In what was a disappointing year for local schools in football, the Colaiste Mhuire, Mullingar hurlers celebrated their first Leinster Colleges senior 'B' championship success in 43 years.

The highlight of the colleges' year was undoubtedly Colaiste Mhuire, Mullingar's capture of the Leinster Colleges senior 'B' hurling championship after a 43-year lapse. When Mullingar last won this title in 1968, they were captained by Gerry Whelan, brother of former long-serving Westmeath county board chairman Seamus.
Backboned by members of Westmeath's All-Ireland minor 'B' winning side, Colaiste Mhuire romped to a 1-18 to 1-4 victory over St. Benildus of Dublin in the provincial decider at Kinnegad on February 19 last, and at the time of writing, were preparing for the All-Ireland series.
A sixth-minute goal from brilliant youngster Niall O'Brien sent Colaiste Mhuire on their way, and with fellow Castletown-Geoghegan clubman Aonghus Clarke in unerring form from frees, they went on to lead by 1-8 to 1-2 at half-time. The Mullingar side were even more dominant in the second half as they outscored their opponents by 0-10 to 0-2 to record a famous win.
Colaiste Mhuire's extended championship run impacted greatly on the combined Westmeath Schools team who had made a big impression in 2010. Forced to field without the Mullingar contingent, they succumbed to Dublin North in the first round of the Leinster Colleges senior 'A' championship by 0-10 to 1-10 at the DCU Sports Grounds in Glasnevin.
Favoured by the wind in the first half, Westmeath Schools led by 0-8 to 0-4 at the break, but Dublin North rallied in the second half and held on for victory after Kieran Glennon missed a late goal chance to force extra-time.
A highly significant result which went unnoticed to many was the Westmeath Schools' 1-11 to 1-8 victory over Castlecomer CS in the Leinster College juvenile 'A' championship. Ciaran Doyle scored a whopping 1-10 as the Westmeath boys recorded a rare win over Kilkenny opposition. This team was still in the hunt for provincial honours at the time of writing.
As ever, hopes were high of a Westmeath success in the Leinster Colleges senior 'A' football championship, but Moate Community School were the only team to qualify for the semi-finals where they suffered a two-point defeat to old rivals St. Pat's, Navan. Both Athlone schools, Marist and Athlone Community College, made early exits with Marist losing to Colaiste Iosagain of Portarlington and 2008 champions Athlone CC going down by 0-7 to 0-12 to a St. Peter's, Wexford team who were subsequently hammered by St. Pat's.
Colaiste Mhuire accounted for St. Benildus by 1-10 to 1-8 in their opening round at Lakepoint Park before losing to eventual Leinster champions Dundalk Schools by 0-7 to 1-8 in their second outing. St. Joseph's, Rochfortbridge, meanwhile, needed extra-time to get the better of Franciscan College, Gormanston by 3-15 to 2-15 in the first round, but were beaten 0-5 to 1-9 by Dublin side Colaiste Eoin in the second round.
Cormac Davey's charges trailed by 0-1 to 0-5 at the interval and their fate was sealed when Colaiste Eoin struck for the only goal nine minutes after the restart.
Managed by Westmeath senior players Dessie Dolan and Peter Tormey, Moate Community School had to dig deep for a 0-7 to 0-5 first round victory over Scoil Dara, Kilcock. The game was overshadowed by a serious injury to Moate centre forward Luke Kelly, which resulted in a 40-minute stoppage. In Kelly's absence, Castledaly's Lorcan Dolan stepped up to the plate by scoring 0-3 from play.
First half goals from John Maguire (penalty) and Patrick Holloway helped Moate to a comfortable 2-12 to 0-6 second round victory over Salesian College, Celbridge which earned them a quarter-final showdown with Rochfortbridge's conquerors, Colaiste Eoin.
