Colaiste Choilm's bid for Leinster glory halted by champions after brave battle

COLAISTE Choilm Tullamore's bid to reach the Leinster Post Primary Schools Senior Football 'A' final was halted by reigning All-Ireland champions Naas CBS after a great tussle at Ratheniska on Friday.

Leinster PP Schools Senior Football 'A' Semi-final

NAAS CBS 1-7
COLAISTE CHOILM TULLAMORE 0-8

The Tullamore school gave it all in their bid to overcome the champions and at one stage in the second half looked like they had the momentum to go on and win, but Naas hit back in the final 10 minutes to kick the points that secured their place in the final against Moate Community School.

Colaiste Choilm got off to a bad start, conceding a goal inside the first three minutes, and it could have been worse as Naas missed a couple of other opportunities. Naas looked sharper in that opening half but didn't make it count on the scoreboard and at the interval only held a one goal lead, 1-3 to 0-3.

In the second half Colaiste Choilm came much more into the game and they hit four points without reply in the first 18 minutes to take the lead for the first time. Naas struggled in the opening 20 minutes of that half but suddenly hit three points in two minutes to regain control and although Colaiste Choilm pushed until the final whistle, including lobbing three lineballs into the square in the closing stages, they were unable to grab the goal that could have sent them into the final.

Naas remain on course to win their third title in a row but they will be well aware that they were given a huge fright by Colaiste Choilm and they were mightily relieved at the final whistle. They got off to a great start with a goal in the third minute and could almost have put the game out of the reach of Colaiste Choilm in the first five minutes as Ryan Sinkey crashed a great shot off the crossbar and Austin Brennan had a shot saved by Sean Kavanagh.

Colaiste Choilm struggled to get into the game and scoring chances were at a premium. They hung into the game and pressured Naas very well and they would probably have been reasonably happy to have been only a goal down at half time, considering some of the possession that Naas had, which they didn't convert into scores.

It was a different Colaiste Choilm team after the break. They began to dominate around the middle of the field and began to exert real pressure on Naas. Naas' attacking opportunities were very limited with just one shot at goals, a bad miss by Fionn McCarthy from close range, in the first 20 minutes. Gradually Colaiste Choilm got the scores and when they took the lead they looked like they might go on to win.

But like true champions Naas hit back impressively and aided by a couple of subs providing fresh legs in attack, they suddenly refound their mojo and turned the game in their favour once again and Colaiste Choilm were left chasing the game again.

Colaiste Choilm will be well aware that they had a great opportunity of making a Leinster Final and when they reflect they will look back on their 11 wides, eight of which were kicked from placed balls. With a strong crossfield wind, too often players kicked their efforts too high and they were carried away by the wind. It must be said Naas also missed a couple of similar efforts but failing to take eight chances from eight scoreable efforts ultimately proved costly for Colaiste Choilm.

Naas got off to the best possible start with a goal in the third minute. Colaiste Choilm lost possession deep in their own defence and the ball was quickly transferred by Stephen Kelly, Fionn McCarthy and Carl Lennox to Evan Gilmartin and he fired to the net. It could have been worse for Colaiste Choilm as after a great run Ryan Sinkey's shot crashed off the crossbar and after another good move, Austin Brennan's effort was saved by Sean Kavanagh.

Colaiste Choilm's first serious attack was foiled by a great block on Dan Bourke at the expense of a '45'. Wing back Daniel Hamill came forward to kick a good point for Naas before Colaiste Choilm got off the mark after 11 minutes when Jack Connolly pointed from a mark about 30m out. Niall Furlong kicked a great point from the left wing to cut the gap to two midway through the half before Ryan Sinkey made another good run and kicked a good point. Nine minutes passed without a score before Ryan Kenny curled a free over for Colaiste Choilm two minutes before the break, but almost immediately Ryan Sinkey made another good run and added another point to leave Naas 1-3 to 0-3 in front at half time.

Colaiste Choilm were much more prominent from the restart and Jack Connolly got them off the mark from a fourth minute free. Naas did pose a threat when a high ball from Stephen Kelly dropped in the square. Sean Kavanagh punched it clear and it fell to Fionn McCarthy but he blazed the ball badly wide from a good position. Jack Connolly then kicked another point from play to leave the minimum in it and they posed further problems from a Dan Bourke run but his effort was blocked and Robbie Gallagher's follow up was also blockd out for a '45'.

Midway through the half Jack Connolly kicked another lovely point to bring the sides level and three minutes later he and Cillian Martin linked up to set up Luke Bourke to put Colaiste Choilm in front for the first time. They then strung a lovely move together but unfortunately it concluded with Niall Furlong shooting wide.

