Brave St Brendan's narrowly pipped after terrific contest

St Brendan's Community School's hopes of retaining the Leinster Schools Senior Hurling B title were dashed by Colaiste Mhuire Johnstown after a hugely competitive and enjoyable final played in difficult conditions in Rathdowney on Saturday.

Leinster PP Schools Senior Hurling 'B' Final

COLAISTE MHUIRE, JOHNSTOWN 1-15
ST BRENDAN'S CS, BIRR 0-16

Eight points down after just 11 minutes while playing into the strong wind, St Brendan's put everything into this game and came within a whisker of overturning the deficit and pulling off a great victory but in the end their brave efforts came up just short.

That poor start left St Brendan's with a mountain to climb. Helped by a second minute goal, Colaiste Mhuire came flying out of the traps and made good use of the strong wind to build up a 1-6 to 0-1 lead after just 11 minutes.

St Brendan's did steady after that and played themselves back into the game and by the interval had reduced the deficit to six points, 1-9 to 0-6.

The wind did seem to have abated a bit at that stage but it was still an advantage to St Brendan's for the second half. They made a slow start and found themselves eight points down again after 37 minutes but six points in a row saw them reduce the gap to two with 10 minutes left and they had the momentum. Crucially Colaiste Mhuire hit two quick points to open a four point lead again but St Brendan's kept pushing and three in a row left just one in it in the final minute of normal time. A couple of bad choices in decision making around this time possibly cost them a leveller and an injury time point sealed the win for Johnstown.

The second half turned into a real ding dong battle as both sides really tore into each other in a real competitive contest and St Brendan's could consider themselves desperately unlucky not to have got anything out of the game. They really pushed hard in the second half but didn't really create any clear goalscoring opportunities. Despite that they nearly pulled it out of the fire with points alone but a green flag would really have ignited their challenge.

That opening 11 minutes was really the decisive period of the game. Colaiste Mhuire were very sharp in that period and the St Brendan's defence struggled to cope with them and the Kilkenny school made full use of the chances that came their way in that period. It is to their credit that St Brendan's steadied the ship after that and closed the gaps, giving Colaiste Mhuire fewer opportunities, but ultimately the eight point gap proved to be insurmountable and St Brendan's were left to rue that slow start.

Goalkeeper Liam Hoare made some fine saves in the second half while Patrick Bergin, Ben Miller and Cathal King also played very well in defence. Adam Landy put in a good shift in the middle of the field and Lochlann Quinn contributed most in attack with 12 points, while Luke Carey and Andrew Coakley also battled hard.

Gearoid Phelan, Kieran Cleere and Cody Comerford impressed in the Colaiste Mhuire defence, Darragh Queally had a good game in the middle of the field, and Damien Corbett was the star in attack where Charlie Brennan and Tomas Sharkey also did well.

Damien Corbett pointed a free from midfield after a minute and Colaiste Mhuire then struck for a goal when a long ball broke inside the backline and Tomas Sharkey got onto it, ran on and fired low to the net. Charlie Brennan, Sharkey and Corbett quickly added points before St Brendan's got their first score after nine minutes when Lochlann Quinn pointed a free. Evan Landers and another Damien Corbett free made it 1-6 to 0-1 after just 11 minutes.

Two Lochlann Quinn points, one free, settled St Brendan's and after Damien Corbett had pointed a huge free from well inside his own half, Lochlann Quinn (free) and Cian Nolan were on target for Birr to leave five in it. Damien Corbett ('65') and Darragh Queally stretched the advantage again but Lochlann Quinn had the last say in the half with a pointed free and St Brendan's would probably have been reasonably pleased to be just six down at half time after the start they made.

Corbett and Quinn exchanged early points from frees in the second half but Corbett then hit two more (one free) to put Johnstown eight ahead again.

