Corn Dhara Uí Dhonnabháin
Munster Post Primary Schools Junior Hurling “C” Championship
Scoil Ruáin stumble to victory in the opening round
Scoil Ruáin 3-13
Coachford College, Cork 2-14
Scoil Ruáin dug out an extremely hard-fought victory over a classier and unlucky Coachford College on Friday last when having 2 points to spare over our Cork opponents in the first round of the Munster Junior Hurling championship played in dry but blustery conditions in Kildorrerry. In the end a series of wasteful wides and missed opportunities, particularly in the first half, cost Coachford dearly.
Playing against the breeze, Coachford College opened the scoring with a first minute point which was soon cancelled by a Louie Doyle point in the second minute. Dangerous full forward, Eoghan O’Brien, added a second point three minutes later before Killenaule keeper, Robert Pollard brought off a wonderful save from a Coachford forward who was through on goal. This was but one of many chances missed by the Cork side who played some dazzling hurling and showed slick combination play early in the game. Indeed, a lack of pace was alarmingly evident all through the Scoil Ruáin defence and it looked at times as if we would be run ragged. Last-ditch defending saved the day on a number of occasions allied to extreme profligacy from our opponents.
Coachford inevitably breached our line in the 11th minute with an excellent goal featuring slick passing and running off the ball by a number of forwards. Eoghan O’Brien answered with a point almost immediately followed by another from Conor Murphy from an acute angle to level the scoring. Further points from play by O’Brien, Dylan Webster and Darragh Maher were answered with two from Coachford in the 19th and 22nd minutes of the half before we converted our first scorable free of the day in the 23rd minute, courtesy of Dylan Webster. Coachford pounced for their second goal following a handling error by a Scoil Ruáin defender. The final say of the half fell to Josh Rowan to leave the half-time score Coachford 2-04 to Scoil Ruáin 0-09.
Scoil Ruáin went into battle without two regular defenders, Cian Johnson-Croke and Charlie Tobin while centre-back and captain, Jack Hassett had been ill all week. All credit to Jack for his 25 minute contribution in the circumstances but he had to be withdrawn near the interval to be replaced by the young, but impressive, Daire Luttrell who came in at wing forward with Dylan Webster reverting to the half-back line. Curtis Darcy was switched to corner back also at half-time and how impressive he was in the second half, repeatedly covering and clearing his lines after wave upon wave of Coachford attacks. Young Johnny Gleeson came on at wing forward for Curtis and again showed huge promise with a gritty and tenacious display.
Coachford were completely dominant in the first ten minutes of the second half, outscoring us by seven points to a single reply from Luttrell and it looked like a case of how much they would win by with the wind at their backs. Dylan pointed a ’65 in the tenth minute to give us some respite but a minute later buried a 20 metre free in the Coachford net to give his side the lift they required. Now only a goal adrift our boys rallied and fought manfully to the finish.
It was nip and tuck at this stage with Coachford going a further point ahead before a deftly taken Eoghan O’Brien goal reduced the margin to the minimum with 14 minutes of play gone. Coachford added another point and Scoil Ruáin missed three successive frees to leave the game up for grabs. Another Killenaule siege of the Coachford goal seemed to have been thwarted but O’Brien pounced for his second goal when he first timed to the net in a goal-mouth scramble.
Now trailing by a point Coachford threw everything into attack and seemed set for the winning goal when their full forward broke through and took aim from point blank range. Diarmuid White appeared from nowhere to throw himself courageously in front of the shot which he somehow smothered to the relief of his colleagues. Josh Rowan had the final say with a point to clinch the deal, 3-13 to 2-14.
This win has to be attributed to a gallant, never-say-die team performance which proves that heart and guts will often trump class and finesse when players have real self-belief.
Robert Pollard was coolness personified in the Scoil Ruáin goal and could not be faulted for the two that passed him. Diarmuid White fought manfully at full back all through, though occasionally caught for pace. Thomas O’Brien caught the eye at wing back and Sean O’Dwyer stuck bravely to the task when asked to fill his captain’s shoes at centre back. Rian O’Halloran and Darragh Maher worked tirelessly at midfield despite marking two very capable players while Josh Rowan was inspirational at centre forward, winning ball after ball and driving his side forward. Eoghan O’Brien’s scores were crucial to this result, his pair of second half goals instrumental in our win.
Our boys will have to up their performance considerably if we hope to beat Hazelwood College on Friday of this week and progress in this competition but , whatever may happen, it seems unlikely that we will be defeated by a lack of guts and effort.
Scorers: Eohan O’Brien 2-03; Dylan Webster 1-03; Josh Rowan and Darragh Maher 0-02 each; Louie Doyle, Conor Murphy and Daire Luttrell 0-01 each.
Scoil Ruáin: Robert Pollard (Ballingarry); Daniel Bourke (Killenaule); Diarmuid White (Mullinahone); David Lanigan (Gortnahoe-Glengoole); Thomas O’Brien (Naomh Pádraig); Jack Hassett (Killenaule); Sean O’Dwyer (Mullinahone); Rian O’Halloran (Moyle Rovers); Darragh Maher (Gortnahoe-Glengoole); Dylan Webster (Mullinahone); Josh Rowan (Mullinahone); Curtis Darcy (Ballingarry); Louie Doyle (Killenaule) ; Eoghan O’Brien (Mullinahone) ; Conor Murphy (Grangemockler-Ballyneale)
Subs: Daire Luttrell (Moyle Rvs.) for Jack Hassett; Johnny Gleeson (Killenaule) for Daniel Bourke.