Naas finally shook themselves into action and Stephen Kelly got their first score of the half after 21 minutes to level matters again. Ryan Sinkey quickly put them in front and Tom Kelly added another from a free. Colaiste Choilm kicked three frees wide and Naas had the chance to kill the game off when Stephen Kelly's shot beat Sean Kavanagh but was kicked off the line by yan Conway.

Callum Barrett stretched the Naas lead to a goal after 59 minutes. Dan Bourke quickly cut it back to two from a free after he was fouled himself after a great run. They pushed looking for the winning goal but were unable to breach the Naas defence and the champions hung on for a two point win.

MATCH ANALYSIS

THE TEAMS

NAAS CBS: Fintan Quinn; Cian Boran, Charlie Murphy, Niall Cramer; Evan O'Briain, Eoin Lawlor, Daniel Hamill; Austin Brennan, Cian O'Reilly; Fionn McCarthy, Carl Lennox, Tom Kelly; Stephen Kelly, Ryan Sinkey, Evan Gilmartin. Subs. Jamie McGuirk (for Evan O Briain, 42 mins), Callun Barrett (for Carl Lennox), Daire Gilmartin (for Cian O'Reilly, 48 mins), Liam O'Reilly (for Charlie Murphy, 56 mins), Finn Ryan (for Fionn McCarthy, 59 min).

COLAISTE CHOILM: Sean Kavanagh (Tullamore); James Kelly (Daingean), Ryan Conway (Daingean), Ben Heffernan (Tullamore); Gary Merriman (Shamrocks), Ter Guinan (Kilcormac/Killoughey), Jack Daly (Tullamore); Cillian Martin (Tullamore), Cillian Bourke (Tullamore); Ryan Kenny (Ballycommon), Dan Bourke (Durrow), Luke Bourke (Tullamore); Jack Connolly (Daingean), Robbie Gallagher (Ballinagar), Niall Furlong (Tullamore). Subs. Brian Malone (Ballinagar) (for Gary Merriman, 27 mins), Patrick Kenna (Tullamore) (for James Kelly), Stephen Doran (Durrow) (for Ryan Kenny, 46 mins).

REFEREE: Des Cooney (Laois)

MAN OF THE MATCH

Colaiste Choilm's Jack Connolly deserves mention as he was their one forward who looked most likely to score, finishing with four points, two from play, but Naas forward Ryan Sinkey edges the vote. He scored three points from play but his direct running caused problems for Colaiste Choilm and he also saw a great shot crash off the crossbar and ultimately it was his scores which edged the contest in favour of his side.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH

That two minute spell between the 51st and 53rd minutes was decisive as Naas swung the game back in their favour. Colaiste Choilm had taken the lead for the first time and Naas had gone 22 minutes without a score but all of a sudden they hit three points in two minutes and they were back in command of the contest and Colaiste Choilm were unable to reel them in.

REFEREE WATCH

Des Cooney handled the game well and wasn't a factor in the outcome. He was very consistent in his rulings, pulling a number of players from both sides for overcarrying, and there were few quibbles with his officiating.

TALKING POINT

This was a game that was within Colaiste Choilm's grasp and when they look back on it they will particularly rue their misses from placed balls. Of their 11 wides, eight were from placed balls – five frees, two '45s' and a mark – and even converting half of those chances would have put them in the final. They were all decent scoring chances but when you fail to take gilt edged opportunities like that, you pay the price.

WHAT’S NEXT

Naas CBS advance to meet Moate Community School in the Leinster Final, provisionally fixed for next weekend.

VENUE WATCH

Ratheniska is a lovely picturesque venue close to the location which has hosted the National Ploughing Championships a number of times. There was a decent sized crowd present and the two sets of students from either side created a good atmosphere. The local club had plenty of stewards available and parking was well organised.

STATISTICS

Wides; Naas CBS 6 (5 in first half) Colaiste Choilm 11 (4 in first half)

Yellow Cards: None

Black Cards: None

Red Cards: None

THE SCORERS

Naas CBS; Ryan Sinkey (0-3), Evan Gilmartin (1-0), Daniel Hamill, Stephen Kelly, Tom Kelly (free) and Callum Barrett (0-1 each).

Colaiste Choilm; Jack Connolly (0-4, 0-1 mark, 0-1 free), Niall Furlong, Ryan Kenny (free), Luke Bourke and Daniel Bourke (free) (0-1 each).