Cloneygowan edge close battle

Allianz Offaly Cumann na mBunscol 2026 Hurling H Cup Final

Cloneygowan N.S 3-6

St Manchans N.S 3-5

(Goals worth 2 points)

The second of the Tuesday morning clashes saw the meeting of Cloneygowan and St Manchans National Schools in a very entertaining and exciting Hurling H Cup final at Glenisk O’Connor Park.

It was the Cloneygowan outfit who were first out of the traps in the third minute of this battle when Eoin Reynolds rattled the back of the net.

St Manchans responded well to this and had 1-1 on the scoreboard just five minutes later when Cillian McManus pointed well before gathering the ball and blasting to the back of the net to put his side into the driving seat.

Paddy Dempsey and Paidi Bourke both raised white flags for the Cloneygowan men before Sean Geraghty had proceedings all square just on the stroke of the water break.

Cloneygowan looked like they were in pole position to push on from here but could only manage one score, a Padraig Moore free, after missing several opportunities leaving just the minimum between the sides at the half way stage.

A monster effort from Paidi Bourke looked like it was going to go over the bar but his shot just dropped short deceiving the St Manchans defence and going straight into the back of the net, this was followed up from Bourke himself and an Oscar Henry effort.

The Cloneygowan men looked like they were going to cruise home when Rian Slattery effort was well saved by Oisin Phillips before Fionn Kenny reacted quickest tapping to the net leaving the gap at seven by the three quarter way mark.

The water break came at the right time for St Manchans and they looked like a completely different team with David Moran landing three huge points, two from frees before Sean Geraghty found Cillian McManus with a lovely pass with the latter blasting to the back of the net.

With just one point between them as the stopwatch crept into injury time it was the Cloneygowan men which managed to to stay strong and seeing out this clash ensuring the cup would be heading to their school for 2026.

SEE NEXT: Offaly GAA Coaching Corner

Cloneygowan NS: Tadhg Kenny, Ben Kehoe, Ollie Fleming, Oliver Slattery, Donnacha Gorman, Páidi Bourke, Oscar Henry, Rian Slattery, Patrick Dunne, Rory Slattery, Paddy Dempsey, Pádraig Moore, Eoin Reynolds, Fionn Kenny, Killian Gorman, Saran Melia Gorman. Management: Brenda Betson, Brian Ryan, Emma Murray, Eimear Craven.

St Manchans NS: Oisin Phillips, Billy Downey, Yegor Galotskin, Rian Murray, David Moran, John Healy, Odhran Cullen, Myles Murray, Sean Geraghty, Cillian McManus, Luke Finneran, Charlie Srahan, George Reamsbottom, Adam Geraghty, Alfie Lowry Clarke, Pau Queralt, Kayden McCaffrey, Riley McCaffrey. Management: Sandra Mullen, Rachel Brien.