Ardscoil Na Tríonóide qualify for knockout stage of Bro Bosco Cp
Ardscoil Na Tríonóide's Cameron Pedreschi
A top-class display from full forward, Sean Rowan, and an opportunist goal from Orran Langton helped Ardscoil Na Tríonóide to a hard earned five point win over Good Counsel College, New Ross in Round 2 of the 2026 Bro Bosco Cup in Athy on Monday afternoon. St Joesph’s man Rowan was almost unplayable, at times, and contributed 1-5 to the Athy school’s tally on the day. Ardscoil started without Kildare underage star Calum Keaveny but it was his introduction at half time that coincided with a much improved second half performance from his school.
After drawing with Colaiste Eoin in Round 1 last week, Ardscoil knew that a win in Round 2 was imperative to advance to the next stage of the competition but despite playing with the biting breeze in the first half, they started quiet tentatively and played second fiddle to a big Good Counsel team for most of the opening half.
After having a goal chalked off for a square ball infringement in the ninth minute, the Wexford school had only to wait a further minute for their opening score. The Athy defence was penalised for touching the ball in the square and centre half forward and top scorer, James Finlay, made no mistake with the penalty for the goal. The Athy school were relying heavily on Rowan and he obliged with a two pointer from a free and one from a free to keep the scoreboard ticking over. Good Counsel finished the half with a pointed free from centre half back, Sean Doyle as well as a free and a ’45 from Finlay to see them lead by two at the break with the wind at their backs for the second half.
The introduction of Keaveny at the start of the second half certainly changed the momentum of the game as strong running from the back by Hugh Kennedy, midfield dominance by Padraig Grufferty and Peter Dunne as well as the threat of Keaveny and Rowan up front caused lots of problems for the Wexford school. Ardscoil were on level terms seven minutes after the restart with points from Rowan and Keaveny and they went in front for the first time in the game in the 41st minute when Rowan fed Orran Langton for the goal. Although Finlay reduced the deficit with a free in the 43rd minute, Ardscoil took control of the game a minute later when Rowan’s free kick from out on the left deceived the Good Counsel defence and goalkeeper and nestled in the net. The Athy school finished out the game with a point each from Jack Kelly, Max Conway and Rowan as the Good Counsel threat waned and they could only manage two points from Doyle and another one from a Finlay free.
Roan Brennan; Caoimhin O’Shaughnessy, Stephen Byrne, Bobby Donnelly; Jay Leigh, Cameron Pedreschi, Hugh Kennedy; Padraig Grufferty, Peter Dunne; Jack Kelly 0-1, Orran Langton 1-0, Cian Murphy; Max Conway 0-1, Sean Rowan 1-6 1 X 2pf, 1 X 2pt), Donnacha Conway. Subs: Calum Keaveny 1-0, for Donncha Conway H/T, Peter Reeves for Jack Kelly 50, Senan Mulqueen for Orran Langton 61, James Grufferty for Calum Keaveny 61.
Elliott Barrett; Eoin Doyle, Peter Sinnott, Eoghan McConaghy; Niall Sutton, Sean Doyle 0-2 (2 frees), Ciaran Cummins; Joey Tobin, Liam Murphy 0-2; Bobby Devereux, James Finlay 1-5 (1-0 pen, 3 frees 1 X ’45), Robbie Kehoe; James Reburn, Jack Finlay, Jack Cullen. Subs: Timmy Kinsella for Robbie Kehoe 35, Harry Keating for Jack Cullen 50, Sean Hanrahan for Bobby Devereux 55.
Lar Murphy (Carlow)
