Timely goals propel Flannan’s to Munster football glory

Eoin Brennan watched timely goals powered St Flannan’s College to a 5-10 to 3-7 defeat of St Francis Rochestown (Cork) in the Munster Under 15A Post-Primary Schools Football Championship Final

SAINT Flannan’s produced an emphatic start to the Munster Post-Primary Schools Championships when firing five timely goals past St Francis Rochestown to cement the Under 15A Football honours for the first time in five years in Ballyagran, Limerick on Tuesday afternoon.

Carving out a 3-6 to 0-2 half-time cushion after goals from St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield duo Graham Ball (2) and Leon Talty, the Ennis school would actually power 17 points clear by the two-thirds mark before their Cork opponents finally found their feet.

A backlash was inevitable but perhaps a little too close for comfort as St Flannan’s cushion was slahsed to just eight after a 2-3 unanswered blitz that included goals for chief threats Ciaran Fitzgerald and Cillian Murphy.

A 53rd minute goal for Luke Vaughan finally clinched the prestigious Br. Taft Cup for St Flannan’s and in truth it was fully merited as they possessed the greater balance, eye for goal and also had the edge on physicality throughout.

Collectively impressive, Graham Ball and Dara Kennedy were exceptional over the hour while Eoin O’Connor, Leon Talty, Danny Lyne, TJ Moore, Donnacha Mahon, Liam Keane, Rory Ralph and goalkeeper Cian McAllister were others to stand out.

With the wind at their backs, St Flannan’s were helped to settle by a ninth miute goal for the clincal Ball whose snap shot proved too powerful for goalkeeper Ryan Hourihan to prevent.

The goalkeeper did exact revenge when producing a full length fingertip save to keep out Ball’s next effort but the Ennis school would finally double their goal bounty at the start of the second quarter when captain Dara Kennedy intercepted a kick-out and played in Leon Talty to find the net from close range at 2-3 to 0-1.

Needing to make the most of the conditions, St Flannan’s would grab a crucial third major just before the break when Luke Vaughan cut in from the right wing to offload to Ball to grab his second goal on their way to a 13 point interval chasm.

Anticipating a fightback, St Flannan’s went on the offensive on the restart and looked to have put the result beyond doubt when Rory Ralph delivered to Leon Talty to race through for another goal. Flanked by points for Graham Ball and Dara Kennedy, St Flannan’s eased 4-8 to 0-3 clear.

A superb Cian McAllister save from Ben Corkey Delaney at the other end proved a warning sign though as with nothing to lose, Rochestown suddenly threw everything at the leaders once Ciaran Fitzgerald found the net in the 41st minute.

A top corner finish by Cillian Murphy was acentuated by three more points as St Francis College lowered the arrears to eight entering the final quarter.

Without a score in 16 minutes, great work from Eoin O’Connor and Leon Talty teed up the former to stop the rot in the 52nd minute and within 30 seconds Luke Vaughan’s persistence alleviated the pressure value at 5-10 to 2-7.

The Cork side still refused to yield and were unlucky to see goal attempts from Fitzgerald and Corkey Delaney both rebound off the right post but even a last gasp Thomas Murray goal would only lessen the final damage.

There was no denying St Flannan’s though who deservedly secured their third Munster Under 15A crown in nine years and more significantly only their fifth overall in the competition’s 57 year long history.

St Flannan’s College: Cian McAllister (Clondegad); Sean Meere (Clarecastle), Marc Kennedy (Clondegad), Gavin Fitzgerald (Ennistymon); Danny Lyne (Éire Óg), Donnacha Mahon (Clooney-Quin), Rory Ralph (Clarecastle); TJ Moore (St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield), Dara Kennedy (Clondegad); Liam Keane (Lissycasey), Eoin O’Connor (Clondegad), Kieran Doyle (Éire Óg); Luke Vaughan (Éire Óg), Leon Talty (St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield), Graham Ball (St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield). Subs: Colm Daly (St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield for Doyle (41), Thomas Hehir (Clondegad) for Vaughan (59), Cillian Thornton (St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield) for Keane (60), John Barry (Ennistymon) for O’Connor (63)
Scorers: Graham Ball (2-2); Leon Talty (2-1); Dara Kennedy (0-4, 3f); Luke Vaughan (1-0); Eoin O’Connor (0-2); LIam Keane (0-1)

St Francis College, Rochestown: Ryan Hourihan (Douglas); Cian Barry (Passage West), James Gordon (Douglas), Alaa Al Steif (Passage West); Shane Whyte (Passage West), Diarmuid O’Donoghue (Douglas), Callum Griffin (Passage West); Darragh O’Connor (Passage West), Liam Collins (Ballygarvan); Thomas Murray (Douglas), Ben Corkery Delaney (Carrigaline), Ciaran Fitzgerald (Douglas); Noah Duane (Douglas), Charlie Hanratty (Carrigaline), Cillian Murphy (Carrigaline). Subs: Andrew Hurley (St Michael’s) for Duane (48), Ethan Bruton (St Michael’s) for Collins (53). Scorers: Cillian Murphy (1-2, 1f); Thomas Murray (1-1); Ciaran Fitzgerald (1-0); Darragh O’Connor (0-2); Noah Duane, Ben Corkey Delaney (f) (0-1 each)

Referee: Sean Carey (Limerick)