Holders survive stern Navan test to reach Bro Bosco cup semi-final

Coláiste Mhuire 2-12, St Pat's, Navan 1-14 (After extra-time)

By Gerry Buckley

The senior footballers from Coláiste Mhuire, Mullingar remain on course to retain the Bro Bosco Cup, but only by the skin of their teeth after they were made to fight all the way to dispose of a fine side from St Patrick’s, Navan by the narrowest of margins, after extra-time was required in Dunganny on Thursday December 18.

This game could have gone either way but, in truth, it would have been a galling loss for the holders had it transpired. They started and ended the contest brightly, but for long periods in between they made some unforced errors which could have proven fatal, albeit the weather hugely deteriorated as the game progressed making ball handling and some basic kicking skills difficult.

However, it is only the result devoid of asterisks which enters the record books and the boys in green and navy now march on to an early January semi-final at a neutral venue against the dominant school in the province over the past decade, Naas CBS. Indeed, the possibility of just a third-ever all-Westmeath final remains, with Marist College, Athlone set to face Ardee Community School in the other penultimate round clash.

The Mullingar lads looked every inch of the champions they are when they raced into a four-point lead by the eighth minute, despite playing against a strong wind. The white flags were raised by towering midfielder Rory O’Brien (in the opening 20 seconds), Stephen McWade (a free), Michael Moloney, and Will Scahill (a free). Liam Devine availed of sloppy defending to open the losers’ account, with Nathan Reilly’s close-range free conversion (the foul was perilously close to the large parallelogram) leaving his side trailing by 0-4 to 0-2 at the end of the opening quarter.

Scahill increased Coláiste Mhuire’s advantage at the end of a great move in the 16th minute, but the young men in amber and black were on level terms (0-5 each) by the 21st minute courtesy of a tricky free conversion by Cormac Smith and a great two-pointer from play by the ever-dangerous Stephen Cahill. The winners’ response was impressive, McWade rifling the ball past Charlie Finnegan at the end of a well-constructed move. Sean Smyth pointed from the resultant kick-out – a goal looked possible – prior to McWade (a very classy score) and Cahill (at the end of a patient move) trading points. Coláiste Mhuire looked in a great position when they led by 1-6 to 0-7 at the interval with the wind in their favour on the change of ends.

Scahill put his side a goal to the good with a quality point some 20 seconds after play resumed. However, it was to be another 24 minutes before they troubled the scoreboard operator again. Adam Buckley, who was soundness personified throughout between the sticks for the holders in inclement conditions, saved smartly from Devine as the Meath boys sensed they were still very much in contention. Buckley also kept out a soccer-style shot by Smith, but he was powerless to prevent the side managed by Mullingar man Enda Monaghan from adding five unanswered points to their tally by the 50th minute, courtesy of Finnegan (a great two-point free), and one apiece from Conall O’Sullivan, Cahill (with his fist), and Reilly (whose target was a goal).

The conditions continued to worsen and, trailing by two points (0-12 to 1-7), the holders’ grip on the blue riband trophy in Leinster colleges football looked decidedly shaky. However, classy points from the outstanding Moloney and sub Padraig Monaghan tied up the contest. Team captain Mikey Weir nudged them ahead in the 59th minute before Scahill was narrowly wide from a scoreable free and a ‘45’ was also spurned. Smyth equalised in the first minute of added-time and, with time almost up, Finnegan went very close from a long-range free taken from the ground, much to the relief of the large band of Coláiste Mhuire supporters. The scoreboard read 1-10 to 0-13 as the already-saturated players prepared for extra-time.

There was only one score in the first ten-minute period, courtesy of wind-assisted Coláiste Mhuire sub Aaron Connaire, at the end of a lovely move. Moloney came forward from defence to double this lead from a free – Scahill had by now left the pitch injured, a worrying trend of late in both codes for the multi-talented Shandonagh lad. They should have wrapped up the game at the end of the second period, but Kian Loughlin’s penalty kick – after he had been fouled – was saved by Finnegan, with many observers adamant that he should have pointed the spot-kick. This gave St Patrick’s hope, but all they could muster was a one-pointer from Reilly in the third and last minute of added-time.

Scorers – Coláiste Mhuire: S McWade 1-2 (0-1f), M Moloney, W Scahill (1f) 0-3 each, R O’Brien, P Monaghan, M Weir, A Connaire 0-1 each.

St Patrick’s: S Cahill 0-4 (1 2pt), N Reilly 0-3 (1f), S Smyth, C Finnegan (2ptf) 0-2 each, L Devine, C Smith (f), C O’Sullivan 0-1 each.

Coláiste Mhuire, Mullingar: Adam Buckley; Ben Sheerin, Mikey Weir, Sean Byrne; Eoin Donohue, Michael Moloney, Ty Masterson; Criostóir Ormsby, Rory O’Brien; Eoin Meehan, Paul Keating, Stephen McWade; Will Scahill, Conor Cleary, Kian Loughlin. Subs used: Padraig Monaghan for Cleary (53), Aaron Connaire for Meehan (53), Sean Hayes for Keating (56), Ronan Byrne for Scahill (inj., e/t 13).

St Patrick’s, Navan: Charlie Finnegan; Tadhg Foley, Billy Birmingham, Conor Reuter; Cormac Smith, Conall O’Sullivan, Max Condon; Oran Meade, Sean Smyth; Will Byrne, Charlie Twomey, Liam Devine; James Donnelly, Stephen Cahill, Nathan Reilly. Subs used: CJ Lynch for Twomey (blood, 7 to 12), Charles McCarthy for O’Sullivan (57), CJ Lynch for Twomey (58), DJ O’Reilly for Devine (e/t, h-t).

Ref: Brian O’Connor (Dublin).