All-Ireland Post Primary Schools Hogan Cup (Under 18.5 A Football) Final – St. Brendans Killarney 0-18 St. Peters College Wexford 0-10

St. Brendans Killarney defeated St. Peters College Wexford by 0-18 to 0-10 in the All-Ireland Post Primary Schools Hogan Cup (Under 18.5 A Football) Final on Saturday April 1st at Croke Park.

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— The GAA (@officialgaa) April 1, 2017

St Brendan’s retain Hogan Cup

Hogan Cup Final

ST BRENDAN’S COLLEGE, KILLARNEY 0-18 ST PETER’S COLLEGE, WEXFORD 0-10

Report from GAA.ie

St Brendan’s of Killarney wrapped up a second straight Hogan Cup title and their fourth overall with a eight-point victory over St Peter’s in Croke Park.

The future is certainly bright in the Kingdom. This was a fourth consecutive Hogan Cup success for a Kerry school after Pobalscoil Chorca Dhuibhne’s wins in 2014 and 2015, not to mention the All-Ireland minor three-in-a-row completed by the county last September.

Garry McGrath’s men were fully deserving of their victory and looked comfortable throughout. They led by 0-10 to 0-3 at half-time and while their Wexford opponents showed signs of life in the second period, the result was never in doubt.

St Peter’s fought back to within four points with 10 minutes remaining, but St Brendan’s clicked through the gears and eased to victory. St Brendan’s have found scores easy to come by throughout their run to glory this season and today was no different. Although it took him 26 minutes to get off the mark, star forward David Shaw posted 0-4, as did the exceptional Donnachadh O’Sullivan.

Midfielder Billy Courtney, who won an All-Ireland minor medal between the posts for Kerry last September, was clinical while converting four placed balls. St Brendan’s surged into a five point lead after the opening quarter, as Dara Moynihan, Donnchadh O’Sullivan, Mark O’Shea and Ciaran Flynn curled over efforts. Barry O’Connor curled over the Wexford side’s only two scores from play in the opening half, as they trailed by 0-9 to 0-3 at the interval.

St Peter’s showed real fight after the break and three points between cousins Rory and Barry O’Connor brought them back into contention. St Brendan’s rattled off three quick-fire scores through Shaw, Courtney (free) and O’Sullivan to extend their lead to eight once again. The Leinster champions posted the next four points, with Cathal Devereux on target twice, but late efforts from Courtney, Micheal Devlin and Shaw rounded off the St Brendan’s victory.

Scorers for St Brendan’s: David Shaw 0-4, Billy Courtney 0-4 (3fs, 145), Donnchadh O’Sullivan 0-4, Dara Moynihan 0-2, Mark O’Shea, Ciaran Flynn, Jack Griffin and Micheal Devlin 0-1 each.

Scorers for St Peter’s: Barry O’Connor 0-5 (1f), Cathal Devereux 0-4 (3fsf), Rory O’Connor 0-1.

ST BRENDAN’S: Robert Osborne; Lorcan McMonagle, Chris O’Donoghue, Sean O’Leary; Jack Griffin, Michael Potts, Niall Donohue; Billy Courtney, Cian Gammelll; Dara Moynihan, Donnchadh O’Sullivan, Barry Keane; David Shaw, Mark O’Shea, Ciaran Flynn.
Subs: Micheal Devlin for Ciaran Flynn (44), Barry Slattery for Chris O’Donoghue (blood sub, 52 – 59), Mark Harnett for Barry Keane (55), Evan Cosgrove for Jack Griffin (61), Niall McCarthy for Mark O’Shea (62), Diarmuid Brosnan for Lorcan McMonagle (63).

ST PETER’S COLLEGE: Richard Ryan; Eoin O’Leary, Ben Maddock, David O’Keeffe; Quinn Saunders, Conor Firman, Finn O’Driscoll; Brian Deeney, Rory O’Connor; Dylan Furlong, Ben Moore, Peter Barry; David Gouldson, Barry O’Connor, Cathal Deverux.
Subs: Michael Codd for Ben Maddock (blood sub, 17 – 22), 18. Dylan Lyne for David Gouldson (ht), Jack Devereux for Peter Barry (57), Michael Codd for Finn O’Driscoll (58), Aaron Breen for Dylan Furlong (62).

