Historic colleges' football win for Coláiste Mhuire, Mullingar

In what is Mullingar’s greatest colleges’ football achievement since St Mary’s CBS, Mullingar claimed the Leinster Colleges’ SFC this week 35 years ago, the same school – now known as Coláiste Mhuire – have annexed an All-Ireland Colleges’ JFC ‘A’ title.

The Mullingar school, captained by Trevor Keena and Enda Gaffney and managed jointly by Brian Murtagh, Sarah Guilfoyle and Mattie Dempsey, have beaten famed Kerry football nursery St Brendan’s College, Killarney 1-12 to 0-13 at Galtee Rovers GAA grounds, Bansha, Co. Tipperary.

A first half goal from Shane Williams gave Coláiste Mhuire the advantage at half time, and they held on doggedly in the second half, with a defence brilliantly marshalled by Conor Gibney and man of the match, Charlie Drumm.

To put the win in perspective, this St Brendan’s team was hot favourites to take this junior cycle All-Ireland title and to progress to more success at senior level. The school – which has produced Kerry legends like Colm ‘Gooch’ Cooper, Seamus Moynihan, Páidí Ó Sé and Pat Spillane – has won the Hogan Cup (the All-Ireland Colleges’ SFC title) for the last two years.

Coláiste Mhuire won the Leinster Colleges’ JFC ‘A’ last month, defeating Dublin stronghold Coláiste Eoin, Stillorgan. They reached the All-Ireland final by virtue of beating St Joseph’s Patrician College, Galway.