Masita GAA All-Ireland Post Primary Schools Senior Hurling “B” Final – Dungarvan CBS 3-18 St.Mary’s CBGS Belfast 1-5

Curran applies coup de grace in Dungarvan march to victory

Report from the Irish Independent newspaper

DUNGARVAN CBS 3-18 ST MARY’S, BELFAST 1-5

ALL-IRELAND COLS SH ‘B’ FINAL – 15 APRIL 2013

A DEVASTATING second half from Dungarvan CBS saw the Waterford school wrest the O’Keefe Cup from defending champions St Mary’s CBGS. Corner-forward Patrick Curran top-scored with 1-6 for the Deise lads but he was ably assisted by midfielder Colin Dunford, who notched 0-6, while full-forward Ryan Donnelly plundered 2-2. In a strong swirling wind, St Mary’s opened the scoring when Conor Johnston fired over after five minutes. However, Dungarvan got into their stride, with two Dunford points and a Curran free giving them a lead they would not lose. St Mary’s battled and trailed by just two at the break, 0-6 to 0-4, with Johnston, Domhnall Moran and Dara Rocks on target, while Curran’s frees kept Dungarvan’s noses in front.

The second half was a much different story as the powerful Munster side tagged on three quick scores after the restart before James Connolly replied for St Mary’s. It was one-way traffic from then on in, with Dunford and Criostoir Breathnach pointing before Ryan Donnelly’s 40th-minute goal killed the game as a contest. Dungarvan hit the next five in a row before Donnelly bagged his second goal as the St Mary’s heads dropped. Curran applied the coup de grace in the dying minutes with a fine finish, with James Connolly’s goal for Mary’s a mere consolation.

Scorers – Dungarvan CBS: P Curran 1-6 (0-5fs), R Donnelly 2-2, C Dunford 0-6, A Donnelly 0-2, C Breathnach, C O’Grady 0-1 each. St Mary’s CBGS: J Connolly 1-1, C Johnston 0-2, D Moran (1f), D Rocks 0-1 each.

Dungarvan CBS – G Power; C Culloo, K Daly, M Cronin; K Barron, K Looby, C Barry; C Curran, C Dunford; A Donnelly, M Harney, C Breathnach; D Lyons, R Donnelly, P Curran. Subs: M Shine for C Barry (47), J O’Connell for K Looby (49), J Morrissey for A Donnelly (54), C O’Grady for C Breathnach (57), D Kirwin for R Donnelly (59).

St Mary’s CBGS – J Darragh; S Gaskin, T O Ciaran, C O’Rawe; C Hanna, D Moran, A Orchin; G Walsh, R Wilson; S Shannon, C McVeigh, J Connolly; C Johnston, L McLarnon, D Rocks. Sub: D Murphy for L McLarnon (36).

Ref – A Stapleton (Laois)

Match Preview

There is hurling silverware up for grabs this weekend as the Masita GAA senior hurling “B” final between Dungarvan CBS and St Mary’s CBGS, Belfast, throws-in with Dungarvan still on a high from their combined colleges ‘A’ final win. They’ll be many people’s tips to win the ‘B’ final as well but the Belfast side have a huge reputation in schools hurling and will fancy their chances of clinching the trophy.

This game was postponed initially as three of the St Mary’s team planned to visit Zambia to help on a pastoral care mission. St. Mary’s CBGS have been part of the Christian Brothers Developing World Immersion Programme since 2001; an initiative which encourages schools in the Edmund Rice Network in throughout Ireland to connect with Christian Brother communities and projects in the Developing World. Indeed, the Belfast school is widely recognised as effectively setting the standard for all other immersion projects.

Sadly, this year’s trip had to be cancelled as Belfast City Airport was closed shortly due to the recent harsh weather. The school’s senior hurlers will now be hoping to bring some good news back to their classmates. They defeated St Raphael’s, Loughrea in the semi-final and in doing so Paddy Linden’s side made a statement for that Loughrea was, up to recently, winning Connacht and national ‘A’ titles.

Top performers this year are full back and Antrim Senior panel member Tomas Ó Ciarain and forwards Conor Kerr, James Connolly. Indeed, the Mary’s rearguard held of O’Ciaran and goalkeeper John Darragh have been particularly impressive. “Things have been going well for us in recent years and we have a nice bit of experience built up,” Linden says. “The lads are on a high but we’ll need to keep that going if we’re to beat Dungarvan CBS in the final. If it was Antrim against Waterford in the morning we would be clear underdogs so we’ll be all out to keep bucking the trend.”