A bridge too far as Colaiste Choilm end year of great progress with hefty defeat

Naas CBS 6-6

Colaiste Choilm, Tullamore 0-11

THE final scoreline does not tell the true story of how hard Coliatse Choim tried and how competitive they were for much of this game but it was still a bridge too far for them as Naas CBS overpowered them in the second half of a keenly contested Leinster Colleges Senior Football Championship semi-final at Edenderry's Gaelic Park on Saturday afternoon.

Naas CBS were the better team on the day and once they opened up full throttle with the wind on their backs in the second half, it was clear that the Tullamore school's fairytale was grinding to a shuddering halt. The score, however, was rough justice on the losers. This was never a thirteen point game – a five or six point winning margin would have been a more accurate reflection of Naas's superiority but they ran in five goals in the second half, four of them in the closing ten minutes as Colaiste Choilm's heads finally bowed.

It was a game dictated by a powerful wind. It was in Colaiste Choilm's favour in the first half and while they did well to lead by 0-8 to 1-3 at half time, that was never near sufficient. They needed a minimum lead of five points to stand a chance and even then, the odds would still have been stacked against them.

They still had an outside chance as they had finished the first half powerfully and they had shown an abundance of character all year, coming through a couple of extra time shootouts and showing how badly they wanted it. Character, however, will only bring you so far and in the second half, Naas CBS had too much power and pace for them. They were able to break clear of tackles from the half back line up and when players such as Fionn Cooke, Dara Crowley and Niall Dolan got the ball into hand, Colaiste Choilm found it almost impossible to stop them. They were buckling at the knees from the start of the second half and eventually, they gave way.

Colaiste Choilm can be proud of the way they tried here and they can be especially proud of their performances all year. It was their first time to compete in top flight football since the early 1990s and they acquitted themselves very well. Getting to the semi-final represented real progress, it was a huge achievement for them but the impression that they would not be good enough to go the whole way was proven correct here. They lacked a couple of magical players in crucial areas but Colaiste Choilm can take solace that they performed as well as they can, near enough reaching their full potential. That is all that can be asked of any young group of footballers.

Colaiste Choilm were fighting an uphill battle the whole way here. They were the better team in the first half but they didn't put enough scores on board and didn't threaten the goals they needed. They started brightly with Niall Furlong excellent for them in the first quarter and Daire McDaid brilliant in their defence in the first half. McDaid got forward for two points and Colaiste Choilm deserved to lead by 0-4 to 0-1 after seventeen minutes.

They were rocked when Colin Dalton did very well to squeeze in a 21st minute goal to put Naas 1-2 to 0-4 ahead but rallied brilliantly from this sucker punch. Harry Plunkett got two frees, the hard working Dan Bourke pointed from play and Cathal Ryan floated over a '45' as Colaiste Choilm produced their best football to lead by 0-8 to 1-3 at half time.

The second half was always going to be a back to the walls exercise for Colaiste Choilm but they made the worse possible start when Niall Dolan raced through for a super goal after just fourteen seconds. Gavin Thompson added a point and the writing was on the wall for the losers. They lived dangerously for the next few minutes but survived, mainly because of Naas not taking their chances.

Colin Dalton and Fionn Cooke missed clearcut goal chances, the superb Niall Dolan was wide with a half chance. The Naas pressure had to and did pay off. They eventually broke the Colaiste Choilm resistance in the 40th minute with a Jack Taaffe goal, created by the rampaging Dolan. Naas were 3-6 to 0-8 clear when Colaiste Choilm rallied briefly. Harry Plunkett converted two frees to bring it back to five points and the losers were still alive but not for long. A super Niall Dolan goal in the 52nd minute put the game beyond reach, 4-6 to 0-10 and Colaiste Choilm did throw in the towel in the last few minutes.

Dolan was given too much space and freedom as he punched home goals in the 55th and 56th minute and it was a pity for Colaiste Choilm that this were conceded, though it was really only of cosmetic interest at this stage.

Ben Heffernan, Sam Bourke, Daire McDaid, Joel Troy, Cillian Martin, Niall Furlong, Harry Plunkett and Robbie Gallagher impressed for Colaiste Choilm at different stages but some of them only flourished for brief spells while the work rate of others was excellent – it was that type of display by the Tullamore students: honest and hard working but very patchy and for them the bottom line was that they came up against a better team.

MAN OF THE MATCH

Niall Dolan (Naas CBS): Any man who scores four goals will be an automatic contender for man of the match but even before he put the icing on the cake with his final two late on, Niall Dolan had enough done to get the selection here. He inflicted fierce damage on Colaiste Choilm here with his powerful surges forward and strength on the ball creating a lot for Naas. His performance was particularly noteworthy as he was marked by one of Colaiste Choilm's main men and a big reason in their advance to this stage, Cathal Ryan – a member of the successful Offaly U-20 panel last year.

THE SCORERS

`Naas CBS: Niall Dolan 4-0, Colin Dalton 1-1, Jack Taaffe 1-0, Kevin Cummins 0-3 (3f), Gavin Thompson 0-2 (1f).

Colaiste Choilm: Harry Plunkett 0-6 (5f), Daire McDaid 0-2, Cathal Ryan ('45'), Luke Bourke, Dan Bourke 0-1 each.

THE TEAMS

NAAS CBS: David McPartlin; Tim Ryan, Charlie Murphy, Daniel Lenihan; Rob Fitzgerald, Fionn Tully, Jack McKevitt; Fionn Cooke, Dara Crowley; Sean Broderick, Niall Dolan, Jack Taaffe; Colin Dalton, Gavin Thompson,. Kevin Cummins. Subs – Cian Boran for Lenihan (36m), Eoin Clarke for Taaffe (49m), Elliott Beirne for Thompson (55m), Sean McDonnell for Dalton (57m).

COLAISTE CHOILM, TULLAMORE: Pat Grennan; Ben Heffernan, Diarmuid Finneran, Jack Daly; Sam Bourke, Cathal Ryan, Daire McDaid; Joel Troy, Cillian Martin; Luke Bourke, Niall Furlong, Dan Bourke; Jack Connolly, Harry Plunkett, Robbie Gallagher. Subs – Gavin Hand for Daly, inj. (22m), Dan Ravenhill for Connolly (46m), Jack Kelly for Martin (46m), Ryan Conway for Luke Bourke (52m), Sean Rhatigan for Furlong (57m).

Referee – Seamus Mulhare (Laois).