Gaelic Games

Edenderry and St Mel’s progress in Leinster quarter finals

Knockbeg and Scoil Aodháin undone in post-primary competition

Knockbeg College’s Darren Lunney is tackled by Jamie Reilly of St. Mary’s Edenderry. Photograph: Cathal Noonan/Inpho
Knockbeg College’s Darren Lunney is tackled by Jamie Reilly of St. Mary’s Edenderry. Photograph: Cathal Noonan/Inpho
Sat Jan 17 2015 - 01:00

St Marys Edenderry 0-15 Knockbeg College Carlow 0-8

A comprehensive first half performance with the aid of the wind enabled St Marys of Edenderry ease their way into the semi-finals of the Leinster Colleges senior championship at the expense of Carlow school Knockbeg College yesterday afternoon at Carbury GAA grounds in Kildare.

James Redmond opened the scoring for Knockbeg after three minutes but the rest of the opening half was dominated by St Marys, who had seven different players contribute eleven points from play between them in that period.

Knockbeg were given a lifeline shortly before half time when Redmond was adjudged to have been fouled close to goal and Glen Pullen stepped up to take the resultant penalty, but Wayne Cummins was able to produce a fine double save to ensure his side were still strongly poised at the interval as holders of an 0-11 to 0-2 lead.

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A string of free kicks helped Knockbeg to reduce that gap down to five points after the break but Adam Mahon then stepped up for the home side with three excellent points from play into the wind, all scored at the end of driving runs forward from his midfield berth.

Knockbeg continued to press for scores late in the game but the goal they craved never came and St Marys were able to easily hold on and set up a semi-final berth against either Dundalk Schools or Patrician College of Newbridge, where they will hope to reach their third Leinster decider in four years.

Meanwhile St. Mel’s, Longford were 1-07 to 0-09 victors over Scoil Aodháin, Whitehall in their quarter final encounter.

Robbie O’Connell’s pointed free three minutes from time saw St. Mel’s Longford advance to the Leinster semi-final for the first time in 11 years.

ST MARYS: W Cummins; I Quinn, J Mulraney, M Abbott; J Reilly, D Kavanagh, S Doran (0-1f); D Maloney (0-1), A Mahon (0-4); E Farrell (0-1), A Kennedy, S McGlynn (0-3); J Robinson (0-3), G Cunningham (0-1), C Brereton (0-1).

Sub: A Kearney for Brereton (52).

KNOCKBEG COLLEGE: D Bolger (0-1f); T Brick, L Knowles, J Higgins; C Brennan, C Lawlor, G Brennan; D O’Reilly, J Smith; J Redmond (0-1), G Pullen (0-1), D Doyle; D Lunney (0-2, 0-1f), A Gorman, M Glynn (0-3f).

Subs: K Higgins for Gorman (35), S Curran for Glynn (52).

REFEREE: Brian Doran (Dublin)