Double the joy for Gaelscoil
No quarter was asked or given in the meeting of Gaelscoil Uileog de Búrca and St Colmcille's. Picture: Michael Donnelly
A stunning second-half display saw Gaelscoil Uileog de Búrca add to their county football title a week before to claim the Division 3 hurling crown over a gallant St Colmcille’s NS.
The first-half was played at breakneck pace. Liam Mac Tomáis punished some early St Colmcille’s wides with Gaelscoil Uileog de Búrca’s first point, a free. The impressive Ben McLoughlin levelled it for side based in The Quay, Westport with the first of his three points from a tight angle. They went in front on seven minutes through Aaron Cullinan before Gaelscoil Uileog de Búrca struck back with the game’s first goal through Mac Tomáis, whose point attempt looped over the goalkeeper and in.
St Colmcille’s struck three of the next four points to draw level, two from McLoughlin and one from Cullinan, only for Gaelscoil Uileog de Búrca to go back in front on 12 minutes through Leo Ó Cionaoith, who would soon go on to have a major impact. But the Westport school were in front at the break as they hit 1-1, the goal coming from Kira Suleymanova, to lead 1-6 to 1-3.
Ó Cionaoith got the opening two points of the second-half, but Cullinan soon stretched St Colmcille’s lead to four with their second goal after good pressure by Katie Conway on the Gaelscoil Uileog de Burca backline.
However, St Colmcille’s were to be outscored 3-4 to 0-1 in the final ten minutes of this contest, with Ó Cionaoith striking 2-4 of that tally. His goal was a marvellous strike into the bottom corner of the net and his second two minutes later was a mirror of his first.
Ó Cionaoith and McLoughlin traded points to leave two between the side with a minute of normal time remaining but a further two efforts from Ó Cionaoith and excellent goal late on from Shannon Ní Chionaoith capped off a memorable week for the Irish-speaking school.
Gaelscoil Uileog de Búrca: Cillian Ó Catháin, Cian Ó Beaglaoich, Oscar Ó Murchú, Harry Ó Maolchaoin, Leo Ó Cionaoith (2-7, 0-2f), Liam Mac Tomáis (1-1, 0-1f), Ciarán Ó Brógáin, Arthur Ó Mórdha, Jayden Ó Domhnaill, Tom, Mac Oscair, Noah Ó Catháin, Luca Ó Laighin, Oisín Breathnach, Ruah Ó Connalláin, Shannon Ní Chionaoith (1-0), Brianna Ní Ghloinn.
St Colmcille’s NS: Ethan McNally, Moses Gibbons, Tristan Monaghan, Jack Malone, Ben McLoughlin (0-4), Aaron Cullinan (1-2), Katie Conway (0-1), Seanie Meaney, Kira Suleymanova (1-0), Jayde Eade Kalala, Emilia Cameron Dutton, Cillian McFadden, Cian O’Sullivan, Louise Martin, Dylan Lavelle, Robert Kelly, Luke Cameron Dutton, Joshua Tighe, Conor Nevin, Keanu Spel-Lyons, Christopher McHale, Patrick Monaghan, Dyland Maxwell-Fehilly.
REF: Kieran O’Donnell
