Masita All-Ireland Post-Primary Schools Croke Cup semi-final

Presentation College, Athenry 0-15 Thurles CBS 0-14

By Kevin Egan at Grant Heating St. Brendan’s Park, Birr

Despite Galway’s incredible run of success in the All-Ireland minor hurling championship over the past decade, the Croke Cup has continued to be an unhappy hunting ground for the schools of the county, with St. Raphael’s (Loughrea) win in 1995 still the only time the famous trophy has gone to the Connacht county.

Presentation Athenry will get the chance to set that record straight on Friday week after they secured a tilt at St. Kieran’s College, their conquerors in the 2018 and 2019 finals, thanks to a one-point win over Thurles CBS this afternoon in Birr.

This contest between the Connacht champions and the Harty Cup finalists was predicted to be incredibly tight and at no stage in the tie could the winner be called with confidence, as with the exception of a 60 second window in the first half when Presentation College led by 0-7 to 0-4, there was never more than a couple of points between the sides.

Both sides were very strong defensively, aided by the presence of a sweeper at either end of the field. Cian Donoghue lined out at corner forward for Presentation College when Johnny Murphy threw the ball in, but he dropped back to play as an extra defender, leaving Liam Doyle to step up to the centre back slot and allow Jim Ryan to play a free role at the other end. As a result, neither team was able to gain a lot of traction up front, particularly in the opening ten minutes, after which the score was tied at a single point each.

Thurles CBS in particular were very strong at the back, conceding just two points from play to Athenry forwards during the tie, but Cathal Moore’s men had a trump card in the form of team captain Tiernán Leen, who came up with four massive points from midfield and was the team’s only scorer from play in the second half.

There was a bit more of a threat at the other end, where four starting forwards as well as the midfield duo of James Doyle and Tommy Maher all found the target from play in the first half, and the Tipperary school also had the better of things in the opening five minutes of the second half, when a run of points from Maher, Joe Egan and Robbie Ryan gave them their only lead of the game.

Excellent defensive displays from Aaron McDonagh and Seán Murphy ensured that Presentation College stayed well in touch during this phase, and gradually they worked their way back into the ascendancy, largely on the back of Aaron Niland’s freetaking.

Leen continued to offer a touch of class in the middle third and he struck an inspirational score in the 52nd minute, hot on the heels of a similarly fantastic score from Liam Doyle at the other end.

And in general, that was how it went – Thurles CBS coming up with a point, followed by Presentation finding a way to edge themselves back into the lead by the bare minimum. Which in the end, was all they needed.

Scorers for Presentation College: Aaron Niland 0-9 (0-8f), Tiarnán Leen 0-4, Michael Fallon 0-1, Matthew Tarpey 0-1.

Scorers for Thurles CBS: Robbie Ryan 0-4 (0-2f), Tommy Maher 0-3 (0-2f), Darragh Kelly 0-2, James Doyle 0-1, Joe Maher 0-1, Robbie Stapleton 0-1, Joe Egan 0-1, Liam Doyle 0-1.

Presentation College: Darragh Walsh; Conor Lawless, Seán Murphy, Aaron Shannon; Darragh Counihan, Michael Fallon, Aaron McDonagh; Darragh McCartin, Tiarnán Leen; Gearóid Fahy, Matthew Tarpey, Orin Burke; Aaron Niland, Eoin Byrne, Cian Donoghue.

Subs: Nigel Kelly for Byrne (48), Shane Monaghan for McCartin (60+1)

Thurles CBS: Eoin Horgan; Liam Doyle, Evan Morris, Pádraig O’Dywer; Stephen Walsh, Jim Ryan, Eoin O’Connell; James Doyle, Tommy Maher; Joe Maher, Joe Egan, Bill Flanagan; Darragh Kelly, Robbie Ryan, Robbie Stapleton.

Subs: Darragh Fitzpatrick for O’Connell (30, temp), Aidan Stakelum for Flanagan (42), Jack Lahart for Stapleton (47), Daniel Rossiter for J Doyle (53), Darragh Fitzpatrick for R Ryan (59), Kieran Purcell for O’Dywer (60+1).

Referee: Johnny Murphy (Limerick)