St Kieran’s Reach Corn Uí Dhúill Final

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January 28th, 2023

Leinster GAA Corn U Dhill Semi-Final

St Kierans College 3-18

Coliste Eoin 2-10

Robert Cribbin at Ardclough

St Kierans College are into the Leinster PP Senior Hurling Championship Final after an impressive display saw them run out 11 point winners over Dublin side Colaiste Eoin.

The Kilkenny city school are looking to win a first title since 2019 and the fact that they were able to call on a pair of All-Ireland Senior Hurling Club winners with Shamrocks Ballyhale in Killian Corcoran and Niall Shortall as well as a Kilkenny senior panelist in Killian Doyle certainly shows the strength in depth at their disposal.

Colaiste Eoin remained competitive in the opening period but they never led over the course of the 60 minutes as St Kierans dominated for the majority of the game.

Anthony Ireland Wall and Jamie OConaire exchanged early efforts before a pointed free from Aaron McEvoy allowed Brian Dowlings side take a 0-2 to 0-1 lead.

The most successful team in the history of the competition then took further control when Killian Doyle found Carlow and Mount Leinster Rangers player Donagh Murphy inside and after shaking off a few challenges, the corner forward buried a shot past Cillian OScallain in the Colaiste Eoin goal.

Colaiste Eoin replied with a Diarmaid ODulaing free and the full forward would go on to have a big game for the defeated side.

St Kierans then had another goal chance when Killian Doyle again proved instrumental when finding Ted Dunne and the Graignamanagh man was denied before Niall Shortall was also out of luck with a shot blocked on the line.

The winners were threatening to run away with the game at this juncture but the 2020 Leinster champions dug deep as the sides shared points to leave the Kilkenny school 1-6 to 0-5 ahead at the 20 minute mark.

Kierans ill-discipline and a fair bit of fussyness from the Kildare official then allowed ODulaing to hit back to back placed balls and all of a sudden Colaiste Eoin were within two points of their illustrious opponents.

The Kilkenny hurling nursery soon regained control when Sean Hunt grabbed possessionl of a loose ball and ran directly at goal before flicking the ball over the line.

Donagh Murphy then added to Kierans tally to make it a six point game but crucially Colaiste Eoin rallied when David Puirseil netted in first half stoppage time.

Aaron McEvoy added his fourth point of the half before the change of ends as St Kierans led 2-8 to 1-7 after a free flowing 30 minutes of hurling.

Freetakers McEvoy and ODulaing swapped scores at the start of the half but Colaiste Eoin then went through a barren spell of failing to score for 21 minutes and in that time Kierans reeled off 1-6 without reply in a period that essentially settled the game in their favour.

McEvoy, Anthony Ireland Wall and Ed McDermott all scored two points apiece while sub Rory Glynn pounced for the third goal for the Kilkenny side.

Colaiste Eoin did rally inside the final 10 minutes with ODulaing striking 1-2 from placed balls including a well taken 21 yard free goal but it was St Kierans day and Murphy, Glynn and Tomas Roche rounded off the resounding success with late insurance points.