Magnificent seven for St Gerald's to win Cian Coleman Cup

Connacht PPS 1st Year League ‘A’ Final (Cian Coleman Cup) 

St Gerald’s 7-11 

St Muredach's 3-9 

A second half burst saw St Gerald’s overcame a gallant St Muredach's to win the Cian Coleman Cup last Friday lunchtime at the Air Dome.

The final scoreline is very harsh on the Ballina school, who only trailed at half-time due to a goal by St Gerald’s Conor Moran on the stroke of half-time. They were the better side in the first half but were thwarted by an inspired by Oskar Radzio as he denied St Muredach’s on multiple occasions in the first half.

Radzio also was the platform for the St Geralds attack as his kickout, particularly in the second half, had pinpoint accuracy. The boys in blue hit a purple patch from the 35th minute as they outscored St Muredach's 4-5 to 0-1 in a devastating 20-minute spell to end St Muredach's resistance.

The first of St Gerald’s seven goals arrived on two minutes. Conor Moran’s goal effort was blocked away and Ethan Kelly’s resulting 45’ picked out Matthew Daly for his first green flag.

Blaise Fox and Cillian Reilly, a free, traded points before St Muredach's hit the front on 12 minutes after Robert Ruane hit 1-2 without reply, with his goal coming from the penalty sport after St Gerald’s were penalized for a footblock.

Eoin O’Donnell extended their advantage when Daly drew the sides level with his second goal on 19 minutes. Two great efforts by Ethan Kelly nudged St Gerald’s ahead once more after another Robert Ruane free temporarily restored St Muredach's lead only for Darragh Fleming to score St Muredach's second goal on 26 minutes.

St Gerald's refused to buckle, however, as they 1-2 in the final minutes of the half to make it 3-5 to 2-5 at the interval but it was all level yet again when Shane Kilgallon palmed home a hopeful ball into the net.

The sides were deadlocked once more after another Cillian Reilly free cancelled out a point by Darragh Rafter and it was St Gerald’s from here. Paddy Cloherty and Reilly splits the post before Relly followed up with St Gerald’s fourth goal on 43 minutes. Not even a great score by Blaise Fox could halt St Gerald’s momentum as Daly completed his hat trick followed by a second goal for Conor Moran, and they scored their seventh through Paddy McGuinness with two minutes remaining.

St Muredach's battled gamely until the end as they got the final point of the game through substitute Rory Kenny but the day, and the Cian Coleman Cup, deservedly belong to the county town boys.

Scorers - St Gerald’s: Matthew Daly 3-1, Conor Moran 2-0, Cillian Reilly 1-3 (0-2f), Paddy McGuinness 1-0, Ethan Kelly 0-2, Keelyn McHale, Paddy Cloherty, Cillian Keating, Shane Loftus and Cillian Donnelly 0-1 each.

St Muredach's: Robert Ruane 1-3 (1-0 pen, 0-2f), Darragh Fleming and Shane Kilgallon 1-0 each, Blaise Fox 0-2, Eoin O’Donnell, Darragh Rafter, Thady Hoban and Rory Kenny 0-1 each.

St Gerald’s: Oskar Radzio; Jack Loftus, Marc Duffy, Cillian Donnelly; Ruairi Mulroy, Keelyn McHale, Aaron Conway; Shane Loftus, Ethan Kelly; Paddy Cloherty, Matthew Daly, Paddy McGuinness; Conor Moran, Cillian Reilly, Ronan Quinn. Subs: Cillian Keating (for Quinn 35); Shane Rodgers (for Cloherty 47).

St Muredach's: Donnacha Judge; Conor Blewitt, Daniel Ruane, Joe Bailey; Blaise Fox, Matthew Foody, Jack Brennan; Alex Boland, Darragh Fleming; Darragh Rafter, Robert Ruane, Eoin O’Donnell; Thady Hoban, Shane Kilgallon, Thomas Gallagher. Subs: Rory Kenny (for Fleming 45); Oisin Ginty and Tommy Tighe (for Bailey and D Ruane 54).

REF: Michael Herr (Crossmolina).