Schools: Good Counsel end 16-year wait for Leinster honours
March 07, 2015
Good Counsel are crowned Leinster champions.
Good Counsel, New Ross 0-13
St Mary's, Edenderry 0-11
Good Counsel, New Ross captured their first Leinster PP Schools SFC 'A' title since their Hogan Cup winning year of 1999 at Netwatch Cullen Park today.
Their short-handing passing worked a treat as they scored three of the last four points to overcome St. Mary's, Edenderry. Aaron Kennedy's long-range point gave the Offaly school a slender 0-7 to 0-6 lead at the break after their goalkeeper Wayne Cummins had made a brilliant save to deny Mikey Dwyer at the other end.
St. Mary's grabbed the first two points of the second half to extend their lead, but with Darragh Lyons and Kilkenny minor hurling Darragh Joyce taking control at midfield, the Wexford school regained parity at 0-10 apiece in the 45th minute before sealing a famous victory with three frees in the final quarter.
Good Counsel: C O'Connor; E Porter, D O'Connor, S Barden; J Sutton, I Carthy (0-1), B Power (0-2); D Lyons (0-1), D Joyce; J Shiely (0-4, 0-3 frees), D Kelly, A Swan; T O'Connor (0-4, 0-3 frees), M Dwyer (0-1), B Whitty. Subs: T Cody for Barden (34); J Dunne for Whitty (42); J Myler for Sutton (46).
St Mary's: W Cummins; M Abbott, J Mulraney, I Quinn; J Reilly, D Kavanagh, S Doran (0-3, all frees); A Mahon (0-1), D Maloney (0-1); J Higgins, A Kennedy (0-1), S McGlynn (0-1, 45); J Robinson (0-2), A Kearney (0-1), C Farrell (0-1). Subs: J Cully for Reilly (39); C Brereton for Kennedy (45).
Referee: B Hickey (Kildare).
