Forward flair sends Kieran’s into another Croke Cup decider

St Kieran’s remarkable run of reaching every All-Ireland senior hurling colleges final since 2014 continued when they put in a dominant display against Ardscoil Ris.

Ardscoil Ris came into the game on the back of a narrow Harty Cup final defeat to Nenagh CBS and a victory over last year’s All-Ireland finalists, Presentation Athenry so the expectation was that it would be a very tight tussle.

That expectation didn’t become the reality though as Kieran’s didn’t give their opponents a sniff in a ruthless display.

In Rory Glynn and Sean Hunt, the defending champions had two players at the very top of their game and the dangerous inside forwards caused untold damage to the Limerick side’s defence as they scored 1-6 from play between them and Hunt’s well taken goal in the 12th minute really set the College on their way and there was no looking back from that point on.

Kieran’s led by seven at the break and Ardscoil did rally briefly at the start of the second half but it proved to be only brief as the Kilkenny side soon gained control once again and ran out commading winners in the end.

The class of Glynn and Hunt up top was crucial but just as important was the defensive solidity as Kieran’s really shut down Ardscoil’s main assets.

The Ardscoil team is full of Limerick and Clare rising stars and they seemed more at home in the early stages as they led 0-3 to 0-2 on the back of scores from Michael Collins and Fintan Fitzgerald.

Kieran’s were understandably slow out of the blocks after a four week break from the Leinster Final win over Kilkenny CBS and they relied on an Aaron McEvoy free and a Rory Glynn score from play for their only points in the opening 10 minutes.

That slow start soon turned into a blistering spell of scoring as after Sean Hunt scored a brilliant individual goal, a pressure valve seemed to release on the Kieran’s players and they went on to score another five points on the bounce.

Rory Glyn really found his form in this spell with his pace and accuracy tormenting the Ardscoil backline and with Jeff Neary and Ed Lauhoff also getting in on the act, a six point advantage soon opened up on the scoreboard (1-7 to 0-4).

Back to back efforts from Cathal Lohan and Marc O’Brien reduced the deficit but Kieran’s controlled the rest of the half.

Two further McEvoy frees as well as Tomas Roche and Sean Hunt pointing from play meant Kieran’s had most of the job done by the time of the half-time whistle as they led by double scores.

Ardscoil Ris were very disappointing up till this point and they needed a flying start to the second period if they had any chance of reeling Kieran’s in and that looked a possibility when Fintan Fitzgerald, Marc O’Brien, Michael Collins and Eoin Begley all pointed in quick succession.

Kieran’s only scores in that period arrived from Sean Hunt and James Hughes who came on as a first half sub for Ed McDermott.

Only five points seperated the sides as a result and with Kieran’s hitting a couple of bad wides, Ardscoil were very much still in it.

It didn’t take long for that hope to be extinguished however and the point of the game was the catalyst for Kieran’s to kick onn.

Dicksboro’s Tom McPhillips was influential throughout but his 42nd minute point when he stormed upfield from his own half before pointing will live long in the memory.

That score gave Kieran’s a bit more breathing space and while their opponents did get the deficit back to five late on, the clock was against them and it was Kieran’s who finished in style with insurance scores from Aaron McEvoy, Stephen Manogue, Rory Glynn and Tom Brennan.

The 1-19 to 0-14 success now means Kieran’s will go on to face St Raphael's College, Loughrea in the final as the Kilkenny men look to win a 25th All-Ireland crown in total.

Teams and Scorers

St Kieran’s College: Aaron McEvoy (0-6, six frees), Sean Hunt (1-2), Rory Glynn (0-4), Stephen Manogue (0-1, one free), Tom Brennan, Jeff Neary, Tom McPhillips, Tomas Roche, Ed Lauhoff, James Hughes (0-1 each)

Ardscoil Ris: Marc O’Brien (0-6, four frees and one ‘65), Michael Collins (0-3), Fintan Fitzgerald (0-2, one free), Daniel Chaplin, Eoin Begley, Cathal Lohan (0-1 each)

St Kieran’s College: Stephen Manogue (James Stephens); Sean Bergin (James Stephens), Evan Murphy (Dicksboro), Timmy Kelly (Bennettsbridge); Cathal Hickey (St Lachtain’s), Jeff Neary (Graigue Ballycallan), Tom McPhillips (Dicksboro); Tomas Roche (John Lockes), Ed Lauhoff (James Stephens); Sean Deely (James Stephens), Rory Connellan (Thomastown), Aaron McEvoy (Graigue Ballycallan); Ed McDermott (James Stephens), Rory Glynn (Clara), Sean Hunt (St Martins).

Subs: James Hughes (Bennettsbridge) for McDermott 27 mins, Tom Brennan (Clough Ballacolla, Laois) for Deely 46 mins, Oisin Bateman (James Stephens) for Roche 51 mins, James O’Neill (St Martins) for Glynn 58 mins, Bobby Murphy (The Harps, Laois) for Lauhoff 61 mins.

Ardscoil Ris: Fionn O’Brien; Cathal Lohan, Sean McMahon, Sean Morrissey; James Finn, Jamie Moylan, Daniel Scully; Riain McNamara, Matthew O’Halloran; Jack Cosgrove, Fintan Fitzgerald, Michael Collins; Patrick Kearney, Marc O’Brien, Eoin Begley.

Subs: Sean Arthur for Begley 40 mins, John O’Keeffe for Morrissey 40 mins, Darragh Gleeson for Cosgrove 43 mins, Daniel Chaplin for Kearney 51 mins, James Coughlan for Lohan 58 mins.

Referee: Alan Tierney (Tipperary)