A general view of Duggan Park. Photo by Michael P Ryan/Sportsfile
Connacht Post-Primary Schools Senior A Hurling Final
Presentation College, Athenry 3-15 Coláiste Bhaile Chláir 0-9
By Kevin Egan at Duggan Park
Four times the bridesmaids in the race for the Croke Cup, including three defeats in the last five finals that were played, Presentation College of Athenry look like serious contenders for that highly-coveted first ever All-Ireland win after they overpowered Coláiste Bhaile Chláir in Ballinasloe this evening.
Even with Galway senior panellist Aaron Niland unavailable, Paul Hoban’s side were in complete control of this fixture from start to finish, and they didn’t lack firepower either, with Ciarán Leen and Jason Rabbitte imperious along the spine of the attack.
Presentation could afford to shoot 13 wides over the course of the hour, but because they enjoyed so much possession, the chances, and the scores, kept coming.
In the first seven minutes Leen struck the first of his ten points while each of the half-forward line split the uprights from open play, and by then Coláiste Bhaile Chláir (CBC) had yet to get a shot away at the posts. Their first attempt, struck by the lively Cormac Feeney, was met with a brilliant block by Lucas Keane, and their second was a long-range free that dropped short.
The latter proved costly as the ball was sent back down the field, Rabbitte drove at the CBC goal with intent, and despite being fouled, he still got his pass away to Eoin Hannon, who duly hit the roof of the net.
Seán Murphy and Keane continued to dominate their respective personal battles close to goal so it was no surprise that when CBC finally got off the mark, it came from distance, with Matthew Collins hoisting over a long-range effort.
The Claregalway school played their best hurling in the second quarter when they got a bit more of a foothold at half-back and midfield, but all they could do was go score-for-score with their Athenry opponents, leaving it 1-10 to 0-5 at the interval.
Any lingering doubt about who would lift the John Ryan cup was eliminated within 10 minutes of the start of the second half when Jason Rabbitte put his name on two goals in quick succession, extending the lead out to 15 points, which was more or less where it stood for the remainder of the tie.
The first saw Ciarán Leen turn provider and though it looked like the goal chance was gone when he missed the chance to play a handpass in towards Eoin Hannon who had drifted in behind the full-back line, his flat pass to Rabbitte was met with a sublime first touch from the Presentation captain, and that left him with just the keeper to beet. In this instance, the Fox (Brendan) had no chance to match the Rabbitte.
The Athenry club man’s second was a scrambled effort, swept to the net off the beck after he used his power to force a breaking ball in the middle of three defenders, and from them on the contest lost all its intensity, with the provincial championship all but decided.
Both schools will now play All-Ireland quarter-finals in a fortnight, with Presentation Athenry taking on the losers of tomorrow’s Harty Cup final, while Coláiste Bhaile Chláir will try to rebound against Kilkenny CBS.
Scorers for Presentation College, Athenry: Ciarán Leen 0-10 (7fs), Jason Rabbitte 2-1, Eoin Hannon 1-0, Ethan O’Brien 0-2, Darragh Kearney 0-1, Cian Hannon 0-1.
Scorers for Coláiste Bhaile Chláir: Eoin Collins 0-4 (3fs), Gearóid King 0-3f, Matthew Collins 0-1, Cormac Feeney 0-1.
Presentation College, Athenry: Chris Callanan; Lucas Keane, Seán Murphy, Aodhán McDonagh; Oscar Fitzpatrick, Darragh Counihan, Michael Fallon; Ronan McGlynn, Ronan Murphy; Darragh Kearney, Jason Rabbitte, Ethan O’Brien; Eoin Hannon, Ciarán Leen, Frank Burke.
Subs: Robert Burke for Kearney (41), Cian Hannon for F Burke (46), Shay Brady for Fallon (53), James Diviney for Rabbitte (54), Niall Donoghue for E Hannon (55).
Coláiste Bhaile Chláir: Brendan Fox; Cormac Gillespie, Daniel Hughes, Dylan O’Connell; Matthew Collins, Seán Moran, Dylan Casserly; Gearóid King, Ben Morley; Jack Kelly, Eoin Collins, Ronan Duggan; Daniel Fitzmaurice, Tomás Higgins, Cormac Feeney.
Subs: Éanna Flaherty for Duggan (41), Seán O’Callaghan for Kelly (48), Thomas Grealish for E Collins (48), Cillian Fahy for Morley (58).
Referee: Brian Keon (Galway).