St Brendan's then hit their best spell and over the next 13 minutes points from Adam Landy, Andrew Coakley, Luke Carey and three Lochlann Quinn frees saw the lead cut to two points with 10 minutes left. Alex Bourke and Damien Corbett gave Colaiste Mhuire breathing space but three more from Lochlann Quinn, two frees and superb sideline cut from 50m, left just one between them but they were unable to find a leveller and a softish free for Damien Corbett in injury time sealed the win for Colaiste Mhuire.

MATCH ANALYSIS

THE TEAMS

COLAISTE MHUIRE JOHNSTOWN: Billy Garrett; Conor Donnelly, Gearoid Phelan, Darragh McCormack; Padraig O'Grady, Cody Comerford, Kieran Cleere; Darragh Queally, Michael Ahern; Charlie Brennan, Callum Lonergan, Liam Hayes; Damien Corbett, Evan Landers, Tomas Sharkey. Subs. Alex Bourke (for Liam Hayes, 24 mins), Ciaran Flynn (for Kieran Cleere, inj., 36 mins), Jim O'Connor (for Evan Landers, 43 mins).

ST BRENDAN'S, BIRR: Liam Hoare (Carrig & Riverstown); Sam Smith (Birr), Patrick Bergin (Carrig & Riverstown), Stephen Gilligan (Seir Kieran); Ben Miller (Birr), Cathal King (Carrig & Riverstown), Darragh Landy (Shinrone); Adam Landy (Shinrone), Eoin Burke (Coolderry); Cian Nolan (Birr), Darragh Tierney (Birr), Lochlann Quinn (Birr); Andrew Coakley (Carrig & Riverstown), Luke Carey (Seir Kieran), Shane Connolly (Coolderry). Subs. Oisin Guinan (Lorrha) (for Sam Smith, 19 mins), Darragh McNamara (Birr) (for Shane Connolly, 56 mins).

REFEREE: Mick Cleere (Laois)

MAN OF THE MATCH

Cathal King and Lochlann Quinn were the main St Brendan's contenders but the man of the match goes to Johnstown corner forward Damien Corbett. The Gortnahoe Glengoole clubman was always a threat in attack from play, he scored 10 points in all, three from play, and when the game was in the balance in the second half, he was the one who came up with the scores which won the match.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH

That opening 11 minute period ultimately decided the match. Colaiste Mhuire scored 1-6 with just one point in reply and it provided just enough of a cushion for them to hold onto until the end.

REFEREE WATCH

Referee Mick Cleere handled the game well. He wasn't really a factor in the game and when it got a little feisty at one point in the second half, he handed out a couple of yellow cards and got it under control quickly.

TALKING POINT

St Brendan's quest for All-Ireland glory was halted two years ago after they won the Leinster title due to the Covid-19 outbreak when the rest of the championship was cancelled and they hoped to take up this year and go on to challenge again for the All-Ireland crown but their quest for the title was halted and they will have to wait another year to see if they can claim that elusive crown.

WHAT’S NEXT

Colaiste Mhuire advance to the All-Ireland semi-finals where they will meet the Connacht champions while St Brendan's quest for glory is over.

VENUE WATCH

A good crowd turned up for this contest and Rathdowney hosted it well. Heavy pre match rain left the pitch slippery but it held up well. The lack of cover left people scampering for shelter during that heavy shower but fortunately the rain held off for the remainder of the game.

STATISTICS

Wides; Colaiste Mhuire 9 (5 in first half) St Brendan's 7 (4 in first half)

Yellow Cards: Colaiste Mhuire 2 (Cody Comerford, Charlie Brennan) St Brendan's 1 (Lochlann Quinn)

Red Cards: None

THE SCORERS

Colaiste Mhuire; Damien Corbett (0-10, 0-6 frees, 0-1 '65'), Tomas Sharkey (1-1), Charlie Brennan, Evan Landers, Darragh Queally, Alex Bourke (0-1 each).

St Brendan's; Lochlann Quinn (0-12, 0-10 frees, 0-1 sideline cut), Cian Nolan, Adam Landy, Andrew Coakley, Luke Carey (0-1 each).