Cistercian Roscrea lose out to strong Kilfinane team in All-Ireland hurling semi-final

Masita GAA All-Ireland Post Primary Schools Senior C Hurling Semi-Finals 2024

Cistercian College Roscrea 1-9 

Scoil Pol Kilfinane 1-18

By Liam Hogan

Cistercian College Roscrea suffered a disappointing nine-point defeat at the hands of a better-balanced Scoil Pol Kilfinane side when they met in the Masita GAA All-Ireland Post-Primary schools senior C semi-final at Kilcommon last Saturday afternoon. 

The Leinster champions were always struggling to keep tabs on the Limerick school who had key marksman on every line and were well out of sight by the end of the hour. 

The Munster champions wasted no time in opening a 0-5 to 0-1 lead by the first quarter and were seven in front by half-time 0-10 to 0-3. 

Cistercian improved somewhat in the third quarter but were unable to claw back the deficit and Scoil Pol’s lead increased to eleven when Frewen scored a goal in the 43rd minute to make it 1-15 to 0-7. The game was over s a contest with Liam O’Riordan’s close-in free hitting the back of the net to make the scoreboard look more respectable. 

The winners included Darren Frewen who was the game’s top scorer. The Limerick minor scored 1-6 (0-1f) and was the player of the game. Frewen is one of three Limerick minors, the other Daithi Dennehy and his brother Cathal (in goal) never put a foot wrong in goal. 

The Kilfinane netminder produced two good saves in the second half. Darragh Cronin at right cornerback was part of the reliable full-back line of James Philipot and Oran Crowley.  John O’Connell at five and Shane Fitzgibbon at six were others to impress as did midfielders Cillian O’Riordan and Colin Bresnihan with Owen Barrington always a threat at wing forward.

Liam O’Riordan was best of a Cistercian attack that found the going tough. Wing forward James Liffey was one of Cistercian’s best forwards in their winning campaign but a hamstring injury limited him to twenty minutes of action. James O’Sullivan at midfield tied hard as did Cathal Hogan and Josh Powell and Luke Murphy in defence.

Kilfinane took the game to Roscrea from the off with Kristian O’Gorman’s free opening the scores after four minutes. The lead doubled two minutes later through Darren Frewen before a quick response by Liam O’Riordan had Roscrea on the scoreboard. 

It was 0-5 to 0-1 by the 12th minute after Kristian O’Gorman pointed two frees either side of an Owen Barrington score from play. 

Further scores by Liam O’Riordan (Roscrea), Darren Frewen, and O’Riordan (free) made it double scores before Scoil Pol made the best of the last four minutes of the half with four unanswered points through John O’Connell, Shane Fitzgibbon (free), Darren Frewen and Cillian O’Riordan to make it 0-10 to 0-3 at half time.  

The opening six minutes of the second half saw five points registered with Darren Frewen starting the sequence before Roscrea substitute Fionn Carney responded. Two back-to-back points by Frewen and Barrington had Kilfinane nine clear but Liam O’Riordan’s third point (free) had the deficit back to eight by the 36th minute. 

It was point for point over the next six minutes with Daithi Dennehy (K), James O’Sullivan (Ros), Kristian O’Gorman (K), and James Morkan Roscrea on the mark leaving the Leinster champions within shouting distance of the leaders and eighteen minutes on the clock.

If Cistercian had any thoughts of eating further into Kilfinane lead was quickly scuppered two minutes later when Darren Frewen directed Kristian O’Gorman’s long-range free to the Roscrea net. Darren Frewen added a close in free and Kilfinane’s twelve lead looked safe. 

James Morkan did manage a response in the 47th minute but Adam Frewen (cousin to Darren) secured a point in the 49th minute. Four minutes later Liam O’Riordan scored his fifth point before Kristian O’Gorman’s free was Kilfinane’s last score. 

Yet, Cistercian continued to take the game to Kilfinane and Liam O’Riordan’s second attempt to goal a close in free was denied by goalkeeper Cathal Dennehy but O’Riordan persisted and his third attempt was too little too late.    

Cistercian Roscrea: Tom McKeon (Naas); Robert Gunnell (Ballyskenagh/Killavilla), Josh Powell (Toomevara), Luke Murphy (Portumna); Eanna O’Neill (Seir Kieran), Brian O’Rourke (Roscrea), Cathal Hogan (Shannon Rovers); Ruairc Fay (Kinnitty), James O’Sullivan (Shinrone, 0-1); Tadgh McKeogh (Ballina), Liam O’Riordan (Ballyskenagh/Killavilla, 1-5, 1-2f), James Liffey (Shinrone); James Morkan (Shinrone, 0-2), Aodhan Kirwan (Shannon Rovers), John Onions (Clonad). 

Subs used: Fionn Carney (Shinrone, 0-1) for Liffey (18, inj); Quan Morgan O’Brien (Ballina); for O’Neill (HT); Robert Carney Shinrone) for Kirwan (38); Sean Stone (JK Brackens)  for McKeogh (41); Oisin Farrell (Thomastown) (NR) for Onions (54). 

Scoil Pol Kilfinane: Cathal Dennehy (Glenroe); Daragh Cronin (Kilmallock), James Philpot (Blackrock), Oran Crowley (Staker Wallace); John O’Connell (Bruree, 0-1), Shane Fitzgibbon (Dromin Athlacca, 0-1), Kevin Hayden (Bruree); Cillian O’Riordan (Ephin), Colin Bresnihan (Castletown Ballyagran); Owen Barrington (Bruree, 0-2), James O’Sullivan (Garryspillane), Billy Lonergan (Glenroe); Darren Frewen (Glenroe, 1-6, 0-1f), Kristian O’Gorman (Charleville, 0-5, 0-4f), Daithi Dennehy (Glenroe, 0-1). 

Subs used: Adam Frewen (Glenroe, 0-1) for Lonergan (38); Michael Quaid (Dromin Athlacca) for Barrington (49); Sean O’Dwyer (Blackrock) (NR) for Bresnihan (60); Donnacha Waters (Charleville) for D Frewen (61). 

Referee: Thomas Walsh (Waterford)