Colaiste Choilm show character to return to semi-finals with imperfect display

IT was very much all about winning as Colaiste Choilm, Tullamore returned to the semi-finals of the Leinster Colleges Senior Football Championship for the third consecutive year with a very hard earned win over Maynooth Education Campus in Kilcormac's Faithful Fields on Tuesday afternoon.

Leinster Colleges Senior Football Championship quarter-final

Colaiste Choilm,Tullamore 2-6

Maynooth Education Campus 1-5

It was a very imperfect display by Colaiste Choilm, one that would not be near good enough to win a championship but this made their win all the sweeter as they showed great character and fighting spirit to survive a real tough battle.

Reaching the semi-final of Leinster's premier colleges football competition for three years in a row represents a huge achievement for Colaiste Choilm. Competing in “B” football for years, they took the step into “A” ranks a short few years ago and have been very much at home here. Their performances is a very positive thing for Offaly football and a less than convincing display here was very forgivable.

In these type of games, it is all about getting out of town with your championship aspirations still alive and over the balance of the hour plus, Colaiste Choilm did deserve their win. It could have went wrong for them. Maynooth Education Campus provided very tough, dogged resistance. They refused to go away and missed a couple of glaring goal chances, one in each half, and one of these could have propelled them to victory.

Colaiste Choilm were marginally the better team. They had more possession, controlled the game for longer periods and they answered the serious questions that Maynooth asked, getting across the line with crucial late points, three of them from subs Ryan Kenny and Shane Horkan.

It wasn't a very good or convincing performance by Colaiste Choilm and they will be the first to admit that they have considerable room for improvement. They kicked a few poor wides, especially in the opening quarter when they could have left the visitors with a mountain to climb. They were also guilty of being quite stationary in their play, passing to standing men and carrying the ball into tackles where they were turned over too often.

On the other side of this coin, they worked terrifically hard, turned over more than their share of ball and gave a defensive master class as they restricted Maynooth to just 1-5.

While it was a very low scoring game and both sets of forwards struggled to create and convert chances, it still made for fascinating, compelling, enjoyable viewing. It was raw, physical and tough and there was some good football played.

The first half was a real dog eat dog affair and the half time scoreline of 1-2 to 0-3 summed up exactly the way it went. A superbly taken fourth minute goal from Steven Doran, who was lively and probing early on, gave Colasie Choilm a 1-0 to 0-1 lead but they didn't build on that. They had ample pressure to have really turned the screw but five wides in the first quarter let Maynooth off the hook and it soon developed into a war of attrition.

Maynooth set up defensively and scores were at a premium. They should have got a goal in the seventh minute but David Eustace blazed wide with the net just waiting to be hit by the ball. It was 21 minutes before Cillian Bourke got Colaiste Choilm's first point and with the way it all developed, they were happy to go in with a two point interval lead.

Ironically Colaiste Choilm's tendency to carry the ball into contact led to their all important second goal six minutes into the second half. The hard working Aaron Rattigan had ample opportunity to take a handy point from 14 metres but took a bit much out of the ball before hitting his shot for point under pressure. He was tackled as he shot and the ball dropped short but fell to outstanding defender David O'Rourke who found the net.

That gave Colaiste Choilm a 2-2 to 0-3 lead and it was set up for them to ease home. Instead Maynooth dug very deep and did well to get back into it. David Eustace missed another clear goal chance and Liam Jennings followed up with a poor wide from play. Maynooth, however, got the goal that had been coming and that they deserved in the 45th minute, an excellent low finish from Michael Stokes.

With only a point separating them, it was wide open. Cian Bracken and Liam Jennings swopped frees to leave it 2-4 to 1-5 inside the last ten minutes. It was here that Colaiste Choilm really showed their mettle. Two of their most talented players, Cillian Bourke and Niall Furlong got on crucial ball when it mattered most and their defence made some inspirational turnovers and clearances.

Maynooth not only didn't score again but didn't create a proper chance again while Colaiste Choilm's bench got them across the line. Ryan Kenny, who would have started only for injury, injected life into a floundering attack and got two points, the second a super score from play. Cormac Whittle missed a great chance for the insurance point, going for goal and blasting wide when he should have fisted over the bar. Aaron Rattigan was wide with a good chance before Shane Horkan eased Colaiste Choilm's frayed nerves with a fine 60th minute point – as Niall Furlong and Michael Chambers fought on the ground off the ball not far away.

