Injury time points earn Cistercian College a replay against St Brendan's CS

AN equalising point from a free four minutes into injury time earned Cistercian College Roscrea a dramatic draw with St Brendan's Community School, Birr, in the Leinster PPS Senior Hurling 'B' semi-final played in Shinrone on Wednesday.

Leinster PPS Senior Hurling B Semi-Final
CISTERCIAN COLLEGE ROSCREA 0-17 ST BRENDAN'S CS BIRR 1-14

The game was scheduled to go to extra time but on a wet day and with pitch conditions deteriorating in places, referee Eamon O'Connor deemed that there were patches of it that were becoming unplayable and it was decided to call a halt and the sides will have to meet again to decide who meets Coláiste Abhainn Rí, Callan in the Leinster Final.

It was probably the correct decision and it will give the teams the opportunity to go at it again and hopefully in more favourable conditions for hurling. It was a wet, windy and cold day and certainly not one that was conducive to good hurling.

Despite that we were treated to an absorbing contest that kept everyone enthralled until the final whistle. It swung one way and then the other at different stages and both sides will feel that they could have won it but on the day a draw was probably a fair result.

Cistercian College had first use of the wind and got off to a fast start with three points in the opening six minutes but St Brendan's settled and took the lead for the first time at the start of the second quarter. Cistercian College regained a three point lead again but St Brendan's had the final three points of the half to send the sides in level at 0-8 each at half time.

Cistercian College started the second half well also and were two points up when St Brendan's got the only goal of the game to regain the lead. They went three points up with 12 minutes left but didn't push on from there and Cistercian College hung on in the game and were pushing hard in the closing minutes when they got two points in injury time to force a draw.

It was a dramatic finish and St Brendan's will rue a couple of missed chances in those closing minutes which could have secured the victory for them. But Cistercian College were going strongly in those closing minutes and pushing hard, despite being reduced to 14 men as the game entered injury time when Dan Bowe picked up his second yellow card.

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Cistercian College made good use of the wind early on and they worked the ball well out of defence. They picked off some good points in that first half but going in level at half time having played with the wind they knew they had a battle on their hands in the second half.

St Brendan's had done well to keep in touch in that opening period but all their eight points had come from placed balls up to that point and indeed their first score from play didn't come until their goal in the 36^th minute. They enjoyed the bulk of the possession around that period in the middle third of the half and when they went three points up looked to have the game in their grasp. But they were unable to push on and gradually Cistercian College began to get more of a grip and they grew in confidence again as they pressed the Birr side in the closing minutes.

They really began to dominate around their half back line and were winning most of the Birr puckouts into that area and they began to drive on. St Brendan's also hit some careless and aimless wides in those closing minutes which could have sealed the game while Aodhan Carroll made a crucial save from Edward Carty that kept them in touch.

Keelan Dunne, Tadhg McKeogh and Oisin O'Shea were prominent in the CCR defence, captain James O'Sullivan, playing on his own club grounds, had a fine game in midfield, while Odhran Fletcher was chief scoregetter in attack, with good support from Jack Walsh and Ruairc Fay.

Michael Dooley, Darragh Carty and Barry Bennett hurled well in the St Brendan's defence, Sean Carey had an excellent game in the middle of the field, while Andrew Hogan and Edward Carty contributed most in attack.

Cistercian College settled quickest and after Tadhg McKeogh's long range wind assisted opening point, Dan Bowe and Odhran Fletcher (free) streched their lead to three by the sixth minute. Edward Carty pointed a Birr free but straight from the puck out Dan Bowe replied for CCR. Sean Carey and Edward Carty pointed frees before Sean Carey floated over an excellent sideline cut to level matters and Carty added another free to put St Brendan's in front for the first time in the 16^th minute.

Cistercian College had a great goal chance just prior to that when Jack Byrne received a pass in front of goals but came under pressure as he shot and sent his effort wide. Odhran Fletcher did level from a free and Jack Walsh scored a great point from near the sideline to put them back in front. Fletcher then pointed from a free and from play and they were three ahead again after 20 minutes.

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Edward Carty pointed another free and then St Brendan's had a good goal chance themselves when the ball broke in the goalmouth but Ruairi Pilkington's first time shot was just wide of the posts. Edward Carty pointed two further frees and the sides went in level 0-8 each.

Cistercian College were back in front a minute after the restart through an Odhran Fletcher free and James O'Sullivan then lofted over another point. Sean Carey responded with a St Brendan's free but Odhran Fletcher pointed again from play to restore the two point lead after five minutes.

