All-Ireland Post Primary Schools Senior A Hurling Final – Saturday, 31st March
Presentation Athenry 0-6 St. Kieran’s Kilkenny 3-7 (HALF-TIME)
Three goals in four minutes has Presentation College, Athenry on the back foot as they trail St. Kieran’s College, Kilkenny by 10 points at half-time in Pearse Stadium.
Mike Finn’s team recovered from a shaky start to level at 0-6 apiece by the 20th minute and could have had a goal before the Leinster side opened up.
Eoin O’Shea and Daithi Barron gave St. Kieran’s a two-point lead in as many minutes before Mark Kenney got Presentation’s first.
Conor Kelly and Adrian Mullen made it 0-4 to 0-1 on seven minutes but Athenry got back on level terms with Cillian Lawless scoring before Kennedy added two placed balls.
Another on the quarter hour gave Presentation the lead but that was overturned within two minutes as Kelly and Mullen converted for frees for St. Kieran’s.
However, the game swung on a five-minute spell that saw Athenry give their opponents a comfortable margin. Firstly, Eoin Caulfield got in for a goal chance only for a brave save from Dean Mason.
Kennedy put over the resulting 65 to level at 0-6 apiece but the next three scores all raised green flags and went the way of the Kilkenny school.
Barron got the first on 21 minutes before Ciaran Brennan exploited gaps in the Athenry defence for the second three minutes later. And within 60 seconds, David O’Carroll capitalised on further St. Kieran’s pressure for the third major.
When Kelly added a point on 28 minutes, St. Kieran’s were 3-7 to 0-6 clear and a fourth Dr. Croke Cup in five seasons is looking good for them.
Presentation Athenry: Patrick Rabbitte; Adam Clarke, Conor Lee, Eoin Lawless; Karl Conneely, Conor Walsh, TJ Brennan; Shane Quirke, Jason Reilly; Eoin O’Donnell, Adam Brett, Brion Connolly; Mark Kennedy (0-5, four frees, one ’65), Cillian Lawless (0-1), Eoin Caulfield.
St. Kieran’s Kilkenny: Dean Mason; Tommy Ronan, Conor Murphy, Mark Nolan; Diarmuid Phelan; Jesse Roberts, Luke Murphy; Killian Egan, Adrian Mullen (0-2, both frees); Eoghan Moylan, Eoin O’Shea (0-1), Daithi Barron (1-1); Conor Kelly (0-3, one free), Ciaran Brennan (1-0), David O’Carroll (1-0).
Referee: Fergal Horgan (Tipperary)