The Westmeath school travelled to Kilmacud Crokes' home ground of Glenalbyn to take on the fancied Dublin side and snatched a dramatic 3-3 to 1-7 victory thanks to a Lorcan Dolan in injury-time. David McCormack and Daniel Kelleher also found the net for a Moate team who finished with 14 players following the dismissal of centre back Eamonn McCabe with 10 minutes remaining.
For the second year running, St. Pat's of Navan ended Moate's championship hopes thanks to a 2-11 to 1-12 semi-final victory at Cusack Park. Corner forward Ciaran Fitzsimons gave the holders a dream start with a goal and a point inside the first five minutes. At half-time, Pat's held a 1-6 to 0-6 lead, but Moate resumed impressively and levelled with points from Cian Bradley, John Maguire and David McCormack before McCormack netted to give them a 1-9 to 1-7 lead.
But in trademark Meath fashion, St. Pat's fought back and a goal from substitute Dylan Regan with five minutes remaining proved the match-winner.
There was joy for Mercy Secondary School, Kilbeggan who retained their North Leinster Colleges senior 'C' football crown following a 4-11 to 3-6 victory over Ardee Community School in Dunganny, Co. Meath. Having accounted for local rivals St. Finian's College, Mullingar by a similar eight-point margin in the semi-final, Kilbeggan looked to be in a spot of bother when trailing their Louth opponents by 2-4 to 2-5 at half-time. But inspired by the Fennell twins, David and Paul, and corner forward Aaron O'Brien, they produced a dominant second half display to run out comfortable winners.
Marist College, Athlone captured the North Leinster Colleges junior 'A' football title following a thrilling 2-9 to 1-11 win over St. Pat's of Navan at Lakepoint Park. Having registered a highly controversial victory over Colaiste Mhuire in the semi-final when it was claimed that referee Pat Fox got the score wrong, Marist took the title thanks to substitute Roy King's last-gasp winning point.
Marist had led by 1-4 to 0-2 early on before St. Pat's staged a second quarter revival to trail by the minimum, 1-4 to 1-5, at half-time. The Navan boys drew level on the resumption and the game remained on a knife-edge until King's winner which followed good work by team captain Seamus Byrne.
St. Joseph's, Rochfortbridge, meanwhile, secured their first North Leinster Colleges juvenile football 'A' championship thanks to an emphatic 4-14 to 1-6 victory over Marist College at Cusack Park. They laid the foundations for their victory in the first half when a brace of Jack Reid goals and another from Ciaran Doyle propelled them into a 3-7 to 1-4 half-time lead.
And St. Finian's College, Mullingar were unlucky to lose the North Leinster Colleges juvenile 'B' football final to Scoil Dara, Kilcock.
The Colaiste Mhuire, Mullingar team which claimed the Leinster Colleges senior 'B' hurling title was: Conor Lynch; Finbarr Thompson, Thomas Doyle, Thomas Egan; Dean McDermott, Cathal Scally, Ciaran Crentsil; Conor Thompson, William McGrath; David Higgins, Aonghus Clarke, Emmet Corrigan; Niall O'Brien, Neil Chevalier, David Lynch. Subs used: Niall Coates, Edward Bermingham and Cian Brennan.
The Mercy Secondary School, Kilbeggan team that retained the North Leinster Colleges senior 'C' football title was: Liam Hanevy; Michael Heaney, Shane Clavin, David Keegan; Michael Dever, Liam Varley, Stephen Nally; Eoin Quinn, Pietro Scarnicchio; Paul Fennell, Kieran Glennon, David Fennell; Christopher Gorry, Niall Kelly, Aaron O'Brien. Subs used: Jamie Egerton and Conall Ennis.
Marist College, Athlone's North Leinster Colleges junior 'A' winning team: Shane Mannion; Harry Hughes, Daniel Boland, Eoin O'Reilly; Bryan Donohue, Tommy McCoy, Darren King; TJ Fox, Aaron Curley; Robert Ashe, Andy O'Sullivan, Evan Rourke; Seamus Byrne, Niall McInerney, Michael Monaghan. Subs used: Keith McKiernan and Roy King. Tweet

Most Read Stories