St Kieran’s (Kilkenny) 4-10
Ard Scoil Rís (Limerick) 1-12
A dull opening to this post-primary schools semi-final was transformed by a remarkable second half which brought all five goals and earned St Kieran’s College passage into yet another All-Ireland decider.
If anything, Ard Scoil Rís had the better of the exchanges in the first half at Templemore but a succession of missed chances meant they were only a point ahead at the break.
It was St Kieran’s, however, who upped things a notch in the second period as they scored two goals in less than a minute to take a grasp of this game.
The first of those goals came from full-forward Conor O’Carroll and a nice effort it was too, taking on an incisive pass from Jason Byrne before coolly finishing. Shortly afterwards, substitute Robbie Donnelly got on the end of a scramble near the line to earn the first score of his eventual 1-3.
Ard Scoil Rís kept their noses in the match, with Ronan Lynch and Conor Fitzgerald in particular doing their best, but a third Kieran’s goal, this time by Tadhg O’Dwyer who got a stick to a long Robbie Donnelly free, left the Kilkenny side with a nice cushion.
Late goals at either end maintained the frantic nature of the second half but it was St Kieran’s who progressed to aim for their first title since 2011.
Scorers for St Kieran’s: Tadhg O’Dwyer 1-3, Robbie Donnelly 1-3 (1F), Conor O’Carroll 1-0, Conor Murphy 0-2, Kevin Blanchfield 0-1, Eoin Walsh 0-1, Barry Fitzpatrick o.g.
Scorers for Ard Scoil Rís: Ronan Lynch 1-6 (5F), Conor Fitzgerald 0-3, Charlie McCarthy 0-2, Ian Galvin 0-1.
St Kieran’s: Jason Barcoe (Clara), Michael Cody (Dunnamaggin), Tommy Walsh (Tullaroan), Jack Keoghan (Tullaroan), Darren Mullen (Ballyhale Shamrocks), Jason Cleere (Bennettsbridge), Eoin Walsh (Lisdowney), Kevin Blanchfield (Bennettsbridge), James Maher (St Lachtain’s), Jason Byrne (Clara), Liam Blanchfield (Bennettsbridge), Brian Cody (Ballyhale Shamrocks), Conor Murphy (Graigue Ballycallan), Conor O’Carroll (Lisdowney), Tadhg O’Dwyer (James Stephens).
Subs: Billy Ryan (Graigue Ballycallan) for T. O’Dwyer, Robbie Donnelly (Thomastown) for C. Murphy.
Ard Scoil Rís: Paraic O’Loughlin (Clonlara), Eoghan Costelloe (Adare), Barry Fitzpatrick (Sixmilebridge), Josh O’Halloran (Na Piarsaigh), Gordon Browne (Na Piarsaigh), Michael Casey (Na Piarsaigh), Jack English (Adare), Cian O’Brien (Mungret), Ronan Lynch (Na Piarsaigh), Alex Morey (Sixmilebridge), Cian Lynch (Patrickswell), Ian Galvin (Clonlara), Colin Crehan (O’Callaghan’s Mills), Conor Fitzgerald (Claughan), Mícheál O’Loughlin (Clonlara).
Subs: Thomas Grimes for C. O’Brien, Charlie McCarthy for A. Morey, Peter Casey for M. O’Loughlin, Aaron Gillane for I. Galvin.
Referee: Fergal Horgan (Tipperary).
