Red card proves costly for Cistercian College hurlers in Leinster Final

GAA: Leinster Post Primary Schools Senior ‘B’ Hurling Final

Colaiste Abhainn Ri, Callan 0-14

Cistercian College, Roscrea 0-13

A battling performance by a brave Cistercian College Roscrea side came up just short in a fiercely contested Leinster Post Primary Schools Senior ‘B’ Hurling final played at the Netwatch Training Centre in Carlow on Sunday.

Reduced to fourteen men just before the half time, Cistercian College faced an uphill battle from there, but they never gave up and were pushing hard for an equaliser deep in injury time, but they were unable to conjure it up.

The most relieved person that they didn't get an equaliser might have been the referee, Brian Farrell. He had the final score down as 0-14 to 0-12 when most observers were in agreement that it was 0-14 to 0-13. What would have happened had Cistercian College got a late point we will never know but it could have been a difficult situation. There was no scoreboard in operation so many spectators weren't aware of the discrepancy.

Despite that it was a case of so near and yet so far for Cistercian College. They put in a huge effort over the sixty-plus minutes and were within a whisker of claiming a hard earned victory.

Cistercian College got off to a flying start and after just eleven seconds Ruairc Fay fired them into the lead. Callan were level before the end of the first minute when Scott McDonald pointed but Odhran Fletcher and Jack Walsh, after a lovely move from defence, both picked off points to put them 0-3 to 0-1 ahead after just three minutes.

Callan had a great chance of a goal when Noah Cahill got through after a long ball but he steered his shot across the goal and wide. John O'Meara did get a good point for them as Cistercian College hit three poor wides at the other end. Tadhg McKeogh got a sight of goals but his effort hit a defender and went out for a '65' which Odhran Fletcher pointed. Dan Bowe and Enda Tormey added a brace of quick points and they were 0-6 to 0-2 in front after twelve minutes.

They missed a couple of chances of adding to that and then Callan halved their lead with points from Conor Tobin and a Cathal Russell free by the 19th minute. Eight minutes passed before the next score and it was a Cathal Russell point from a '65' after Noah Cahill's shot had been saved at the post by Aodhan Carroll.

Just on thirty minutes Cistercian College were reduced to fourteen players when Oisin Farrell was red carded and they went in at half time 0-6 to 0-5 in front. Callan had been awarded a free and something appeared to happen in the aftermath of that and following consultation with his linesman and umpires, the referee produced the red card.

Both sides missed chances early in the second half but Cistercian College got the first score after 36 minutes when Odhran Fletcher pointed a free. Cathal Russell quickly cancelled that with a free at the other end but Tadhg McKeogh then took a nice pass from Jack Walsh and added another point. Scott McDonald and another Russell free brought the sides level on 41 minutes.

Tadhg McKeogh edged Cistercian College back in front but Noah Cahill levelled when he cut in from the left and drilled a shot over the bar, leaving the sides deadlocked midway through the half.

James O'Sullivan and Odhran Fletcher both pointed frees with Cathal Russell replying to each in turn from a free and a '65'.

Another Fletcher free put Cistercian College ahead once more six minutes from the end but John O'Meara lofted over an equaliser and then Cathal Russell put Callan in front for the first time with two minutes left.

Cistercian College had a chance of a goal when Tadhg McKeogh made a fine catch and headed goalwards and shot but Jack Kennedy saved well. However, the advantage was being played and Odhran Fletcher levelled again from the free.

Two minutes into injury time Cathal Russell stepped up to a free just inside his own half and fired it over for what proved to be the winning point for Callan.

Cistercian College kept pushing but couldn't find an equaliser and it was Callan celebrating at the final whistle. Cistercian College gave it everything and Keelan Dunne, Oisin Carroll, James O'Sullivan and Oisin O'Shea performed heroically in defence. Luke Murphy (Roscrea) put in a big shift at midfield while in attack Odhran Fletcher, Tadhg McKeogh and Ruairc Fay all worked very hard.

Tom Deegan, Conor Lawton and Conor Tobin were prominent in the Colaiste Abhainn Ri defence, Dylan Hennessy did well at midfield while in the forward line Scott McDonald, Noah Cahill and Cathal Russell made most impact.

Colaiste Abhainn Ri, Callan: Jack Kennedy; Denis O'Sullivan, Tom Deegan, Shane McGrath; Conor Tobin (0-1), Conor Lawton, Ned O'Meara; Darragh Lyons, Dylan Hennessy; Ollie Molloy, Alex Culleton, Scott McDonald (0-2); Cathal Russell (0-8, 6f, 2 ‘65s), Noah Cahill (0-1), John O'Meara (0-2).

Subs: Alfie Lynch for Culleton (42); Liam Hogan for O'Sullivan (52); Paraic Tobin for Molloy (54).

Cistercian College, Roscrea: Aodhan Carroll (Seir Kieran); Thomas Deegan (JK Brackens), Keelan Dunne (Thurles Sarsfields), Luke Murphy (Portumna); Oisin Carroll (Kilcormac/Killoughey), James O'Sullivan (Shinrone 0-1f), Oisin O'Shea (Roscrea); Enda Tormey (Ballina 0-1), Luke Murphy (Roscrea); Oisin Farrell (Thomastown), Ruairc Fay (Kinnitty 0-1), Dan Bowe (Rathdowney/Errill 0-1); Odhran Fletcher (Kilcormac/Killoughey 0-6, 4f, 1 ‘65), Tadhg McKeogh (Ballina 0-2), Jack Walsh (Roscrea 0-1).

Sub: Stephen Fogarty (JK Brackens) for Walsh (44).

Referee: Brian Farrell (Laois).