Cross and Passion College bow out of South Leinster semis
The Cross and Passion College Kilcullen team that lost out in the South Leinster SFC 'D' semi-final. Photo: Denis Byrne
Cross and Passion College Kilcullen’s South Leinster journey came to an end on Friday morning as they fell to defeat to the hands of Mountmellick Community School of Laois.
The Kildare school they can be proud of their efforts after putting on a brilliant first half display in Mountmellick’s Pairc Acragar. But they were unable to replicate that form in the second half where Mountmellick got on top and eventually ran out four point winners.
This semi-final was definitely a story of two halves as Kilcullen built up a six-point lead by half time and it looked like for everyone’s money that they were on course to advance to the final. But the home side came storming back in the second half and produced a brilliant comeback to advance to the final.
The first half was a low scoring one with the two teams amassing 17 wides between them - although the home side were guilty of the bulk of those.
It was the away side that got the scoring underway from Eoin Dowling with a fine point while Daniel Young doubled their lead in the seventh minute.
It took another 15 minutes for another score, but in that time Mountmellick were unlucky not to raise a green flag as they were denied first by the post and then by the cross bar.
Young hit his second of the game to open up a three-point gap for Kilcullen in the 22nd minute before the Laois school finally got off the mark in the 25th minute with a brilliant point from midfielder Oisin Hade.
It was the Kildare school that finished the half the stronger, however, scoring 1-2 without reply as Young and Josh Kelly added the points for their team.
The goal came soon after, with Josh Finn finding space in the full forward line and finished brilliantly into the far top corner of the net.
Aidan Byrne replied for Mountmellick with a lovely point, but the visitors were in full control and led by 1-5 to 0-2 at half time.
Mountmellick came out a different animal in the second half and upped the intensity all over the field.
They also got on top around the middle of the park with Oisin Hade and Eoghan Lalor, which laid the foundations to the comeback.
Lalor got the scoring under way, which sparked a purple patch as his team would kick the next 1-3 to turn the half time deficit into a one-point lead.
Points from Dylan Cronin, Shane Conran and Sean Lalor reduced the gap further before they were awarded a penalty for a foul on Tadgh Hughes.
Aidan Byrne stepped up and dispatched the penalty into the net to give Mountmellick the lead.
Kilcullen continued to battle and corner back Jack Cronin went on to draw the team’s level again.
But it was the home side that finished the stronger with two points from Shane Conran pushing Mountmellick back into the lead before the hosts put the result beyond any doubt with a wonderful two-point free late on from Hade that saw his side over the line.
Aidan Byrne 1-1 (1-0 penalty), Oisin Hade 0-3 (one two point free), Shane Conran 0-3 (0-2 frees), Sean Lalor, Eoghan Lalor, Dylan Cronin 0-1 each.
Daniel Young 0-3, Josh Finn 1-0, Jack Cronin, Eoin Dowling, Josh Kelly 0-1 each.
Senan O’Mahony; Ryan Doogan, Cillin Hoey; Frank Delaney, Aidan Byrne, Scott Kelly; Oisin Hade, Eoghan Lalor; Oisin Dunne, Tadgh Hughes, Lorcan White; Sean Lalor, Oisin McRedmond, Shane Conran.
Dylan Cronin for McRedmond (20).
Dan Shaw; John Bisset, Myles McNamara, Fionn O’Brien; Jack Cronin, Conor Clarke, Corey Coyne; Conor Roche, Tiarnan Donnelly; Eoin Dowling, Conor Duggan, Josh Kelly; Daniel Young, Michael Behan, Josh Finn.
Tom Ryan for Dowling (40), Jack Lawler for Finn (42).
JJ Kirby
