Second-half scoring surge sees Maynooth Education Campus past 14-man Laois Schools and into Bro Bosco Cup
The home side were the worthy winners on the day
The Laois Schools team’s chances of reaching the Bro Bosco Cup have been dashed after they fell to a 11-point defeat to Maynooth Education Campus on Saturday afternoon.
Storm Darragh caused havoc in the game with a wind blowing down the pitch and swirling into the corner which it made it difficult for either side to kick the ball even with the wind behind them.
Maynooth Education Campus 2-9
Laois Schools 0-4
O’Dempsey’s forward Ultan Dunne got Laois Schools off to a great start with two points inside two minutes. Maynooth had chosen to kick into the wind in the first-half and were very efficient with the ball making sure that they didn’t cough up possession easily in the conditions.
Almost 20 minutes went by before the next white flag was raised as Liam Jennings pointed a free after a foul on Maynooth’s Paddy Ryan. Aaron Mahoney had a big goal chance for the home side when Callum Doody slipped but his goal-bound effort got caught by the wind and ended up blowing back into play. Senior B Footballer of the Year The Heath’s Paddy Fitzpatrick scored the point of the game as he curled over a sideline off the outside of his right boot.
Maynooth ended the half with two points without reply courtesy of Ciarán Dunne and Finn Conheady to leave the sides locked level at three points apiece at the break.
The second-half was a slow burner with Maynooth kicking three wides with the wind behind them. Then came the turning point of the game in the 43rd minute as referee Paul Fahey showed a straight red card to Laois’ Ultan Dunne.
Maynooth took full control of the game with the extra player as they scored 2-6 unanswered to seal their passage into the Bro Bosco Cup. Paddy Ryan kicked four of those points with Tom Power and Liam Jennings getting the other two. Sean O’Donnell raised a green flag after Laois had coughed up possession before Aaron Larkin palmed the ball home for the home side.
Cormac Deegan, fresh from winning an U-20 Football medal on Friday night with Stradbally Parish Gaels, kicked Laois’ only score of the second period in the 63rd minute which also ended up being the final score of the game.