MATCH ANALYSIS

MAN OF THE MATCH

David O'Rourke: David O'Rourke had a powerful horse of a game for Colaiste Choilm. Left loose some of the time as Maynooth pulled players back, the wing back was brilliant from start to finish. He gave an all action display, full of physicality and good football, with only a few errors. O'Rourke turned over a large volume of ball, made himself available, used possession well and attacked when he could as well as scoring a crucial goal.

Full back John Colgan also had an excellent game. The Cappincur man loved the physical nature of it and inspired his colleagues with some storming runs as he sent players flying – he was one player who was able to get away with carrying into contact as his power meant he was able to get by challenges anyway.

Special mention must also go to centre half back Patrick Kenna, who did his primary duty very well and also made some great raids up the field. It was certainly an occasion where the Colaiste Choilm defence won the day and 1-1 of their 2-6 came from the back, along with a point from midfield and three off the subs bench – which does demonstrate the extent to which the forwards struggled.

THE SCORERS

Colaiste Choilm: David O'Rourke and Steven Doran 1-0 each, Ryan Kenny 0-2 (1f), Patrick Kenna, Cillian Bourke, Cian Bracken (f) and Shane Horkan 0-1 each.

Maynooth: Michael Stokes 1-1, Liam Jennings 0-2 (2f), Liam McDonald and Paul O'Dea 0-1 each.

THE TEAMS

COLAISTE CHOILM, TULLAMORE: Sean Kavanagh; Peter McKegney, John Colgan, Tadgh Kelly; Brian Guinan, Patrick Kenna, David O'Rourke; Cillian Bourke, Eoin Dunne; Dara Bates, Niall Furlong, Davin Keegan; Steven Doran, Aaron Rattigan, Cian Bracken. Subs – Eoin Rouse for Keegan (39m), Cormac Whittle for Bates (45m), Ryan Kenny for Guinan (49m), Jack Bracken for McKegney, inj. (57m), Shane Horkan for Cian Bracken (59m).

MAYNOOTH EDUCATION CAMPUS: Joshua Flood; Darren O'Lionsigh, Finn Dowling, Cathal Flynn; Niall Cullen, Michael Chambers, Liam McDonald; Matthew Diamond, Paul Morrissey; Daniel Ennis, Michael Stokes, Daire McNickle; Paul O'Dea, David Eustace, Liam Jennings. Subs – Sean Walsh for Morrissey (HT), James Moriarty for Ennis (42m).

Referee – Michael Gordon (Westmeath).

REFEREE WATCH

Michael Gordon refereed it well and there were no big issues. He held up his hand for advantage at one stage in Tullamore but didn't give the free even though it was obvious they were not making any progress. He displayed good awareness. He rightly threw up one ball when a Tullamore player fisted a pass after claiming a mark in the second half. A few minutes later, he allowed the mark to be taken when another one was fisted but it was the right thing to do – he had been slow in giving it when David O'Rourke attempted to claim his mark and by the time he blew his whistle, the Shamrocks man had played on so he deserved the benefit of the doubt. He allowed play to go ahead in injury time for Shane Horkan's insurance point even though Niall Furlong and Michael Chambers were getting to know each other, not far away as they grappled.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH

Colaiste Choilm's second goal from David O'Rourke in the 36th minute ultimately gave them the cushion to get home.

VENUE WATCH

This game was moved to Faithful Fields on Monday as part of O'Connor Park was frozen but a decision probably should have been left until Tuesday morning. By that stage O'Connor Park would have been playable as the temperature had picked up a bit but Colaiste Choilm obviously wanted an early call and to make sure the game went ahead. As usual, Faithful Fields was in excellent condition and there were no issues,

WHAT'S NEXT

Colaiste Choilm go into the semi-final.

STATISTICS

Wides: Colaiste Choilm - 9 (5 in first half); Maynooth – 6 (4 in first half).

Yellow cards: Colaiste Choilm – 1 (Niall O'Rourke); Maynooth – 3 (Niall Cullen, Michael Chambers, Michael Stokes).

Black cards: 0.

Red cards: 0.