Knockbeg bow out of Bro Bosco Cup

Leinster SF A Brother Bosco

Marist College 3-11 Knockbeg College 2-6 

Marist College made the long journey to Graiguecullen today and came away with a well-deserved victory in this Group 1 Round 3 Leinster colleges senior football championship against a Knockbeg College team containing a number of Kildare players. 

They dominated the first half but only led 1-3 to 0-3 with Thomas Bourke scoring a 22nd minute goal.

The eventual winners got off to a good start in the second half with Kyle Mahon firing over a great point. Thy looked to be in trouble when Evan English converted a Knockbeg penalty and from the kick-out a passing movement saw them add a second goal to take the lead when Eoin Ryan netted.

The visitors replied impressively and while it was a scrappy goal through James McHugh who deflected a high ball past the stranded Knockbeg keeper, no-one could deny they didn’t deserve to be ahead.

Blake Rice did equalise late in the third quarter for Knockbeg but the last period of the game belonged to Marist. Darragh Lough scored three points and going into the final ten minutes, substitute, Conor Dowling clinched victory when he slid the ball past the advancing keeper for their third goal.

That was the end as Marist advance to the last 16 and their opponents make their exit from the competition in disappointing fashion, and the result also confirms that Ardscoil na Tríonóide, Athy finish top in this group.

Scorers Marist College: J McHugh 1-2, D Lough 0-3, T Bourke, C Dowling 1-0 each, D O’Connor (f), K Connell, K Mahon, C Geary, S Keegan, T Cotton 0-1 each 

Knockbeg College: E English 1-3 (1-0pen, 2fs), E Ryan 1-0, R Walsh 0-2, B Rice 0-1.

MARIST COLLEGE: Zac Mullally (Clan na Gael); Sean Keegan (Tubberclair), Liam Staunton (Tubberclair), Andrew Henson (Garrycastle); Kyle Mahon (Clan na Gael), Kailin Blessing (Tubberclair), Adam Smyth (Maryland); Kealan Connell (Tubberclair), Thomas Bourke (Tubberclair); Paul Keegan (Tubberclair), Cillian Geary (Athlone), Darragh Lough (Athlone); James McHugh (Garrycastle), Daire O’Connor (Tubberclair), Sean Whittaker (Tubberclair). Subs: Daire Burke (Tubberclair) for Staunton (2), Thomas Cotton (St Dominics) for Whittaker (41), Donal Dawson (Ahane) for O’Connor (45), Conor Dowling (Dominics) for Bourke (48), Cian Duffy (St Manchans) for McHugh (59).

KNOCKBEG COLLEGE: Cody Tucker (Graiguecullen); Sam McHugh (Palatine), Pauric Moore (Killeshin), Fionn O’Sullivan (Crettyard); Rory Walsh (Athy), Ruaidhri Lawlor (St Laurences), Jack Doyle (Crettyard); Jack Milton (Killeshin), James Gannon (Grangenolvin); Jack Julian (Ballylinan), Eoin Ryan (Palatine), Evan Dunne (Crettyard); Dermot Lawlor (Éire Óg), Evan English (Killeshin), Blake Rice (Killeshin). Subs: Dylan O’Dwyer (St Laurences) for Lawlor (h/t), Ennae Byrne (Arles Killeen) for Dunne (51), James O’Gorman (Castledermot) for Rice (51).

Referee: Larry Murphy