All-Ireland Final for St Paul’s

Following their victory in the semi-final over St Colman’s College, Fermoy, County Cork, the senior footballers of St Paul’s High School are only one game away from an All-Ireland Colleges title.

Playing in front of a large St Paul’s crowd on Saturday 24 March in Portarlington, County Laois, St Paul’s stormed through the semi-final with a decisive scoreline of 1-11 to St Paul’s, against 2-04 to St Colman’s.

Match report (courtesy of www.armaghgaa.net) below.  

 

All-Ireland Final date and venue confirmed:  Saturday 31 March, 2.45pm, St Paul’s Bessbrook v Ardscoil Rís Dublin, Kingspan Breifne Park, Cavan.  (Google Maps link)

On a sunny afternoon at Gracefield’s GAA club in County Offaly, St Paul’s Bessbrook created history by qualifying for the Senior B Colleges All-Ireland Final.

The large crowd that followed St Paul’s got value for their money with the Bessbrook lads putting St Colman’s, Fermoy to the sword on a scoreline of 1-11 to 2-4.

The match started at a brisk pace with Ciaron O’Hanlon opening the scoring for St Paul’s with a free out on the edge of the D. Caolan Mc Cullough was unfortunate not to be awarded a penalty in the 4th minute when he was pulled to the ground. Ciaron O’ Hanlon then pointed from play after a great pass from Gregory McCabe. Fermoy playing with the breeze couldn’t get a score as the tight marking by the St Paul’s defense kept them scoreless for the first twenty minutes. Aaron McKay pointed in the eighth minute with a great pass from Ciaron O Hanlon. Blaine Hughes took off a superb save to deny the Cork team a definite goal in the thirteenth minute. Anthony Spillane pointed for St Colman’s in the nineteenth minute to open the scoring for the Cork men but straight away O’Hanlon pointed after a pass from Conor Sloan. Spillane had another chance from distance but pulled it wide. McCullough had a goal chance blocked on the line. At the end of the half Conor Moley blocked a goal shot to be put out for a 45 which was kicked wide, leaving the half time score St Paul’s four points to St Colman’s one point.

St Paul’s were looking good, playing attractive football but things turned immediately at the start of the second half. Mark Brennan pointed for St Colman’s. The Fermoy men started to drive forward with Daniel Murphy hammering the back of the net after a great save by Blaine Hughes. Panic in the Armagh rear guard with the Cork men being rewarded a penalty and Spillane stepped up to hammer the ball pass Hughes in the St Paul’s goals.

But St Paul’s stuck to their task and a superb free from Conor Sloan and another one from Ciaron O’Hanlon kept the St Paul’s boys in the game. Conor Sloan then hit a magic point from 50 metres out aided by the wind to leave the minimum between the teams. Eoghan Burns powered through the middle to level the game in the eighteenth minute of the second half. Pádraig de Róiste replied for St Colman’s to put them one up. Conor Nugent struck a wonder goal from the left hand side in the 22nd minute to put St Paul’s 1-8 to 2-3 ahead. Michael Murphy with one of his power house runs clipped one over the bar to put St Paul’s three ahead. St Colman’s tried valiantly, but another great save from Hughes in the St Paul’s goal denied them the goal they needed. It was nip and tuck with every ball fought for, with bodies put on the line by both teams but O’Hanlon came to the fore after stealing the ball off corner back Micheál O Cinneide to put St Paul’s closer to the final. A point by Anthony Spillane was to be there only reply and Jemar Hall had the final say to leave the final score 1-11 to 2-4. This was an all round team performance with every player playing their part including the large support that followed the maroon and white army to Offaly.

Indeed St Paul’s where at one stage in Ireland’s Top 10 trending hashtag on Twitter with #naomhpolabu. St Paul’s ‘thundering young herd’ are one game away from glory and on the last two performances you could not bet against them on lifting the All-Ireland.

Scorers:  Conor Nugent 1-0, Michael Murphy 0-1, Jemar Hall 0-1, Conor Sloan 0-2, Eoghan Burns 0-1, Ciaran O’Hanlon. 0-5.

6 comments

without doubt this is an amazing achievement to date,congratulations to the young men and their ‘young’ managers and mentors, just one more challenge and the glory will be yours. We are all so very proud to associate ourselves with St Pauls.

by patricia feehan on 25/03/2012 at 1:59 pm #

Super win!! Congratulations to the team for a truly fantastic performance. Well done John,Martin,Barry and Marty.You all have brought great honour to the school and you all deserve the highest acolade! Roll on the final and all ireland glory. Up St. Pauls

by paddy mc avoy on 25/03/2012 at 10:08 pm #

[…] the exploits of the team on these sites. Specific links for the reports on the games include http://www.stpaulsbessbrook.org/sport/all-ireland-final-for-st-pauls/ and […]

by Killeavy club notes – 26th March 2012 - Newry Times | Newry Times on 26/03/2012 at 8:02 am #

super performance come on corinshego

by conor jennings on 26/03/2012 at 9:40 am #

At times like this I just wish I played football because its unreal that our school could get this far in a competition. I just want to wish the lads all the best in the final and I be right behind yous all the way!

by Daniel Mc Camley on 26/03/2012 at 10:54 am #

Great day in Portarlington on Saturday – the team were fantastic and showed real determination at the start of the second half after the two St. Colman’s goals. Well done boys. Roll on Saturday. Naomh Pól Abú!

by Elaine Cahill on 26/03/2012 at 8:27 pm #