Strong first half sees Colaiste Mhuire, Johnstown crowned Leinster champions

Colaiste Mhuire, Johnstown claimed Leinster Colleges glory after they ran out two point winners over St.Brendan's of Birr in a cracking B Final in Rathdowney on Saturday afternoon.

Helped by a second minute goal, Colaiste Mhuire came flying out of the traps and made good use of the strong wind to build up a 1-6 to 0-1 lead after just 11 minutes.

St Brendan's did steady after that and played themselves back into the game and by the interval had reduced the deficit to six points, 1-9 to 0-6.

The wind did seem to have abated a bit at that stage but it was still an advantage to St Brendan's for the second half. They made a slow start and found themselves eight points down again after 37 minutes but six points in a row saw them reduce the gap to two with 10 minutes left and they had the momentum.

Crucially Colaiste Mhuire hit two quick points to open a four point lead again but St Brendan's kept pushing and three in a row left just one in it in the final minute of normal time. A couple of bad choices in decision making around this time possibly cost them a leveller and an injury time point sealed the win for Johnstown

That opening 11 minutes was really the decisive period of the game. Colaiste Mhuire were very sharp in that period and the St Brendan's defence struggled to cope with them and the Kilkenny school made full use of the chances that came their way in that period.

Gearoid Phelan, Kieran Cleere and Cody Comerford impressed in the Colaiste Mhuire defence, Darragh Queally had a good game in the middle of the field, and Damien Corbett was the star in attack where Charlie Brennan and Tomas Sharkey also did well.

Damien Corbett pointed a free from midfield after a minute and Colaiste Mhuire then struck for a goal when a long ball broke inside the backline and Tomas Sharkey got onto it, ran on and fired low to the net.

Charlie Brennan, Sharkey and Corbett quickly added points before St Brendan's got their first score after nine minutes when Lochlann Quinn pointed a free. Evan Landers and another Damien Corbett free made it 1-6 to 0-1 after just 11 minutes.

Two Lochlann Quinn points, one free, settled St Brendan's and after Damien Corbett had pointed a huge free from well inside his own half, Lochlann Quinn (free) and Cian Nolan were on target for Birr to leave five in it.

Damien Corbett ('65') and Darragh Queally stretched the advantage again but Lochlann Quinn had the last say in the half with a pointed free and St Brendan's would probably have been reasonably pleased to be just six down at half time after the start they made.

Corbett and Quinn exchanged early points from frees in the second half but Corbett then hit two more (one free) to put Johnstown eight ahead again.

St Brendan's then hit their best spell and over the next 13 minutes points from Adam Landy, Andrew Coakley, Luke Carey and three Lochlann Quinn frees saw the lead cut to two points with 10 minutes left.

Alex Bourke and Damien Corbett gave Colaiste Mhuire breathing space but three more from Lochlann Quinn, two frees and superb sideline cut from 50m, left just one between them but they were unable to find a leveller and a free for Damien Corbett in injury time sealed the win for Colaiste Mhuire.

Teams and Scorers

Colaiste Mhuire; Damien Corbett (0-10, 0-6 frees, 0-1 '65'), Tomas Sharkey (1-1), Charlie Brennan, Evan Landers, Darragh Queally, Alex Bourke (0-1 each).

St Brendan's; Lochlann Quinn (0-12, 0-10 frees, 0-1 sideline cut), Cian Nolan, Adam Landy, Andrew Coakley, Luke Carey (0-1 each).

COLAISTE MHUIRE JOHNSTOWN: Billy Garrett; Conor Donnelly, Gearoid Phelan, Darragh McCormack; Padraig O'Grady, Cody Comerford, Kieran Cleere; Darragh Queally, Michael Ahern; Charlie Brennan, Callum Lonergan, Liam Hayes; Damien Corbett, Evan Landers, Tomas Sharkey.

Subs. Alex Bourke for Liam Hayes, 24 mins, Ciaran Flynn for Kieran Cleere, inj., 36 mins, Jim O'Connor for Evan Landers, 43 mins.

ST BRENDAN'S, BIRR: Liam Hoare; Sam Smith,  Patrick Bergin, Stephen Gilligan ; Ben Miller, Cathal King, Darragh Landy; Adam Landy, Eoin Burke; Cian Nolan, Darragh Tierney, Lochlann Quinn; Andrew Coakley, Luke Carey, Shane Connolly.

Subs. Oisin Guinan for Sam Smith, 19 mins, Darragh McNamara for Shane Connolly, 56 mins.

REFEREE: Mick Cleere (Laois)