A test too far for Tiernan’s
News Item added:08-03-2010
By Anthony Hennigan
COLAISTE NA COIRIBE 2-12
ST TIERNAN’S COLLEGE 1-03
FOR spirit alone, St Tiernan’s deserved better than to lose by the double digit margin that separated them and Galway City outfit, Colaiste na Coiribe, last Thursday.
1-7 to 0-1 in arrears by the 27th minute, it would have been easy for the Crossmolina boys to roll over and accept their lot. However, a determination ran through the side right until the full-time whistle, and that endeavour was rewarded by Gerard Haran’s injury time goal.
The midfielder’s major might only have been of consolation value yet its arrival exemplified the never-say-die ethic of the Deelside students.
It was obvious from early on that Colaiste na Coiribe would retain their provincial crown. Well-drilled from the sideline, boasting physically bigger players in most areas of the pitch and playing a stylish and direct brand of football, they scored more in the first 22 minutes than St Tiernan’s managed over the entire hour.
In fact, only an overplaying of the ball among the forwards cost them from scoring much more. And yet it was Tiernan’s who started brightly enough and who opened the scoring courtesy of Jason Murphy’s sixth minute point.
It was his side’s last score until Gerard Haran swept over a free in first half injury time, in between which live-wire wingforward Seannie Ó Leidhin struck 1-2 for Colaiste na Coiribe for whom Gearóid Ó Ceannabháin, two, Adam Mac Suirtáin, Eoghan Ó Riogáin and Cathal Breathnach also pointed.
Despite the brave efforts of defenders Patrick Padden and Liam Egan in particular, St Tiernan’s were lucky not to have fallen further behind as Fionntán Ó Curraoin, the superb Coiribe midfielder, Eoghan Ó Riogáin and Liam Ó Fionnachta all drove narrowly wide of the goal manned by Padraig Thomas.
St Tiernan’s best spell was undoubtedly the third quarter and who knows how the game might have developed had Ronan Barrett’s shot not spun back into play via the crossbar within a minute of the restart.
Gerard Haran did kick a fine point from distance for the chasers but points by Breathnach, Ó Fionnachta and Ó Leidhin helped the Galway men into a 1-10 to 0-3 lead by the 50th minute before their second goal, this one poked home by Ó Fionnachta, put the result beyond all doubt – despite Haran’s late, late response.
SCORERS – Colaiste na Coiribe: Seannie Ó Leidhin 1-3, Liam Ó Fionnachta 1-1, Eoghan Ó Riogáin 0-3 (1f), Gearóid Ó Ceannabháin and Cathal Breathnach 0-2 each, Adam Mac Suirtáin 0-1. St Tiernan’s: Gerard Haran 1-2 (0-1f), Jason Murphy 0-1.
COLAISTE NA COIRIBE: Seamus Ó Ruflaigh; Micheál Ó Coileáin, Cian Mac Fhinn, Lorcan Ó Conchubhair; Dara Seoige, Micheál Ó Fathaigh, Jamie Ó Coincheannain; Cathal Breathnach, Fionntán Ó Curraoin; Eoin Teagle, Eoghan Ó Riogáin, Seannie Ó Leidhin; Adam Mac Suirtáin, Gearóid Ó Ceannabháin, Dean De Paor. Subs: Liam Ó Fionnachta (for De Paor 15), Malachy Ó Gallachóir (for Ó Ceannabháin 53), Tadgh Ó Conchubhair (for Breathnach 54-inj).
ST TIERNAN’S: Padraig Thomas; Aidan Kearns, Patrick Padden, Liam Egan; Stephen McHugh, Padraig Mayock, Phillip O’Malley; Gerard Haran, Sean Strogen; Dean Gillespie, Ronan Barrett, Dean Martin; Shane McKinley, Clive Reilly, Jason Murphy. Subs: Ian Gordan (for McKinley 29), Jason Donnelly (for O’Malley 53), Matthew Carey (for Martin 58).
Referee: Jimmy Feeney (Castlebar).
