Moate face vaunted Wexford outfit for Leinster final place this afternoon

MOATE Community School have had a few disappointments in the latter stages of the Leinster Schools SF 'A' Championship in recent years.

But Peter Tormey's charges will be hoping to address the inability to take the big leap into the final of the competition when they face a highly-rated Good Counsel, New Ross in Stradbally today (Wednesday, 1pm).
Tormey told the Westmeath Independent that his team can welcome back Lake County minor Ruairi Aspell (Maryland/Tang) after he took part in three recent challenge matches, played since Moate CS dispatched the challenge of Scoil Aodhan (Dublin) in the quarter-finals.
Aspell has not played for some time due to injury but Tormey said that his inclusion for today's game will be 'a massive boost', as his team attempt to curb the undoubted influence of Good Counsel's key man, the attacker Jamie Myler. “Ruairi has been out a long time and it will be a big test for him to come back in for such a tough game – because Good Counsel are really formidable opponents. But he came through the challenge games - against St Patrick's College (Maghera), St Michael's College (Enniskillen) and Rice College (Westport) – and should be okay. While Good Counsel has several very good players, Jamie Myler makes them tick and leads the line perfectly. He's a player we need to try to curb and maybe Ruairi will contribute to doing that, we'll see,” said Bunbrosna's Tormey.
Tormey said he is grateful to Anthony Cunningham (the former Garrycastle, St Brigid's and Galway senior hurling manager) for his help with the panel and, indeed, for the input of several other members of the teaching staff in Moate CS.
“We are definitely not short on help, that's for sure,” he said. “It's been great having Anthony in and he's brought that element of experience and professionalism that rubs off well on the lads. We are just trying to get that little bit extra edge because at this level there's very little between the sides,” he said.
Wicklow Schools play St Peter's Wexford in the other semi-final in Enniscorthy at 1.45pm today.