Battling performance by heroic 14 man Cistercian College falls just short

COLAISTE ABHAINN RI, CALLAN 0-14

CISTERCIAN COLLEGE, ROSCREA 0-13

A BATTLING performance by a brave Cistercian College Roscrea side came up just short in a fiercely contested Leinster PPS Senior Hurling B final played at the Netwatch Training Centre in Fenagh, Carlow, on Sunday.

Reduced to 14 men just before the half time whistle, Cistercian College faced an uphill battle from there, but they never gave up and were pushing hard for an equaliser deep in injury time, but they were unable to conjure it up.

The most relieved person that they didn't get an equaliser might have been the referee Brian Farrell. He had the final score down as 0-14 to 0-12 when most observers were in agreement that it was 0-14 to 0-13. What would have happened had Cistercian College got a late point we will never know but it could have been a difficult situation. There was no scoreboard in operation so many spectators weren't aware of the discrepancy.

Despite that it was a case of so near and yet so far for Cistercian College. They put in a huge effort over the 60 minutes and were within a whisker of claiming a hard earned victory.

There was a strong breeze which seemed to be blowing diagonally across the pitch and slightly favoured Cistercian College in the first half. They started well and led by 0-6 to 0-2 after 12 minutes but they failed to score for the remainder of the half and Callan chipped away at the lead, getting it down to 0-6 to 0-5 at the interval, at which point the referee had the game as level. A further blow to Cistercian College came with the dismissal of Oisin Farrell on a stright red card just before half time. Callan had been awarded a free and something appeared to happen in the aftermath of that and following consultation with his linesman and umpires, the referee produced the red card.

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Cistercian College faced a tough battle in the second half but they really knuckled down to the task. Callan levelled after 11 minutes of the half but Cistercian College weren't giving up. They went a point up four more times in the half but Callan levelled each time and then went in front for the first time with two minutes left. Cistercian College levelled the game again for the seventh time in all but an injury time free gave Colaiste Abhainn Ri a hard earned victory.

Cistercian College really gave it everything and Keelan Dunne, Oisin Carroll, James O'Sullivan and Oisin O'Shea performed heroically in defence. Luke Murphy (Roscrea) put in a big shift at midfield while in attack Odhran Fletcher, Tadhg McKeogh and Ruairc Fay all worked very hard.

Tom Deegan, Conor Lawton and Conor Tobin were prominent in the Colaiste Abhainn Ri defence, Dylan Hennessy did well at midfield while in the forward line Scott McDonald, Noah Cahill and Cathal Russell made most impact.

Cistercian College got off to a flying start and after just 11 seconds Ruairc Fay fired them into the lead. Colaiste Abhainn Ri were level before the end of the first minute when Scott McDonald pointed but Odhran Fletcher and Jack Walsh, after a lovely move from defence, both picked off points to put them 0-3 to 0-1 ahead after just three minutes.

Callan had a great chance of a goal when Noah Cahill got through after a long ball but he steered his shot across the goal and wide. John O'Meara did get a good point for them as Cistercian College hit three poor wides at the other end. Tadhg McKeogh got a sight of goals but his effort hit a defender and went out for a '65' which Odhran Fletcher pointed. Dan Bowe and Enda Tormey added a brace of quick points and they were 0-6 to 0-2 in front after 12 minutes.

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|They missed a couple of chances of adding to that and then Callan halved their lead with points from Conor Tobin and a Cathal Russell free by the 19^th minute. Eight minutes passed before the next score and it was a Cathal Russell point from a '65' after Noah Cahill's shot had been saved at the post by Aodhan Carroll.

Just on 30 minutes Cistercian College were reduced to 14 players when Oisin Farrell was red carded and they went in at half time 0-6 to 0-5 in front.

Both sides missed chances early in the second half but Cistercian College got the first score after six minutes when Odhran Fletcher pointed a free. Cathal Russell quickly cancelled that with a free at the other end but Tadhg McKeogh then took a nice pass from Jack Walsh and added another point. Scott McDonald and another Russell free brought the sides level 11 minutes into the half.

Tadhg McKeogh edged Cistercian College back in front but Noah Cahill levelled when he cut in from the left and drilled a shot over the bar, leaving the sides deadlocked midway through the half.

James O'Sullivan and Odhran Fletcher both pointed frees with Cathal Russell replying to each in turn from a free and a '65'.

Another Fletcher free put Cistercian College ahead once more six minutes from the end but John O'Meara lofted over an equaliser and then Cathal Russell put Callan in front for the first time with two minutes left.