REFEREE: Sean Hurson (Tyrone).

Fixture Details

01-04-2017 (Sat)
Masita GAA All Ireland Post Primary Schools Hogan Cup (Senior A Football) Final
Páirc an Chrócaigh
16:00 St Brendans Killarney V St. Peter’s College Wexford
(E.T. if Necessary)

Match Preview

MALONE LEADS HIS SIDE INTO BATTLE AGAINST ST BRENDAN’S

BRIAN Malone is in big demand these days.

Having just helped Wexford secure promotion back to Division 3, Malone, a loyal servant to his county, is also co-manager of the St Peter’s side who face St Brendan’s in this weekend’s Hogan Cup final at Croke Park.

It’s a hectic time, but Malone wouldn’t have it any other way.

“I think when we initially got relegated to Division 4 we thought we would bounce straight back up but we didn’t. It’s not easy to get out of and even with the games we won this year the margins were very tight in all of them,” he says.

“But we are a tight knit group and we stuck at it. We came from behind in a lot of games. There is a small management team of Banty (Seamus McEnaney), Murph (former player David Murphy) and Marty (coach Martin McElkannon).

“Banty likes to keep the circle tight because that way there is more trust within and it’s easier to achieve things.

“It’s great for the county team to be up a division in the Allianz League but it’s also brilliant that St Peter’s are in the Hogan Cup final as well. There is a right buzz down here at the moment and it’s great to see.

“We have been struggling for underage success in recent years in Gaelic football and, in my opinion, the schools and colleges have been keeping the thing going.

“It brings its own issues – we have so many duel players who are being sought after by club and county minor managers – and most of them are in Leaving Cert year as well – so we really have to look out for our players.

“There have been times when we have said to lads – just come to the match, we don’t need you to train. And maybe that has helped us along the way too. But we’re on a high. Playing the final will be something else because St Brendan’s, well we all know the run that they are on at the moment, but we will give it everything.

“I suppose for a 10 year period or so, Wexford football was on a high; one of the best teams in the land and then the thing dipped. I think we’re back on the right track now, there is huge development work being done and I would be positive looking ahead.

“To win a final would be massive but that won’t come easy.”

ST BRENDAN’S ON CREST OF A WAVE

Both Hogan Cup finalists are littered with intercounty talent.

St Brendan’s, the reigning All Ireland champions, are just fresh from winning their 22nd Corn Ui Mhuiri, and they are playing with finesse and style. They are clinical in attack and have All-Ireland winning Kerry minors David Shaw and Billy Courtney will have to be marked closely this afternoon as will Dara Moynihan and centre-forward Donnchadh O’Sullivan.

In beating Claremorris in the Hogan Cup semi-final, ‘Brendan’s had the advantage of a strong wind in the opening half, but while the Killarney college didn’t exactly take full advantage of the elements, they still showed enough against the elements in the second half to come through.

That just shows the poise and class they have.

A 33rd minute goal from Mark O’Shea, nephew of former Kerry senior and Dr Crokes All-Ireland winning club manager, Pat, gave them a lead they never relinquished but the individual skill of David Shaw, who beat four Claremorris players en route to scoring a fine goal, was the icing on the cake.

Yet, they won’t have it all their own way at Croke Park.

St Peter’s have Wexford dual minors dotted everywhere around the field and the final promises to be a cracking affair.

In fact, if the game is not a feast of open, attractive football, it will be a puzzle.

With St Peter’s College back from the margins of Post Primary football and enjoying a Leinster championship win for the first time in a quarter of a Century, they will be keen to press on and add more silverware.

Rory O’Connor is one of their main men. In the semi-final, he scored a brilliant 41st minute goal into the wind which proved crucial for them as they withstood a late surge from that gallant St Mary’s side, who only days earlier had landed that MacRory Cup title.

St Peter’s may be more renowned for their hurling exploits, (they have four Croke Cup titles) but there will be a huge hunger associated with seeking a first All-Ireland senior football title and in O’Connor and his cousin, Barry, son of Wexford hurling legend, George, they have stars in both codes too. Cathal Devereux is also a classy player that St Brendan’s will have to watch out for today.