A showpiece to the work undertaken each season and the strength of GAA within St Flannan’s was on show when their two first year teams contested the Clare Post Primary Schools first year hurling final in sunny conditions at Cusack Park, Ennis.
The Whites otherwise known as A-L with a late flurry of scores to deny the Blues who had been very impressive in the opening sections of the game without ever building up a substantial lead.
More importantly the Blues, or M-Z, were unable to turn first half possession into goals that were threatened.
St Joseph’s, Tulla and Scariff Community College were the defeated semi-finalists, and this set up a near annual contest between the two sides from the Ennis college.
One trait of this regular occurrence is that it pits clubmates against each other and classmates as well. A lot of the players on view will in the next four years or so backbone Clare underage hurling and football county sides.
Brendan Bugler, Diarmuid Walsh and Tadgh Boddy were over the blues side with Michael Kelly, Shane McCarthy, Michael Power and Fiachra O’Braoin involved with the Whites.
Éire-Óg’s Luke Vaughan who was the star turn for the Blues in the opening 20 minutes with the opening salvo of scores as Eoin Hegarty who was the driving force for the eventual winners in the final quarter responding for the Whites.
Eoin O’Connor and Donnacha Mahon were also on target for the Blues as they led (0-6) to (0-1) after 10 minutes. Indeed, by this juncture they could have felt unlucky not to have turned two points into goals.
The Whites began to gain control of their own destiny and stifled the attack minded Blues and in the 14th minute Sean Considine grabbed their second point.
One huge failing for the Blues was shooting eight first half wides, most of which were eminently scorable as to the Whites who were more controlled in their attacking efforts when in the Blues half of the field.
Ciaran Sheehan in the Blues goal had to be alert to deny Eoin Hegarty a certain goal before Graham Ball hit over two points in two minutes and now their deficit was down to two, (0-6) to (0-4) with eight minutes left in the first half.
Banner club man Finn Duignan narrowed this to the minimum before two goals in thirty seconds. Rian O’Donnell sent in a long delivery to TJ Moore who made no mistake for the Blues before Gavin Fitzgerald responded immediately for the Whites with this action coming in the 28th minute.
From the resulting puck out that went out directly to the Whites forward another shot by Fitzgerald was turned out by Ciaran Sheehan for a 65 sent over by Graham Ball to leave the sides deadlocked, (1-6) apiece at the break.
Two quick early scores in the first two minutes of the second half sent the Whites two clear before Donnacha Mahon got back one for the Blues before Darragh Murphy gave his sides huge hope with their second goal. Murphy got a tip to the ball after a high ball sent in by Vaughan.
By now Eoin Hegarty was the main figure of leadership for the Whites and his hard running caused difficulty for the Blues who were on the backfoot. Stephen Gavin (Whites) (2) and Donnacha Mahon (Blues) hit over minors before Hegarty hit the net with a well struck effort to allow the Whites take the lead which they never subsequently surrendered to take the title.
The winners were led with distinction by Eoin Hegarty, Stephen Gavin, Graham Ball, John Barry, Finn Duignan, Colm Day, Andrew Clancy and Mark Kennedy. The Blues worked hard and suffered for not turning first quarter dominance into more scores. Their best included Luke Vaughan in the first half, Eoin O’Connor, Donnacha Mahon, Riain O’Donnell, Ciaran Sheehan, Aidan O’Connell, Darragh Murphy and Rory Ralph.
St Flannan’s (White Jersies) A-L: Conor Lynch (Kilmaley), Colm Daly (St Joseph’s D/B), Diarmuid Hastings (Corofin/Ruan), Andrew Clancy (Kilmaley), Mark Kennedy (Ballyea), Graham Ball (St Joseph’s D/B), Oran Considine (Éire-Óg, Inis), John Barry (Inagh/Kilnamona), Finn Duignan (Banner), Jason Keane Hayes (Kilmaley), Eoin Hegarty (Inagh/Kilnamona), Brian Lynch (Éire-Óg, Inis), Stephen Gavin (Sixmilebridge), Sean Considine (Clooney/Quin), Gavin Fitzgerald (Inagh/Kilnamona). Subs: Sean Corry (St Joseph’s D/B) for Lynch. Scorers: Eoin Hegarty (1-3), Stephen Gavin (0-4), Gavin Fitzgerald (1-0), Graham Ball (0-3), Sean Considine, Finn Duignan (0-1).
St Flannan’s (Blue Jersies) M-Z: Ciaran Sheehan (St Joseph’s D/B), Harry O’Donoghue (Clarecastle), Sean Meere (Clarecastle), Aidan O’Connell (Éire-Óg, Inis), Riain O’Donnell (Crusheen), Rory Ralph (Clarecastle), Darragh McDonnell (Clarecastle), Donnacha Mahon (Clooney/Quin), Cillian Thornton (St Joseph’s D/B), TJ Moore (St Joseph’s D/B), Luke Vaughan (Éire-Óg, Inis), Darragh Murphy (Inagh/Kilnamona), Thomas Mathias-Williams (Banner), Eoin O’Connor (Ballyea), Ryan Mahony (Éire-Óg, Inis). Subs: Killian O’Meara (Crusheen ) for Thornton, Malachy O’Halloran (Crusheen) for Meere. Scorers: Luke Vaughan (0-4), TJ Moore, Darragh Murphy (1-0), Donnacha Mahon (0-3), Eoin O’Connor (0-2)
Referee: Noel Quinn (Gort)