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Hurling

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Masita GAA Post Primary Schools Review

Tommy Walsh

Tommy Walsh

The dominance of St Kieran's College in the Croke Cup knows no bounds.

At Semple Stadium in Thurles on Easter Monday they landed the Masita GAA All-Ireland Senior Hurling 'A' title for the 21st time, hanging on to beat their Limerick opponents Árdscoil Ris by two points.

The Kilkenny side have just completed a three in a row but it is pure heartbreak for Árdscoil Ris who have lost three All Ireland finals to Kieran's - all by just one score.

Hearts will go out to Niall Moran's youngsters but there is just no denying that Kilkenny teams know how to win tight games.

While the Kilkenny senior teams have dominated the hurling landscape for well over a decade this latest Croke Cup win makes it five All Irelands in the last seven seasons for St Kieran's.

They are some College.

This time around they prevailed 1-15 to Árdscoil Ris' 1-13 with Joe Cuddihy's first half goal proving crucial as Kieran's were crowned All-Ireland Post Primary Schools senior hurling 'A' champions for a 21st time at Semple Stadium.

The famous Kilkenny hurling nursery held a 1-8 to 0-7 lead at half-time and they withstood a serious second half fightback by Niall Moran's side.

Many people felt that the wheel would finally turn this time for Árdscoil who only won the Harty Cup for the first time in 2010. The work they have been putting in has been relentless - the Limerick city secondary school have won four Munster titles in six seasons and they wanted to translate their recent Munster dominance in national silverware.

This was their third Masita Post Primary Schools senior A hurling championship final appearance and for the third time St Kierans College provide the opposition.

They knew they were up against it. The Kilkenny outfit had won the Croke Cup on 20 occasions and had also appeared in a further 10 finals.

Aside from the weight of history they came up against an inspired Cuddihy who was man of the match and scored 1-3 in what was another fascinating All-Ireland final.

Árdscoil set the early tempo to lead by 0-6 to 0-4 at the end of the opening quarter with free-taker Paul O'Brien, Paraic O'Loughlin and Brian Ryan all on the mark.

But Kieran's were level at 0-6 apiece by the 19th minute before full forward Cuddihy netted three minutes later and, tight as things were, they never looked back after that.

An O'Loughlin goal just after the restart brought the Limerick city outfit to within a point, but the holders responded with scores from Colum Prendiville, Adrian Mullen, and man of the match Cuddihy to roar into a 1-12 to 1-7 lead.

Diehards Árdscoil rallied again and Conor Boylan, O'Brien and O'Loughlin all pointed to leave the minimum in it again and set up a dramatic finale.

But wing forward Joe Connolly hit a brilliant insurance point for the Kilkenny side in injury-time and saw them over the line.

Josh Ryan

Josh Ryan

There was drama galore, too, in the Buggy Cup final which Abbey CBS, Tipperary won by beating St. Louis Grammar School, Antrim 2-19 - 2-13 after extra-time.

The Tipp town outfit trailed to a Ronan Graham goal at half-time in normal time before battling back to force extra-time (0-13 to 1-10).

They held a 0-16 to 1-12 lead at the end of the first period of extra-time before goals from Shane Power and Daire Egan in the second period sealed their success. Rian Doody top-scored with 0-10 and what a fine win it was.

Meanwhile, there have been many success stories through the ages for Mitchelstown CBS However, in the many chapters of their story of success there was one glaring omission and that was the absence of an All-Ireland title.

Well that all changed last Saturday at St Conleth’s Park in Newbridge when the Dr Eamon O’Sullivan Cup was captured at the expense of St Mark’s from Warrenpoint, county Down.

At the end of a tough contest in difficult conditions only the bare minimum separated the protagonists but few in the fine attendance would argue at the outcome.

Kildorrery native Willie Duggan teaches Maths and Business at the north Cork school, and his work and toil in landing the All-Ireland PPS Senior Football ‘C’ final has now paid off.

Twelve of the winning team also helped the school make significant inroads in hurling this year. Along with Duggan, staff member and Cork senior hurling goalkeeper, Anthony Nash, has been leading the revival with the small ball as Mitchelstown reached this year’s Munster PPS Senior B final, their march toward provincial honours thwarted by a very well-drilled Abbey CBS side in the decider. Mitchelstown also competed strongly in the Cork Colleges Senior ‘A’ hurling competition, the Dr. O’Callaghan Cup.

This group won Cork Colleges titles at u14 B and u16 B level and a number of the senior panel today reached the Munster U161/2 C final last year. Nine of the senior squad will be leaving CBS this year. But they leave with an All-Ireland medal in their pocket.

Finally, St. Mary's, Edenderry added the All-Ireland Post Primary Schools Junior 'A' football title to their 2012 Hogan Cup success when coming from behind to beat Patrician High, Carrickmacross at Glennon Brothers Pearse Park.

Jack Smith's goal in the second half shifted momentum in the Offaly school's favour after Patrician High had looked to be in control The goal was no more than Edenderry deserved after they had wasted a number of earlier chances, and further scores from Gary and Cian Farrell sealed an historic victory.

Andrew Woods' last gasp goal gave McLarnon Cup holders Patrician a 1-3 to 0-4 lead at the interval. Edenderry, who lost corner forward James Carey to a red card in the opening half, appeared to be fading when points from Sean Burns, Ciaran McNulty and Jack McMahon extended the Monaghan school's advantage to four points, 1-7 to 0-6, 10 minutes into the second half.

But Smith's goal changed everything as St. Mary's drove 1-11 to 1-7 ahead before late points from Burns (free), Andrew Woods and Liam Og Murray left them victors at the final whistle.

This week’s Masita Post Primary Schools fixtures

FOOTBALL

Saturday, April 2

Paddy Drummond Cup Final

Gallen CS Ferbane (Offaly) v Holy Rosary College Mountbellew (Galway), Croke Park, 13.15.

Hogan Cup Final

St. Brendan’s Killarney (Kerry v St. Patrick’s Maghera (Derry), Croke Park, 15.00.