Knockbeg College begin Bro Bosco Cup with confident display

LEINSTER SENIOR FOOTBALL ‘A’ / BR. BOSCO CUP – GROUP 4 ROUND 1 

KNOCKBEG COLLEGE 7-15 ST FINTANS, SUTTON 2-5 

Knockbeg College made a comfortable start to their Bro Bosco Cup as they comfortably saw off St Fintans in sunny Sutton today.

Featuring an eclectic mix of players from Laois, Kildare and Carlow, the team gelled well under the watchful eye of Athy’s Conor Ronan and they got a huge contribution from the bench even when changes were made.

In a three team group, the win ensures them a place in the knockout stages but they face an interesting home game against Coláiste Choilm, Tullamore in the coming weeks to decide top spot.

The opening exchanges were tight and after Énnae Byrne had scored the opening two points of the game, St Fintans took the lead for the only time in the when Darragh Nolan converted after Adam Ryan’s well struck initial shot had been blocked by Cody Tucker.

However, two goals in the space of 60 seconds little over ten minute before half time saw Knockbeg take a strangehold on the game that they never relinquished.

Centre back Jack Julian was the pivotal man in a flowing move in the 19th minute and he was on the end of it too to finish off after Patrick Fitzgerald’s pass.

Julian’s Laois Under 20 team-mate Énnae Byrne hit the net less than a minute later after Donnacha Lawler’s attempted shot had blocked down and fell nicely for him.

That helped Knockbeg into a 2-5 to 1-1 lead at the break. Ronan made three changes during half time but if there was any thought that Knockbeg might ease their foot off the pedal, that was quickly banished all three of the new introductions were involved in the third goal two minutes after the restart.

Dylan O’Dwyer played his part in the move, Eoin Ryan palmed an effort at goal that was kept out by Nicky Sheridan before Ronan Dooley finished to the back of the net.

Ruaidhri Lawlor and Byrne were outstanding and kept the scoreboard ticking over before the floodgates opened in the last five minutes.

Blake Rice scored the first of four late goals, Eoin Ryan added two more and Dooley rounded off the scoring against a by-then demoralised St Fintans.

All in all, a very good start to the Bro Bosco Cup but no doubt there are stiffer challenges ahead.

KNOCKBEG COLLEGE: Cody Tucker (Graiguecullen); Sam McHugh (Palatine), Ross Moran (Tinryland), Senan Gallagher (St Laurences), Patrick Fitzgerald (Killeshin), Jack Julian (Ballylinan, 1-1), Jack Doyle (Crettard, 0-1); Mikey Byrne (Tinryland), Donnacha Lawler (St Laurences); Jack O’Gorman (Castledermot), Ruaidhri Lawlor (St Laurences 0-5, 1tp), Fionn Lawlor (St Laurences), Adam Farrell (Killeshin), Énnae Byrne (Arless Killeen, 1-6, 1f), Jamie Doyle (Tinryland). Subs: Eoin Ryan (Palatine, 2-2, 1f) for Farrell, h/t; Dylan O’Dwyer (St Laurences) for F Lawlor, h/t; Ronan Dooley (Éire Óg, 2-0) for D Lawler, h/t; Rory Walsh (Athy) for Fitzgerald, 43; Blake Rice (Killeshin, 1-0) for Byrne, 46.

ST FINTANS, SUTTON: Nicky Sheridan; Kevin Cotter, Darragh Heffernan, Timo Tryhorn, Darragh Nolan 1-0, Cian Alexander, Sean Hurley; Matthew Clarke, Tom Beary; Chris Nugent, Kyle Comerford, Oisin Kelly, Conor O’Rourke Jones, Adam Ryan 1-4 (2fs), Ben Flanagan 0-1f.

REFEREE: Paul Fahey.