The Coláiste Eoin hurling team pictured before the Top Oil Leinster Colleges Senior Hurling 'A' Final against St. Kieran's College, Kilkenny.
By Damian Lawlor
Former Dublin hurler and Coláiste Eoin senior manager, Aodán de Paor, admits his players were devastated with their fall-off in last weekend’s Leinster Colleges ‘A’ final, but says they have little time to dwell on the loss to St Kieran’s.
“The lads were a little fed up after the game,” De Paor acknowledges. “We took the lead in the 41st minute and we felt a win was on, but ‘Kieran’s are an unreal side. They have players of intercounty standard who can’t even make the starting team and, with a strong wind, they hit eight points without reply.
“Our lads were disappointed at how we fell off near the end but there are 10 of them involved in the Leinster senior football quarter-final replay against Moate CS and they will have to play that game this weekend so they can’t be down for too long.
“If they win that game there’s a semi-final against Naas and we’re down to play Midleton CBS in the Masita All-Ireland Post Primary Colleges ‘A’ quarter-final.
“That’s a busy schedule. And the lads are just a couple of weeks after their mocks. But the balance will be found, they know that. We’ll just have to manage them closely.”
That the Stillorgan school was even in the final - against a famed St Kieran’s side looking for an historic 56th provincial title - was an achievement in itself.
De Paor spent his school years at Colaiste Eoin himself and can never remember a time when a Dublin school was playing in the ‘A’ competition.
“I can’t even remember combined Dublin schools’ teams getting anywhere near the ‘A’ standard,” he says.
“I guess in time we will look back on progress achieved this season – for example, the last Dublin team to get to a Leinster ‘A’ final was back in the 1960s when Scoil Ui Conaill made it that far. But right now, the young lads are just so disappointed. They are hungry for success and they have worked hard for this recognition.”
The Kilkenny side feature classy talents like Eoin Cody and with quality players from Graigue-Ballycallan, Ballyhale Shamrocks and Dunamaggin – players from clubs who have achieved much in the past 12 months at national level. Boosted by this experience, Kieran’s made the more promising start despite playing into the stiff breeze.
St. Kieran's College players celebrate after defeat Coláiste Eoin in the Top Oil Leinster Schools Senior Hurling 'A' Final.
Then Coláiste Eoin struck back with an excellent Darach Mac Giolla Bhríde goal in the 17th minute and trailed by just a solitary point (1-8 to 2-4) at the break thanks to points from Pádhraic Ó Luineacháin.
Dónal Mac Duinnsléibhe and Séamus Ó Fiachna both scored early in the second half, but it was then that Kieran’s assumed complete control for the final quarter.
“That’s something for us to work on, obviously,” De Paor says, “but I think playing at this level is an ongoing learning curve. A few years back we reached ‘A’ standard but couldn’t stay there and so we spent the next few seasons at ‘B’ level, but really we had to ask ourselves: ‘what do you learn there?’
“We are the only Dublin college hurling ‘A’ level at the moment, but the lads will learn an awful lot more from playing Kieran’s than they would taking on teams at a lower standard – we have been there and done that and we would like to push on now for the future and stay at a higher level.
“It’s not easy, though. A lot of the lads here are in demand from football (with school, club and underage county teams) and have their academic work to focus on too.
“We are drawing mainly from Kilmacud Crokes and Cuala, while Ballinteer St Johns, Ballyboden, St Jude’s and others also provide players to us – but all of these guys are well coached by the time they get here and it’s a huge help.
“I would say the standard of Dublin club hurling has gone through the roof from when I played. Now, though, we really need the Dublin senior hurlers to push on and either reach or win an All-Ireland – just to get up to that elite level.
“An All-Ireland that would do so much for the army of volunteers who put in such an amount of work here and show such goodwill at grassroots level.
“Cuala winning two All-Ireland club titles is a milestone, us reaching a Leinster ‘A’ final and hopefully going well in the Masita All-Ireland series is another. Under Anthony Daly our seniors got a taste of the big time before it dipped for a couple of years. But Pat Gilroy has brought the level up again and please God we can push on this season.
“I firmly believe the talent is there to win an All-Ireland,” De Paor says. “A lot of people don’t agree with me, but I feel the quality and skill levels are good enough in that team to land a Championship.
“And what that would do for the future of Dublin hurling would be almost impossible to detail.”
The St. Kieran's College hurling team that won the Top Oil Leinster Schools Senior Hurling 'A' Final.
For now, the game rests easily on a strong tradition formed with love and care by those inside the school gates.
Kids with hurleys adorn the schoolyard, a legacy of the work, dedication and persistence of clubs like Cuala and ‘Crokes as well as the likes of De Paor, Proinsias de Poire and Finín Máirtín – teachers who pushed the game and promoted it.
“Hurling here is strong and we want to keep it that way,” De Paor finishes.
“Playing to this high level will stand to the lads. Most of them will go to college and they’ll leave here with discipline, good time management and teamwork skills, they’ll hopefully have good grades and a nice sense of what hard work can achieve.
“Hopefully there’s a lot of hurling to be played yet and football too. But the lads are a close bunch and they know what they are capable of. We just need a response now next day out against Midleton CBS in the Masia All-Ireland quarter-final.”
