Gallant Moate CS no match for Meath opponents in hurling league decider

St. Fintina’s, Longwood 2-20 Moate Community School 2-3

The ambitions of Moate Community School to claim for themselves a North Leinster U-16 (Junior) Colleges Hurling League title - a competition organised under the stewardship of Noel Delaney - were well and truly dashed in St. Loman"s grounds, Mullingar, on Friday last.

Their opposition, St. Fintina"s of Longwood, played textbook hurling that was lovely to witness, not that Moate CS would agree!

St. Fintina"s laid the foundation of their eventually convincing success during the first half. At times during the first half, St. Fintina"s seemed to score at their ease, as a honest, but outgunned, Moate CS team struggled to make an impression in the contest. The South Meath school were in front by a margin of 15 points at half-time.

Moate CS, under the guidance of Castlepollard native Joe Creggy, were a much improved team in the second half, and played with great honour and dignity. However, their task of recovery was not so much uphill, but a mountain, and was beyond even their best efforts, a splendid St. Fintina"s team emerging winners. St. Fintina"s team captain Thomas Raleigh accepted the winners" shield from Noel Delaney after the final.

The trend of play for much of this contest was set in place inside the opening minute of play, Adam Gannon rifling over a point for St. Fintina"s. The Meath school doubled their lead when Thomas Raleigh pointed a free as Moate CS struggled to settle into the contest. After Thomas Raleigh had fired over another point for the South Meath school, the teams swapped wides in quick succession.

Koran Byrne notched the fourth St. Fintina"s point, his team then quickly going on to add further to their lead as Thomas Raleigh and Josh Ryan fired over a point apiece. St. Fintina"s notched the opening goal of the contest, Josh Ryan slamming the ball to the roof of the Moate net, via a deflection. Despite the best efforts of Moate CS to make an impression in this 13-a-side league decider, it was St. Fintina"s who continued to hold sway. The South Meath school added to their already impressive lead when Thomas Raleigh (free) fired over a point.

Adam Gannon and Thomas Raleigh added a further point each for St. Fintina"s, before Moate CS enjoyed a good spell of possession in attacking situations. But such was their luck up to this point in the contest, that they were unable to make any impression in terms of the match scoreline during this phase, hitting two wides in quick succession. But Moate CS were then rewarded for their efforts, Jamie Cornally rifling the ball to the left corner of the St. Fintina"s net with a close range drive.

Having had a shot fired across their bows in the shape of that Moate CS goal, the South Meath school were stung into a response, with Koran Byrne hitting over a point. Thomas Raleigh then added a point to this team"s total. St. Fintina"s, with a Killyon look to their starting line up, tagged on another point via Adam Gannon, before Moate CS put together a good attacking move, but that attacking move did not result in a score. Right on half-time, St. Fintina"s won a close range free in an attacking situation and Thomas Raleigh slammed the ball to the back of the Moate CS net. Half-time score: St. Fintina"s 2-12, Moate CS 1-0.

The second half started in the same way that first half action had finished, St. Fintina"s opening the scoring with Thomas Raleigh shooting over a point from a free. The margin dividing the teams was widened that little bit further when Thomas Raleigh pointed yet another free. The pace of action had dropped a little from the first half, but St. Fintina"s had not eased their efforts in searching for scores. The South Meath school added to their lead, Adam Gannon hitting over a point.

Moate CS were having little or no luck in their search for scores, falling further in arrears when Thomas Raleigh pointed. The same player then slotted over a point from a dead ball situation, before the St. Fintina"s No. 11 received a great pass from Adam Gannon and struck over yet another point. Moate CS then put an attacking move together, an attacking move that won them a 65m award. That 65m award was taken by Danny Kelleghan, who played the ball a short distance to David McCormack, the latter wasting no time in striking over a point.

Moate CS then quickly swung into attack, St. Fintina"s netminder Ryan Moone diving to his right to pull off a superb save to deny Eamonn McCabe a goal. From the 65m award, taken by Danny Kelleghan, the St. Fintina"s defence did not properly clear away the ball, enabling David McCormack to fire over a point for Moate. Thomas Raleigh pointed for St. Fintina"s before Moate CS had their third point via Brian Guinan (free).

In the closing seconds of normal playing time, Moate CS won another 65m award. Danny Kelleghan again took the said 65m award, lobbing the ball towards the St. Fintina"s goalmouth, which in turn enabled Eamonn McCabe to crash the ball to the back of the St. Fintina"s net with a first time backhand flick to bring match action to a close.

NOTE

Due to a clash of colours, Moate CS actually wore their jerseys inside out for the duration of last Friday"s contest.

St. Fintina"s Longwood: Ryan Moone, David Flynn, Francis Doran, Stephen Teehan, Damien Healy, Jason Dowdall, Adam Gannon (0-4), Koran Byrne (0-2), Josh Ryan (0-1), Thomas Raleigh (2-13, 1-0pen, 0-6f), Ryan Keenan, Cormac Fitzsimons, Adam Burke. Subs used: Sean Dalton.

Moate Community School: Dean Tyrrell, Eamonn McCabe (1-0), Gary Larkin, Lee Colgan, Danny Kelleghan, Brian Guinan (0-1f), David McCormack (0-2), Adam Scanlon, Sean Mara, Ciaran Finnerty, Robert O"Kelly-Lynch, Niall Keegan, Jamie Cornally (1-0). Sub used: Sean Kincaid.

Referee: Jimmy Weldon.