Extra time heartache for Ardscoil na Tríonóide

LEINSTER GAA PPS SENIOR “A” FOOTBALL – BRO BOSCO CUP FINAL 

COLAISTE MHUIRE MULLINGAR 3-10 ARDSCOIL NA TRĺONÓIDE ATHY 1-13 AET 

There was extra time heartbreak for Athy’s Ardscoil na Tríonóide as they lost the Bro Bosco Cup Final to Colaiste Mhuire, Mullingar after extra time in Glenisk O’Connor Park, Tullamore on Saturday afternoon.

Appearing in their first ever Leinster PPS “A” Football Final Ardscoil led by a single point as the game entered injury time but they were reduced to 14 players when full forward, Darragh Farrell, was shown a straight red card for a heavy challenge on the Mullingar sharp shooter, Will Scahill. A minute later the Westmeath school’s corner back, Ben Sheerin, came up from the back to pop over the point to send the game into extra time.

It was always going to be difficult to face this strong Colaiste Mhuire team a man down in extra time but to their credit Ardscoil brought the game level for the fourth time when Ronan Kelly responded with a point from a free after Scahill had given the Mullingar side an early extra time lead. Sean Byrne gave the Mullingar side the lead again in the 68th minute but the game finally swung the Lake County school’s way a minute before the break when substitute Paul Keating raised the green flag with an overhead fist to the net to give them a four point lead.

With Colaiste Mhuire themselves reduced to 14 players for the final five minutes of extra time Ardscoil fought back again with points from Sam Lynch and another Ronan Kelly free. However, as the Athy school tried for a winning goal Colaiste Mhuire broke up the field and Sean Byrne fisted over the insurance point to send the title the Mullingar way for the second time.

Ardscoil had opened the game brightly with points from Robbie Murphy and a Ronan Kelly free. After Farrell and Scahill (free) had exchanged points the Athy school were rocked by two Scahill goals in the 13th and 16th minutes. In fact, the Shandonagh player was Mullingar’s only scorer in the half with 2-2.

This Ardscoil team is nothing if not resilient and they turned the game around to lead by two points at half time, 1-7 to 2-2. A goal by Colm Moran at the start of the second quarter was the start of a 1-4 to 0-1 response with Kelly (2 frees), Farrell and Moran all raising while flags to give their side that two point lead.

Despite playing against the breeze that two point lead turned to four for the Lilywhite school with early second half points from Murphy and Farrell (Mark). Colaiste Mhuire then turned the screw and fired over four points in a row to draw the sides level by the 46th minute. Three more Scahill frees and a point from play from captain Matty Thornton did the damage at that stage.

Back came Ardscoil again and they were rewarded a pointed free from Kelly but the dismissal of Farrell and Sheerin’s late point led to a dramatic finish to the game with the Mullingar school then prevailing in extra time.

COLAISTE MHUIRE: Adam Buckley; Ben Sheerin 0-1, Ty Masterson, Conor Daly; Darragh Smith, Mikey Weir, Michael Moloney; Eoin Conlon, Donnacha Maguire; Conor Heffernan, Mattie Thornton 0-1, Oisín O’Hara; Will Scahill 2-6 (5 frees), Eoin Meehan, Seán Byrne 0-2. Subs: Ben McNamee for Eoin Meehan 26, Paul Keating 1-0 for Conor Heffernan 58, Adam Glynn for Darragh Smith 61, James Murtagh for Ben Sheeran H/T.E/T, Conor Heffernan for Mattie Thornton 79.

ARDSCOIL NA TRĺONÓIDE: Oisín Groarke (Castlemitchell); Daniel Henry (Athy), Mark Grufferty (St Laurence’s), Liam Byrne (Athy); Cameron Pedreschi (Athy), James Donnelly (St Laurence’s), Calum Keaveny (Athy); Eoin Johnson (St Joseph’s), Robbie Murphy (St Joseph’s) 0-2; Ronan Kelly (Athy) 0-6 (6 frees), Colm Moran (Athy) 1-1, Sam Lynch (St Joseph’s) 0-1; Harry Grainger (Athy), Darragh Ferrell (St Joseph’s) 0-3 (1M), Páidí Kelly (Castlemitchell) Subs: Eoin Coffey (Castlemitchell) for Mark Grufferty 40, Seán Rowan (St Joseph’s) for Harry Grainger 47, Niall Hickey (Ballylinan) for Sam Lynch 55, Sam Lynch for Robbie Murphy, 71, Cian O’Rourke (Castlemitchell) for Liam Byrne 79.

REFEREE: Eamon O’Connor (Offaly)