Offaly Schools progress with double scores victory over St Peter's

Leinster Colleges Senior A Hurling Quarter Final

Offaly Combined Schools 2-14

St Peter's College, Wexford 0-10

OFFALY combined schools squad made the long trip to Wexford town for the quarter final of the Leinster Colleges Senior A championship where the faced a fancied St Peter's College side in the hostile environment of the home school's pitch on Tuesday and they came away with a merited victory by a double scores margin.

This game took a while to settle down and with the elements of the wind blowing directly across the field it made life early on very tricky for both sets of players. Frees at either end of the park from Liam O’Riordan and Conor Blake got the scoreboard moving for their sides before Darragh Scully gave the visitors the lead in the eighth minute, pointing from a tight angle, before John Sunderland made the first of a number of top quality saves for the home school.

The next five minutes saw the home side score three times on the bounce, with all coming from frees off the stick of Blake before O’Riordan pointed a free of his own at the other end to leave the minimum between the sides on the twenty minute mark.

Cillian Bourke prevented what looked to be a certain goal chance for St Peter's when he excellently flicked the ball off the stick of Simon Roche, but the referee adjudged Bourke to have fouled in the process, much to the dismay of all the Offaly contingent in attendance and once again Blake took advantage pointing from close range.

Blake and Cathal Robinson exchanged points before the latter batted the ball over his head to the back of the St Peter's net for the opening goal of the game after super work from James Liffey, who then turned over the resulting puck out to give the Offaly outfit a three point lead on the sound of the half time whistle.

St Peter's halftime sub Rian Ormonde looked to raise a green flag for his side early in the second period but Offaly keeper Liam Hoare ensured his clean sheet would remain intact before launching an attack for his side finishing with a well taken point from Eoin Bailey O’Brien before Simon Roche scored his side's first point of the game from open play .

Once again the lively James Liffey showed well winning possession before laying a pass off for Bailey-O’Brien who smashed the ball into the net for the visitors' second goal of the game and this along with a monster free from Liam Hoare gave them a crucial seven point lead five minutes into the second period.

A Blake free and Roche's second of the afternoon reduced the gap back to five with forty minutes played in what was a lively clash before O’Riordan and another monster effort from net minder Hoare restored the Faithful County's seven point lead.

A Blake free on the fiftieth minute mark was to be as good as things got for the Wexford based outfit as the Offaly men finished out the strongest with four points, including one from play coming from Liam O’Riordan, to push Offalys lead into double digits at the sound of Eamonn Furlong's full time whistle.

MATCH ANALYSIS

TEAMS

OFFALY SCHOOLS: Liam Hoare (Carrig and Riverstown); Caelum Larkin (Carrig and Riverstown), Ruairí Kelly (Lusmagh), Conor Taylor (Clara); Conor Grennan (Belmont), Marc Ryan (Coolderry), Ajay Cleary (Coolderry); Niall Furlong (Tullamore), Cillian Bourke (Tullamore); Shane Rigney (St Rynagh’s), Cathal Robinson (Kinnitty), Liam O’Riordan (Ballyskenagh/Killavilla); Darragh Scully (St Rynagh’s), Eoin Bailey-O’Brien (Shinrone), James Liffey (Shinrone). Subs. Ricky Fitzsimons (Birr) (for Rigney, 57 mins), Eoin Neville (Shamrocks) (for Scully, 58 mins), Liam Flynn (Clara) (for Liffey, 58 mins), Daire Daly (St Rynagh’s) (for Taylor, 60 mins).

ST PETER'S: John Sunderland (Shelmaliers); Jack Hennessy (Oylegate-Glenbrien), Matthew Bishop (Crossabeg-Ballymurn), Joshua Roche (Shelmaliers); Bobby Reville (St Anne’s), Seán Rowley (Oylegate-Glenbrien, capt.), Adam O’Connor (Blackwater); David McCarthy (Crossabeg-Ballymurn), Alex Lafferty (St. Martin’s); Kian O’Connor (Oulart-The Ballagh), Simon Roche (Oulart-The Ballagh), Conor Blake (Oulart-The Ballagh); Liam Cooney (Glynn-Barntown), Patrick Berry (Glynn-Barntown), Eoghan Cassin (Faythe Harriers). Subs. Jack Dunne (Oulart-The Ballagh) (for Berry, half time), Jason Rossiter (Oulart-The Ballagh) (for Cassin, 41 mins), Eoin Sinnott (St Martin’s) (for Cooney, 48 mins), Rian Ormonde (Shelmaliers) (for McCarthy, inj. 50 mins), Corey Ryan (St Anne’s) (for K. O’Connor, inj. 57 mins).

MAN OF THE MATCH

Niall Furlong (Offaly): On another day St Peter's net minder John Sunderland and centre forward Simon Roche, who kept their side's hopes alive with excellent displays, would have got the award. Cillian Bourke, Ajay Cleary, Cathal Robinson gave great shifts for the Faithful men too. Had it not been for the before mentioned Sunderland, Offaly corner forward James Liffey could have been well in contention also.

The nod here goes for Colaiste Choilm student and Tullamore club man Niall Furlong who had a powerful game for the Offaly men, really coming to the fore in the second half winning rucks, taking big hits and winning three frees at a crucial time in the second half.

VENUE WATCH

Over looking the sea, the St Peter's school have to be commended for having their pitch in super order for this game. It was marked out accordingly and they had the pitch cordoned off to keep supporters from getting too close to the sideline. They had a crew of their students on the bank cheering on their side and creating a great atmosphere on what was a cold windy day.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH

Eoin Bailey-O’Brien's goal three minutes into the second half was the crucial score here. Offaly were four points up at this stage and getting three scores between the sides was key. It knocked a bit of life out of the hosts and gave the Offaly side some breathing room.

TALKING POINT

The progress of this Offaly side once again is forefront in the mind. A number of this side were involved already with last year's under 20 team and a number of this group will be looking to play their way into Leo O’Connor's plans for this year's team.

A lot of people, outside of Offaly, have questioned a combined schools team being allowed play in this competition, but that certainly won’t bother anyone from Offaly. Another game of championship hurling will be massive for lads to get more high tempo hurling played too.

For St Peter's, their ability to only manage two points from play over the hour was very disappointing and something that will haunt them upon reflection, and whilst the work rate of Offaly was a huge factor in this, a team definitely won’t win a game with that sort of return.

REFEREE WATCH

Eamonn Furlong had a solid display, he was clear in his reasoning for awarding frees and only went to the book when it was necessary. The half time free count of 14-5 in favour of St Peter's was questioned but once the visitors tidied up their tackling the numbers eased up a bit. He did a great job letting the game flow when possible too and played the advantage rule excellently. Overall the Wexford man was not a factor in the winning or losing of this clash.

WHAT'S NEXT

Offaly schools now move on to a Leinster semi final in two weeks time where they will either face St Kieran's of Kilkenny or Good Counsel from New Ross.

For St Peter's, their season comes to a close.

SCORERS

Offaly Combined Schools; Liam O’Riordan (0-7, 0-6 free), Cathal Robinson and Eoin Bailey-O’Brien (1-1 each), Darragh Scully and Liam Hoare (frees) (0-2 each), James Liffey (0-1).

St Peter's, Wexford; Conor Blake (0-8, all frees), Simon Roche (0-2).