St Kieran’s College 3-13

Pres College, Athenry 0-12

Paul Keane at Croke Park

THEY can console themselves at Presentation College, Athenry with the fact that they tried just about everything within their power to bring the Croke Cup back west.

From sweeper systems to big men on the edge of the square, from squeezing every last ounce of potential out of transition year students to careful man-marking manoeuvres, it wasn’t for a lack of effort or ingenuity that Cathal Moore’s team came up short on St Patrick’s Day.

In the end, it was two pieces of genius from a terrific St Kieran’s team that cost them. Firstly, there was Anthony Ireland Wall’s quite stunning 24th minute solo goal into the Hill 16 End, a score that put significant daylight between the teams for the first time.

Then, eight minutes into the second-half, there was Donagh Murphy’s sumptuous goal for the Kilkenny side, the midfielder craftily playing the ball into the loose space ahead of him to avoid being hooked or penalised for overcarrying, before doubling on the ball to the net.

Those two strikes separated the two teams for the most part and it was only deep into stoppage time, when Athenry were chasing the game and were committed to all out attack, that they conceded the third goal which gave the scoreline a slightly crooked appearance.

“We came up and delivered a performance and for long stages of the match we put it up to Kieran’s but look, we just weren’t strong enough in the end and we just fell away,” conceded Moore.

As he spoke, the cheers and Oles rang out from the nearby St Kieran’s dressing-room. It will be a difficult loss to take but, as Moore also said, it is up to those younger players now to draw on all that experience and to go again.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App

Download the Connacht Tribune Digital Edition App to access to Galway’s best-selling newspaper.

Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.

Or purchase the Digital Edition for PC, Mac or Laptop from Pagesuite  HERE.

Get the Connacht Tribune Live app
The Connacht Tribune Live app is the home of everything that is happening in Galway City and county. It’s completely FREE and features all the latest news, sport and information on what’s on in your area. Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.