Second half goals sink St Mel’s College in early championship exit
Leinster Post Primary Schools Senior ‘A’ Football Championship Group Stage - Round 3
St Peter’s College, Dunboyne (Meath) . . . 2-15
St Mel’s College . . . 0-17
Rattled by a crushing defeat against rampant Dublin opponents St Aidan’s Whitehall in their opening fixture, St Mel’s disappointing early exit from the Leinster Senior ‘A’ Football Championship was confirmed in the concluding group stage clash at Glennon Brothers Pearse Park on Thursday.
Having said that, the Longford college produced a much improved display against St Peter’s Dunboyne and some lost pride was restored with a couple of crucial goals from Darragh Harkin in the second half swinging the issue in favour of the fortunate Meath outfit.
St Mel’s were actually five points in front at the break (0-11 to 0-6) with a brace of two-pointers (play and free) from Senan Buckley the highlight in the hope that a morale boosting win could be achieved.
In fact, they should have been further in front with James Flynn going so close to scoring a goal while Sean O’Boyle was clean through but his shot was parried over the bar by the opposing keeper Sean Doyle who made a fine save to keep his net intact.
Six more scores were also registered in the first half with three points (two frees) from Darragh Connolly, a brace from Conor Shannon with wing back Ruairi Gibbons shooting the opening point for St Mel’s with 8 minutes gone on the clock.
But St Peter’s got right back in contention with a cracking goal from Harkin immediately on the resumption and took the lead (2-10 to 0-15) when the same player scrambled the ball to the net in the 50th minute.
A two-pointer from their top player Sean Delaney with time running out clinched the win for St Peter’s and it was rough justice for St Mel’s who were hit by the absence of injured duo Cathal Lynch (Clonguish) and Gavin Donohoe (Killoe).
The gallant losers added another six points to their tally in the second half, three from Darragh Connolly (two frees) with Cathal Shannon, Michael Gacquin and Senan Buckley accounting for the other scores.
Scorers - St. Peter’s: S Delaney 0-7 (1tp, 0-3f), D Harkin 2-0, E McDonnell 0-4 (1tp), S Mooney 0-2, A Norman 0-1, H O’Connor 0-1.
Scorers - St. Mel’s: D Connolly 0-6 (0-4f), S Buckley 0-5 (1tp, 1tpf), C Shannon 0-3, R Gibbons 0-1, S O’Boyle 0-1, M Gacquin 0-1.
St. Mel’s: Emmanuel Gospic (Grattans); Cody Corcoran (Killoe), Sam Elliot (Clonguish), Patrick Reynolds (Killoe); Michael Gacquin (Clonguish), Adam McCormack (Bornacoola), Ruairí Gibbons (Fr Manning Gaels); James Flynn (Clonguish), Sean O’Boyle (St Barry’s, Tarmon); Senan Buckley (Clonguish), Dylan O’Neill (Killoe), Sean Hagan (Clonguish); Conor Shannon (Killoe), Oisín McHugh (Grattans), Darragh Connolly (Fr Manning Gaels).
Subs used:- Ryan Murphy (Clonguish) for C Corcoran (53 mins), Ruairí Flynn (Clonguish) for D O’Neill (56 mins), Obed Bonsu (Longford Slashers) for R Gibbons (59 mins), Eoin Farrell (Killashee) for P Reynolds (59 mins).
St. Peter’s Dunboyne: Sean Doyle; Shay Coone, Cillian Murphy, Josh Mahon; Harry Clarke Murphy, Paul Magee, Andrew Norman; Eoghan McDonald, Thomas Brandsma; Ignas Tukaciaskas, Sean Delaney, Harry O’Connor; Darragh Harkin, Shea Mooney, Jack Gallagher.
Subs used:- Sean Flynn Doherty for Mahon (35 mins), Caelan O’Dowd for Gallagher (53 mins), Calum Gray for Tukaciaskas (54 mins).
Referee: Mark Glancy (Rathcline).