Schools: 21st Croke Cup for Kieran's
March 28, 2016
St. Kieran's College's Darragh Mullen and Paul O'Brien of Ardscoil Ris.
©INPHO/Ryan Byrne.
St. Kieran's College, Kilkenny 1-15
Ardscoil Ris, Limerick 1-13
Joe Cuddihy's first half goal proved crucial as St. Kieran's College were crowned All-Ireland Post Primary Schools senior hurling 'A' champions for a 21st time at Ardscoil Ris' expense in Semple Stadium.
It gave the famous Kilkenny hurling nursery a 1-8 to 0-7 lead at half-time and they withstood a second half fightback by Niall Moran's side to complete the three-in-a-row and land yet another Croke Cup.
Ardscoil Ris, who were hoping it would be a case of third time lucky in Croke Cup finals, set the early tempo to lead by 0-6 to 0-4 at the end of the opening quarter with free-taker Paul O'Brien, Paraic O'Loughlin and Brian Ryan all on the mark. But Kieran's had regained parity at 0-6 apiece by the 19th minute before full forward and man of the match Cuddihy netted three minutes later.
St. Kieran's College's Tommy Walsh lifts the trophy.
©INPHO/Ryan Byrne.
An O'Loughlin goal just after the restart brought the Limerick city outfit to within a point, but the holders responded with scores from Colum Prendiville, Adrian Mullen and Cuddihy to surge into a 1-12 to 1-7 lead.
Ardscoil Ris rallied again with points from Conor Boylan, O'Brien and O'Loughlin to leave the minimum in it again and set up a tense finish. But they couldn't draw level as wing forward Joe Connolly hit a brilliant insurance point for the Kilkenny side in injury-time.
St. Kieran's College - D Phelan; C Byrne, T Walsh, E Carroll; M Cody, D Mullen, M Kenny; M Keoghan (0-1), E Delaney (0-2); J Connolly (0-2), C Prendiville (0-1), A Mullen (0-5, 3f); S Carey, J Cuddihy (1-3), E Moylan (0-1). Subs: A Nolan for M Kenny, G Brennan for S Carey, N Delaney for C Byrne.
Ardscoil Ris - S Mullane; S Hogan, S Phelan, R Connolly; J Boylan, N Fox, C Houlihan; B Ryan (0-1), J Flynn; D Carroll, P Casey, C Boylan (0-2); P O'Loughlin (1-2), P O'Brien (0-7f), D Fitzgerald. Subs: R Duff for D Fitzgerald, J Delahunty for N Fox, D Cunningham (0-1) for D Carroll, C Moriarty for R Duff.
Referee - D Kirwan.
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