Tough going for Mayo schoolboys in All-Ireland final

St. Colman’s College were unsuccessful in their attempt to win the Hogan Cup as they lost out to Ulster champions St. Patrick’s, Maghera, in today's final at Croke Park, Dublin. It finished 2-8 to 0-4 in favour of the Derry boys.

While there was no denying St. Patrick's what was a fully deserved victory, St. Colman’s were still in with every chance going down the stretch.

Indeed, with five minutes remaining they looked certain to make it a three-point game as a blistering Darragh Beirne shot for goal seemed destined for the back of the net. However, the St. Patrick’s goalkeeper, Jack McCloy, somehow got a hand to the ball to turn it around the post.

Had Beirne’s shot hit the back of the net, anything could have happened in the closing six or seven minutes.

But St. Colman’s – who were looking for a second ever Hogan Cup triumph – could have few complaints about this defeat. They just never got going on the day and didn’t come close to playing the kind of football we know they are capable of.

However, to their credit, they kept battling away and never gave up. But on a day where they had only one player getting all their scores, Darragh Beirne, it was never going to be enough to win an All-Ireland final.

Playing with the strong wind, St. Patrick’s dominated the early stages and after showing plenty of early patience, they hit the front with a fine point from Cormac Óg McCloskey in the second minute. As things transpired, it was a lead they were never to lose.

Five minutes into the game, the Derry schoolboys doubled their advantage with a point from midfielder Odhran Doherty.

After that, despite several chances, the Ulster champions wouldn’t score again until the 16th minute. This time it was full-back Padraig O’Kane who joined the attack to whip over his side's third point.

Up to this stage it was looking good for St. Colman’s as a combination of some staunch defending and wayward shooting by their opponents meant they were very much in the contest, especially considering the strong wind at the backs of the St. Patrick's players.

It got better for the Mayo schoolboys in the 18th minute when they opened their account with a fine point from Darragh Beirne after he received an inch-perfect pass from Ronan Kelly. Indeed, St. Colman’s had one or two great opportunities to close the gap further, but the final pass in the scoring zone let them down, as it did on a number of occasions as the game progressed.

In the closing moments of the first half Maghera finally increased their lead with points from Darach McGonigle and McCloskey to give them a four-point advantage at the interval, 0-5 to 0-1.

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The general feeling during the break was that St. Colman’s were in with a great chance of coming out on top. The four-point deficit didn’t seem a lot to peg back, such was the strong wind blowing in Croke Park.

In addition, Maghera's lead should have been a lot more as they missed several good chances during this opening half. It was suspected that the eight wides they recorded might come back to haunt them.

However, on the resumption, St. Colman’s were slow to get going. They fell five points behind after 90 seconds when Finbarr McShane pointed for the Maghera school.

A brilliant point from Darragh Beirne in the 35th minute had the St. Colman’s followers in fine voice. However, the expected surge by the Claremorris never materialised after this score.

In the 40th minute St. Colman’s were rocked by a brilliant St. Patrick’s goal scored by their man of the match, Pádraig Haran. This score seemed to spur on the Ulster side as they never allowed St. Colman’s to get any sort of rhythm going.

Both sides exchanged points before Beirne made it a six-point game in the 53rd minute following his third point of the afternoon. A minute later the same player could only watch on in agony after his low drive for goal was somehow turned around the post at the expense of a 45’.

St. Colman’s continued to pile the pressure on at this stage and were again denied a goal by some last-ditch defending by their opponents.

However, once McCloskey put Maghera seven clear in the 60th minute it was the end of the road for St. Colman’s. The Derry boys put the gloss on the final scoreline a minute from time when Darragh O’Neill found the back of the net.

St. Patrick’s, Maghera: J. McCloy; R. Collins, P. O’Kane (0-1), N. McNicholl; D. Doherty, P. Haran (1-1), D. O’Neill (1-0); C. McKaigue, O. Doherty (0-1); F. McShane (0-1), T. McHugh, M. McGurk; G. McIvor, D. McGonigle (0-1), C. Óg McCloskey (0-3).

St. Colman’s, Claremorris: N. Gill; T. Hession, D. Flanagan, B. Sheridan; D. Hurley, M. Noonan, R. Mortimer; C. Cassidy, R. Kelly; C. Tierney, J. Mullin, D. Burke; S. O’Connell, D. Beirne (0-4), C. Treacy.

Referee: S. Hurson (Tyrone).