otherwise): Sean Tompkins; Mark O’Keeffe (Knockananna), Luke Doyle (Knockananna), Jordan Tallon; Luke Connolly, Cormac Connolly, Rory Maguire; Eoghan Byrne (0-1 Tinahely), Ruairi Tompkins (Coolkenno 0-5,3fs); Reid Byrne (Tinahely), Eoin Byrne (1-2), Jake Hickey; Billy Lawlor (1-0), Noel Byrne (3-4 Knockananna), Andy Foley (1-0 Michael Dwyers). Subs: Keith Bowes for C. Connolly (blood), Conor Mooney for Lawlor (49 mins), Jake Murphy (Tinahely) for N. Byrne (55 mins), Ben Meehan (Coolkenno) for Hickey (58 mins), Darren Bermingham for O’Keeffe (63 mins). Melvin Kinch (Clonmore), Cooper Sharpe (Coolkenno).
Moyle Park: Ben Akinbode; Alex Doyle, Dylan Maughan (0-1), Liam Callaghan; Ross Tully, Scott Munnelly, Matthew Kelly; Cian Clarke, Sean Casey (1-1), Eoin Richardson (1-0), Sean Hampson, Conor Gallagher (0-1); Lu Silawong, Mitchel Byrne (0-3), Adam Byrne (0-1). Subs: Oisin Douglas for Byrne (49 mins), Aidan Kelly for Silawong (50 mins).
Referee: Alan Lagrue (Kildare).
Leinster U-14 C'ship Semi-Final: Colaiste Eoin 4-13 St Farnans 3-2.
Congrats to Colaiste Eoin's U-14s from Clonmore GFC.