Cistercian College had a chance of a goal when Tadhg McKeogh made a fine catch and headed goalwards and shot but Jack Kennedy saved well. However the advantage was being played and Odhran Fletcher levelled again from the free. Two minutes into injury time Cathal Russell stepped up to a free just inside his own half and fired it over for what proved to be the winning point for Callan. Cistercian College kept pushing but couldn't find an equaliser and it was Callan celebrating at the final whistle.

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MATCH ANALYSIS

THE TEAMS

COLAISTE ABHAINN RI, CALLAN: Jack Kennedy; Denis O'Sullivan, Tom Deegan, Shane McGrath; Conor Tobin, Conor Lawton, Ned O'Meara; Darragh Lyons, Dylan Hennessy; Ollie Molloy, Alex Culleton, Scott McDonald; Cathal Russell, Noah Cahill, John O'Meara. Subs. Alfie Lynch (for Alex Culleton, 42 mins), Liam Hogan (for Denis O'Sullivan, 52 mins), Paraic Tobin (for Ollie Molloy, 54 mins).

CISTERCIAN COLLEGE, ROSCREA: Aodhan Carroll (Seir Kieran); Thomas Deegan (J.K. Brackens), Keelan Dunne (Thurles Sarsfields), Luke Murphy (Portumna); Oisin Carroll (Kilcormac/Killoughey), James O'Sullivan (Shinrone), Oisin O'Shea (Roscrea); Enda Tormey (Ballina), Luke Murphy (Roscrea); Oisin Farrell (Thomastown), Ruairc Fay (Kinnitty), Dan Bowe (Rathdowney Errill); Odhran Fletcher (Kilcormac/Killoughey), Tadhg McKeogh (Ballina), Jack Walsh (Roscrea). Sub. Stephen Fogarty (J.K. Brackens) (for Jack Walsh, 44 mins).

REFEREE: Brian Farrell (Laois)

MAN OF THE MATCH

Colaiste Abhainn Ri captain Noah Cahill edges the vote here. He created a good goal opportunity in the first half which he failed to take, but he came much more into the game in the second half, running at the Cistercian College defence and causing problems. The Dunamaggin man moved further outfield in the second half and won a lot of possession which was instrumental in helping his side to victory.

James O'Sullivan and Oisin O'Shea deserve honourable mention for their efforts for Cistercian College.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH

The sending off of Oisin Farrell just before half time was a pivotal moment in the game. In such a tight contest it left Cistercian College with a mountain to climb but they stayed in the game until the final whistle and had they had 15 players for the full game, one wonders would it have been enough to swing the game in their favour.

REFEREE WATCH

Brian Farrell had a bit of a mixed day. The discrepancy in the scoreline could have caused a lot of controversy but luckily it didn't come to that. He let a lot of challenges go as he let the game flow but he was clear in his signalling, pulled overcarrying on both sides and applied the advantage rule well. He consulted with both umpires and linesman before issuing the red card to Oisin Farrell.

WHAT’S NEXT

Colaiste Abhainn Ri progress to the All-Ireland series as Leinster champions, while it's the end of the road for Cistercian College.

VENUE WATCH

The Netwatch Training Centre at Fenagh on the far side of Carlow was the venue for this final. The pitch was soft and cut up a bit, which wasn't surprising considering all the way we've had. Fortunately the rain held off as there was no covered stand and there wasn't a scoreboard, which considering the disputed score was an issue as it could have flagged the problem earlier. There was plenty of parking space available and a shop and toilets on site.

STATISTICS

Wides; Colaiste Abhainn Ri 11 (6 in first half) Cistercian College 10 (7 in first half)

Yellow Cards: Colaiste Abhainn Ri 2 (Scott McDonald, Darragh Lyons) Cistercian College 1 (Oisin Carroll)

Black Cards: None

Red Cards: Colaiste Abhainn Ri 0 Cistercian College 1 (Oisin Farrell)

THE SCORERS

Colaiste Abhainn Ri; Cathal Russell (0-8, 0-6 frees, 0-2 '65s'), Scott McDonald, John O'Meara (0-2 each), Conor Tobin, Noah Cahill (0-1 each).

Cistercian College; Odhran Fletcher (0-6, 0-4 frees, 0-1 '65'), Tadhg McKeogh (0-2), Ruairc Fay, Jack Walsh, Dan Bowe, Enda Tormey, James O'Sullivan (free) (0-1 each).

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