From the long puck out Andrew Hogan won possession and made room before firing a low shot to the net to put St Brendan's back in front. Jack Collins added another point a minute later.

Odhran Fletcher and Edward Carty exchanged points from frees before Luke Murphy (Roscrea) moved forward to shoot a good point. Andrew Hogan and a long range free from Sean Carey then put St Brendan's three clear but they had two wides quickly after that which could have put them further ahead. James O'Sullivan and Edward Carty exchanged frees and there was still a goal in it with five minutes left.

James O'Sullivan's free reduced the gap to two and then Tadhg McKeogh burst in from the left but his shot cannoned off the post and away to safety. Dan Bowe then picked up a second yellow card and CCR were a man down but they kept coming. St Brendan's had chances but two long range wides were followed by a chance for Edward Carty as he ran through. He opted to go for goal rather than taking a point and Aodhan Carroll pulled off a good save. They went upfield and Odhran Fletcher had a chance but his goalbound effort flew just over the crossbar after 63 minutes. Was there enough time left? Just about and when Odhran Fletcher was fouled, he pointed the 45m free himself to level up the game and send it to a replay.

MATCH ANALYSIS

THE TEAMS

CISTERCIAN COLLEGE ROSCREA: Aodhan Carroll; Thomas Deegan, Keelan Dunne, Luke Murphy (Portumna); Luke Murphy (Roscrea), Tadhg McKeogh, Oisin O'Shea; James O'Sullivan, Oisin Carroll; Enda Tormey, Ruairc Fay, Dan Bowe; Odhran Fletcher, Jack Byrne, Jack Walsh. Sub. Sean Stone (for Jack Byrne, 52 mins).

ST BRENDAN'S CS BIRR: Kieran Coughlan; Philip Larkin, Michael Dooley, Darragh Carty; Darragh Hoyne, Barry Bennett, Joey McLoughney; Sean Carey, Jack Collins; Tom O'Dwyer, Andrew Hogan, Noel Standish; Edward Carty, Harry O'Sullivan, Ruairi Pilkington. Subs. Callum Connolly (for Ruairi Pilkington, half time), James Carroll (for Tom O'Dwyer, 47 mins), Campbell Naughton (for Harry O'Sullivan, 55 mins).

REFEREE: Eamon O'Connor

MAN OF THE MATCH

When it came to the crunch Odhran Fletcher was the man who stood up for Cistercian College. He started at corner forward but moved out to the half forward line in the second half and was much more involved in the game. He scored nine points, three of them from play, and got the last two points to level it, one from play and the other a free which he won himself. The respective captains James O'Sullivan and Sean Carey also deserve honourable mention.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH

Odhran Fletcher's equalising point was the pivotal moment as it kept his side in the competition and denied St Brendan's a place in the final.

REFEREE WATCH

Eamon O'Connor did a good job in difficult playing conditions. He gave allowance for those conditions and allowed the game to flow as much as possible, using the advantage rule well. He had to throw in the ball a lot in the second half as it came stuck in the soft conditions. Cistecian College seemed a bit frustrated with him at times, and it cost them late on as Dan Bowe picked up a second yellow for dissent, but overall the referee did well.

WHAT’S NEXT

The sides will have to meet again to decide who will meet Coláiste Abhainn Rí, Callan in the Leinster Final.

VENUE WATCH

Considering the weather conditions, Shinrone did well to have the pitch playable for this contest. Understandably it was soft and after 60 minutes of action, there were patches that had deteriorated so it was right not to play extra time. There was a fine crowd huddled into the stand and the students created a great atmosphere.

STATISTICS

Wides; Cistercian College 6 (4 in first half) St Brendan's CS 10 (4 in first half)

Yellow Cards: Cistercian College 2 (Dan Bowe x 2), St Brendan's CS 0

Red Cards: Cistercian College 1 (Dan Bowe), St Brendan's CS 0

THE SCORERS

Cistercian College; Odhran Fletcher (0-9, 0-6 frees), James O'Sullivan (0-3, 0-2 frees), Dan Bowe (0-2), Tadhg McKeogh, Jack Walsh, Luke Murphy (Roscrea) (0-1 each).

St Brendan's CS; Edward Carty (0-8, frees), Andrew Hogan (1-1), Sean Carey (0-4, 0-3 frees, 0-1 sideline cut), Jack Collins (0-1 each).