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Jack Doherty has a shot on goal for St Pat's Ken Sutton/INPHO
Hogan Cup

Kerry's St Brendan’s crowned All-Ireland schools football champions

The Killarney outfit ran out seven point winners over Derry side St Pat’s Maghera in Croke Park.

St Brendan’s Killarney (Kerry) 2-13
St Pat’s Maghera (Derry) 2-6

Jackie Cahill reports from Croke Park

THE LONG WAIT is finally over for St Brendan’s of Killarney.

The Sem were crowned All-Ireland Colleges senior football A champions at Croke Park this afternoon, with David Clifford contributing a massive 2-5 to help secure a first Hogan Cup success since 1992, and third in all.

Dara Moynihan was also superb as St Brendan’s finished with a flourish to deny St Pat’s Maghera a sixth title, and erase the memories of most recent final defeats in 2010 and 2008.

Both teams were reduced to 14 men in the second half, St Pat’s losing captain and Hawthorn-bound Conor Glass to a straight red card in the 45th minute, before St Brendan’s skipper Dan O’Brien was dismissed with five minutes of normal time remaining.

The sides were level when O’Brien saw red for an off the ball incident involving the leading marksman for St Pat’s, Shane McGuigan, but St Brendan’s outscored their opponents by 2-2 to 0-1 after that.

Moynihan nudged St Brendan’s into a 0-12 to 2-5 lead after O’Brien’s red card before Jack Doherty ended a 20-minute scoring drought for St Pat’s to level matters.

But Clifford netted in the 58th minute and again in the third minute of stoppage time to seal the deal for the Sem, before Moynihan clipped over his fourth point.

Victory for St Brendan’s ensures that the Hogan Cup remains in Kerry, following victories for Pobalscoil Chorca Dhuibhne in the previous two seasons.

And yet it was St Pat’s who led by a point at half-time, McGuigan popping over his third point, and second free, to establish a 1-5 to 0-7 interval lead in stoppage time.

On the balance of play, it was just about the right outcome as St Pat’s missed a penalty in the fifth minute, when David Carroll saved brilliantly from Francis Kearney after Oisin McWilliams was fouled by Niall Donohue.

St Pat’s did find the net three minutes later, when Donohue’s slip allowed Patrick Kearney to blast a low shot past Carroll, after taking a handpass from Conal Darragh.

St Brendan’s were slow to settle but they eased themselves into contention and were level by the 20th minute at 0-5 to 1-2, as David Clifford popped over a neat point from play.

Clifford’s free handed the Sem the lead for the second time in the game, 0-6 to 1-2, before points from Shane McGuigan and Shea Downey, son of Seamus and nephew of Derry’s 1993 All-Ireland winning captain Henry, edged St Pat’s back in front.

Lively St Brendan’s forward Dara Moynihan restored parity before McGuigan handed St Pat’s a slim lead at the break

McGuigan opened the second half scoring with a 37th minute goal but St Pat’s went 20 minutes without a score thereafter.

A dramatic second half ensued but when the dust settled, the Hogan Cup was on its way back to St Brendan’s after a 24-year wait.

Scorers for St Brendan’s: David Clifford 2-5 (2f), Dara Moynihan 0-4, Lee O’Donoghue (45), Evan Cronin, David Shaw & Michael Casey 0-1 each.

Scorers for St Pat’s: Shane McGuigan 1-3 (0-2f), Patrick Kearney 1-0, Shea Downey, Jack Doherty & Oisin McWilliams 0-1 each.

St Brendan’s

1. David Carroll (Spa)

4. Cian Gammell (Legion)
6. Dan O’Brien (Glenflesk)
3. Chris O’Donoghue (Glenflesk)

7. Niall Donohue (Firies)
5. David Naughton (Dr. Crokes)
2. Michael Potts (Dr. Crokes)

8. Lee O’Donoghue (Glenflesk)
9. Billy Courtney (Dr. Crokes)

12. Peter McCarthy (Legion)
11. David Clifford (Fossa)
10. Dara Moynihan (Spa)

13. Evan Cronin (Spa)
14. David Shaw (Dr. Crokes)
15. Michael Casey (Dr. Crokes)

Subs:
20. William Courtney (Firies) for Casey (43)
18. David Spillane (Spa) for McCarthy (60)

St Pat’s

1. Seán Cassidy (Slaughtneil)

2. Odhran McKeever (Dungiven)
3. Patrick Turner (Swatragh)
4. Keelan Feeney (Slaughtneil)

5. Patrick McCormick (Moneyglass)
6. Shea Downey (Lavey)
7. Conor McAllister (Slaughtneil)

8. Conor Glass (Glen)
9. Jack Doherty (Glen)

10. Patrick Kearney (Swatragh)
11. Paddy Quigg (Kilrea)
12. Oisin McWilliams (Swatragh)

13. Conal Darragh (Glen)
14. Shane McGuigan (Slaughtneil)
15. Francis Kearney (Swatragh)

Sub:
21. Fergal Higgins (Dungiven) for Darragh (42)

Referee: David Gough (Meath)

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