GAA.ie caught up with Ballinrobe Community School captain Nathan Moran after the Mayo side triumphed over St Ciarans Ballygawley in the Masita GAA All-Ireland Post Primary Schools Paddy Drummond Cup Final in Croke Park on April 1st - see http://www.gaa.ie/postprimaryschools/ for all information on Post-Primary Schools competitions.
Paddy Drummond Cup Final
BALLINROBE COMMUNITY SCHOOL 2-19 ST CIARAN'S, BALLYGAWLEY 2-16
After Extra-Time
Ballinrobe Community School lifted the Paddy Drummond Cup after extra-time in a thrilling encounter at Croke Park.
It took over 80 minutes to find a winner between these sides, but ultimately Ballinrobe did just enough to edge over the line.
This was a game of the highest quality, with an impressive array of score-taking from both sides. Ballinrobe led by 1-10 to 1-7 in the 50th minute, but the Tyrone school rallied to force extra-time.
Ballinrobe bagged an unanswered 1-4 during the first-half of extra-time, and it sent them on the path to victory. Conor Heneghan's neat finish six minutes into this contest gave Ballinrobe the perfect start.
A brace of points from corner-forward Thomas Conroy handed the Mayo school a 1-3 to 0-1 lead after the opening quarter. St Ciaran's slowly grew with confidence and had Ballinrobe reeled in by the interval.
Daniel Millar picked off a fine pair of scores from distance, while Pascal Donaghy curled over one off either foot as the Ulster champions kicked six of the final seven scores to lead by a point at half-time.
St Ciaran's goaled shortly after the restart through Cormaic Donnelly after a lapse in concentration from the Ballinrobe defence.
Thomas Conroy, Ballinrobe CS, and Cathal Corrigan, St Ciarans, Ballygawley, in action at Croke Park.
But Ballinrobe fired over five points unanswered, including a couple of fine Heneghan frees, to move into a three point lead.
The pendulum swung back in the favour of St Ciaran's as scores from Donnelly (two), O'Donnell and Hoy forced extra-time.
In a thrilling extra-time period, Darragh McGovern's goal left Ballinrobe ahead by 2-16 to 2-12, but St Ciaran's found the net through Ciaran Taynor to set-up a tense finale.
A late brace from Cathal Slattery was enough to see the Mayo men home.
Scorers for Ballinrobe CS: Conor Heneghan 1-5 (3fs), Cathal Slattery 0-6 (4fs), Thomas Conroy 0-4, , Darragh McGovern 1-0, Oisin Mullin 0-1, Adam Barrett 0-1, Brian O'Halloran and Tom Quinn 0-1 each.
Scorers for St Ciaran's: Cormaic Donnelly 1-4 (3 45s), Pascal Donaghy 0-6, Ciaran Traynor 1-0, Daniel Millar 0-2, Tomas Hoy 0-2, Caoimhin O'Donnell, Callum Corrigan 0-1 each.
BALLINROBE CS: Cian Ferriter; Paddy Feerick, Oran O'Malley, Peter Butler; Oisin Mullin, Aaron McDonnell, Liam Hughes; Nathan Moran, Darragh McGovern; Darren Munroe, Conor Heneghan, Adam Barrett; Thomas Conroy, Evan O'Brien, Cathal Slattery.
Subs: Brian O'Halloran for Darren Munroe (43), Tom Quinn for Adam Barrett (51), Ross Philbin for Evan O'Brien (75), Oisin Connolly for Aaron McDonnell (75), Rory Jennings for Conor Heneghan (82).
ST CIARAN'S: Paul Traynor; Marc Lennon, Conor Quinn, James Murray; Callum Corrigan, Cathair Quinn, Cathal Corrigan; Joseph Oguz, Daniel Millar; Pascal Donaghy, Cormaic Donnelly, Ciaran Traynor; Tomas Hoy, Caomhin O'Donnell, Darragh Canavan.
Subs: Pauraic McNelis for James Murray (41), Jason Doyle for Daniel Millar (69), Michael Owens for Tomas Hoy (71), Daniel Millar for Pascal Donaghy (76).
REFEREE: Brendan Cawley (Sligo).
