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Masita Post Primary weekend round-up

Holy Trinity, Cookstown claimed Paddy Drummond Cup glory at Croke Park.

Holy Trinity, Cookstown claimed Paddy Drummond Cup glory at Croke Park.

By Damian Lawlor

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Ulster sides St Ronan’s, Lurgan and Tyrone’s Holy Trinity College, Cookstown created history on Saturday when they captured the Hogan and Drummond Cups respectively for the first time.

Cookstown had an easier than expected 0-19-1-6 win over St. Nathy's, Ballaghadereen 1-6 and were duly crowned All-Ireland Post Primary School senior 'B' football champions for the first time following that emphatic victory at Croke Park.

The highly accomplished Tyrone school, managed by Peter Canavan, were dominant throughout, taking a 0-9 to 0-2 lead into the interval and extending their advantage in the second half before Kuba Callaghan scored a late consolation goal for their opponents.

But it was a lot tighter in the Hogan Cup final where Davy Wilson’s St. Ronan's, Lurgan had a dramatic 1-10-1-9 win against Rice College, Westport.

Ultimately Oisin Smyth's brilliant 52nd point proved the match-winner as St. Ronan's edged out Westport to win their maiden Hogan Cup at Croke Park this evening.

Smyth split the posts from wide on the right to give the Armagh school an historic victory. “The space opened up and I thought why not?” Smyth says.

“There is space in Croke Park and you dream of hitting scores like that since you are a boy. So I thought I’d have a go. Once it went over it was straight back into position for the restart and you hope to hold out from there.”

St. Ronan's were only formed three years ago, beat St. Mary's in last month's MacRory Cup final before going on to record a surprise win over Kerry's Pobalscoil Chorca Dhuibhne in the All-Ireland Post Primary Schools SF 'A' semi-final.

That win set them up nicely for Saturday’s clash of the first-time finalists. Rice College led by two points at half-time thanks to a goal from Keith Joyce and two super saves from goalkeeper Cian Kennedy to deny Rioghan Meehan and Ruairi McConville.

But Tiernan Kelly’s goal hauled the winners right back into it in the second half before Smyth's fourth point of the afternoon sent St. Ronan's and their supporters into dreamland.

But there was drama right until the end as Rice College's captain Pat Lambert missed a last-minute free to level. Smyth was in form right through the game.

With an effortless ease he gave St. Ronan's an early lead, but it was wiped out when Joyce fisted to the net for the Mayo school after a Jack Carney '45' had dropped short.

The game ebbed and flowed and Stephen Loftus and Smyth exchanged points before the winners regained the lead with three unanswered points from the accurate Eoin McConville.

Still, Joyce had the sides level again before the Westerners regained the lead to take a 1-5 to 0-6 advantage into the break.

St. Ronan's must have wondered, though, if they’d live to regret a host of missed chances.

They squandered a third goal opportunity seven minutes into the second half when Jack Lenehan blazed wide from close range.

Yet, the goal they had been threatening to score finally arrived a minute later when Kelly fired home after Smyth's initial shot had been blocked.

That edged them back in front, only for the lead to change hands once again at the start of the fourth quarter thanks to efforts from Loftus and Mark Moran.

But the Westport school wouldn't score again as St. Ronan's regained parity through Adam Loughran before Smyth landed the winner.