Tiernan’s fall to back-to-back ‘Blakeney boys

Connacht PPS Senior ‘D’ FC Final 

St Cuan’s College, Castleblakeney 3-9 

St Tiernan’s College, Crossmolina 2-9 

Stuart Tynan at Canon Gibbons Park, Claremorris 

It was too little too late for St Tiernan’s College as a late rally of 1-4 in the final ten minutes was not enough to stop St Cuan’s College from winning the Connacht PPS senior ‘D’ football championship.

The Galway side were the better and more consistent outfit over the hour and in Caltra duo Daniel Keating and Mikey Mulryan, the latter who plays for his club’s intermediate team, they combined for 3-5 of their overall tally and were a class above the rest in Saturday’s final.

“We always knew we were going to be up against it physically. St Cuan’s won the competition last year and pretty much have the same team this year,” explained St Tiernan’s manager Seamus Kelly afterwards. “They have lads on the Galway U20 team. We knew physically we’d be under pressure. A lot of our lads would be younger, 16, 17, but I couldn’t fault the effort.

“We struggled on kickouts. It’s probably the poorest we played all year,” Seamus Kelly added. “Today was a day we didn’t get going at any stage. We’ve always started well but for some reason today, I’m sure there was nerves there for the boys as it’s a big occasion.” 

The opening 20 minutes was tit-for-tat on the scoreboard, being level on four occasions, but St Cuan’s had the lion’s share of the ball and the pressure finally told when Keating flicked Mulryan’s shot past goalkeeper Luke Langan and into the net on 21 minutes.

Thomas Mellody and Mulryan fired on another point each to further their side’s lead and matters got worse for St Tiernan’s when Mulryan finished off a brilliant move with a piledriver into the net for St Cuan’s second goal on 29 minutes. But St Tiernan’s, who had All-Ireland intermediate club winner Aaron Coggins and 2024 Mayo minor Oisin Deane in their ranks, were given a lifeline before the break when Ardagh’s Tony Carey, who had battled illness all week, scored a remarkable goal as he darted down the left before firing a stunning strike from the tightest of angles into the net to leave only four between the sides at the break, 2-6 to 1-5, in favour of St Cuan’s.

But the lack of momentum from that second goal would be carried into the second-half by St Tiernan’s, who failed to score again until the 52nd minute, while Mikey Mulryan scored a second goal and St Cuan’s third, four minutes after the restart to give St Tiernan’s a mountain to climb.

A pair of Oisin Deane frees finally stopped the rot for the Crossmolina school and they followed it with another point from Tony Carey. Adam Moclair and Michael Burke, however, made it safe for the Galway side before stoppage time and despite another Oisin Deane free and a goal by Adam Mills, St Cuan’s deservedly claimed the Connacht title.

The majority of the St Tiernan’s team will still be eligible to play in this competition next year but it is the end of the road at this level for Oisin Deane and Aaron Coggins. Glowing in praise, Seamus Kelly anticipates a bright future for the duo.

“We’ll be seeing them in Mayo jerseys down the line, I’d say. 

"There’s great quality in the team and great youth. There’s a good crop coming through from the clubs.” 

Scorers – St Cuan’s College: Mikey Mulryan 2-4, Daniel Keating 1-1, Michael Burke 0-2, Thomas Mellody and Adam Moclair 0-1 each St Tiernan’s College: Tony Carey 1-3 (0-1m), Adam Mills 1-0, Oisin Deane 0-3f, Patrick O’Malley and Liam Clancy 0-1 each.

St Tiernan’s College: Luke Langan; Kevin Walsh, Aaron Coggins, Eanna O’Boyle; Darragh Walsh, Adam Foody, Darragh Duffy; Patrick O’Malley, Dillon Sheridan; Liam Clancy, Oisin Deane, Tony Carey; Adam Mills, Luke Kelly, Adam Naughton. Sub: Conor Murphy (for Sheridan 35).

St Cuan’s College: Darragh Gavin; Luke Tully, Ryan Harrison, Jack Muldowney; Luke Kennedy, Cillian Fahey, Jack Jordan; Adam Moclair, Michael Burke; Evan Murray, Thomas Mellody, Mikey Mulryan; Seán Butler, Daniel Keating, Killian Hughes. Subs: Patrick Flynn (for Butler 43), Shane Kelly (for Murray 59).

REF: Ronan Hynes (Sligo)