All Ireland Post Primary Schools S.H. ‘B’ semi-final
Abbey CBS 2-7 Colaiste Mhuire Johnstown 0-12
Report by JJ Kennedy
Despite a barren second half, during which they failed to score, The Abbey CBS still survived for a hectic one-point win over Colaiste Mhuire, Johnstown, in an exciting All Ireland Post Primary Schools Senior Hurling ‘B’ semi-final at Leahy Park, Cashel, on Friday last.
The prize for the winners is an Easter Monday All Ireland final date with St. Louis Grammar School, Ballymena, the latter having eight points to spare over St. Raphael’s College, Loughrea, in the other semi-final on Saturday last.
It was the proverbial game of two halves at Cashel on Friday. The Abbey was rampant in the opening half, in the process building up an eight-point interval lead. However, on the turnaround it was the Johnstown school which took control and they’ll be very disappointed not to have salvaged a draw at least.
Brian Kavanagh had the opening point from a Johnstown free but with the diagonal wind at their backs it was the Abbey who soon took control of the opening half. Rian Doody had a cancelling free for the Tipperary town school and then full forward, Daire Egan, left his mark on the game. The Galtee Rovers player pointed and then a minute later he won possession before rounding his opponent and racing in to finish an excellent goal. The Abbey was now 1-2 to 0-1 ahead.
Sean Tobin pulled a point back for Johnstown but the free-taking of Rian Doody soon had the Abbey’s lead extending. Doody pointed three on the trot to stretch the lead to six points as the game entered the second quarter. It would get even better for the Abbey before the break. The excellent free-taking of Brian Kavanagh kept Johnstown in touch but the Abbey hit a purple patch before half time. Shane Neville pointed and then Kevin Franks planted an excellent goal. Indeed the same player might have had another goal but for a despairing save by a Johnstown defender at the expense of a ‘65’, which Rian Doody converted. The half ended with the Abbey well in control on a score line of 2-7 to 0-5.
At the interval the Abbey had one foot in the final but for whatever reason the second half took on an entirely different complexion. The wind may have been a factor but hardly offers a complete explanation for the Abbey’s decline as Johnstown took a firm grip on proceedings.
Within six minutes of resuming Johnstown had pared back five points of the lead, the free-taking of Brian Kavanagh once again being the key. The Abbey was now struggling to gain some traction, their defence under intense pressure. When Brian Kavanagh pointed yet another free twelve minutes into the second half the lead was back to just two points and the Tipperary school seemed to be in deep trouble.
Yet the Abbey refused to buckle and battled hard to stop the rot. They were unlucky with a few scoring attempts which either drifted wide or, held up by the wind, dropped into the hands of the Johnstown goalie, Liam Dunphy.
Johnstown had their chances in the final quarter and will wonder how they failed to rescue this game. Two great saves by Abbey goalie, Aidan Griffin, were part of the reason as the Kilkenny school went for glory rather than opting for the more patient route through points.
Nineteen minutes into the second half Brian Kavanagh had the Abbey lead back to the minimum with yet another free. Amazingly, though, that was to be the last score of the match. Heroic defending by the Abbey kept their line intact with Johnstown feeling that they might have had a levelling free when Fionn Cleere was bearing down on goal late in the game. Instead a free out was the decision and the Abbey survived.
It was a game of mixed impressions for the Abbey. At their best in the first half they looked impressive but they’ll worry about the second half turnaround which left them scrambling to hold the last point of their lead. Nonetheless the school is back in the final of a competition they last won in 2002 when beating Castlecomer in the decider. The final is billed for Semple Stadium on Easter Monday.
Scorers for the Abbey: Daire Egan 1-1, Kevin Franks 1-0, Rian Doody 0-5 (0-4 frees, 0-1 ‘65’), Shane Neville 0-1.
Scorers for Colaiste Mhuire: Brian Kavanagh 0-9 (0-8 frees), Sean Tobin, Oisin Phelan and Padraig Delaney 0-1 each.
Abbey CBS: Aidan Griffin (Eire Og Annacarty); Cian Ryan (Arravale Rvs.), David Byron (Galtee Rvs.), Connie Bradshaw (Eire Og Annacarty); Conal Donovan (Arravale Rvs.), Niall Heffernan (Golden/Kilfeacle), Stephen O’Brien (Eire Og Annacarty); Kieran Breen (Kickhams) and Tommy Lowry (Arravale Rvs.); Caolan Hennessy (Doon), Shane Power (Galtee Rvs.), Rian Doody (Cappawhite); Kevin Franks (Lattin/Cullen), Daire Egan (Galtee Rvs.), Shane Neville (Lattin/Cullen)
Subs: Cormac Maher (Arravale Rvs.) for Caolan Hennessy and Michael McCormack (Kickhams) for Stephen O’Brien.
Colaiste Mhuire, Johnstown: Liam Dunphy (the Harps); Philip Russell (Gortnahoe/Glengoole), Harry Burke (St. Lachtains), Padraig Sweeney (Fenians); Jonathan Doyle (The Harps), Gavin McCarthy (Emeralds), Liam Grant (Emeralds); Oisin Phelan (Galmoy) and Niall Carroll (Fenians); Padraig Delaney (The Harps), Karl Collins (Gortnahoe/Glengoole), Brian Kavanagh (Lisdowney); Shane Curran (Fenians), Sean Tobin (Fenians), Niall Brennan (Lisdowney)
Subs: Fionn Cleere (Gortnahoe/Glengoole) and Aidan Ryan (Gortnahoe/Glengoole)
Ref: Fergal Horgan
