Deveraux's double seals it for Roscrea

TWO injury-time goals from corner-forward Tommy Deveraux gave Roscrea a sensational victory over Scoil Ruain in an all Tipperary Munster Vocational Schools "A" JHC final at Cashel yesterday.

Roscrea Community School 3-9 Scoil Ruain Killenaule 3-7

The game looked to be going Roscrea's way when the impressive Michael Doyle was gifted a goal by the Roscrea 'keeper which put his side a point in front with 10 minutes to go playing with the strong wind.

That goal was quickly followed by another from Damien McCormack and Roscrea looked to be about to pay the supreme price for not pushing home the advantage they enjoyed.

However, the switch of outstanding centre-back Sean Fitzgerald to centre forward proved a master stroke as he proceeded to wreak havoc in the Killenaule defence.

In a welter of excitement Deveraux became the hero for Roscrea with his two goals.

Roscrea played with the strong wind in the first half and Deveraux served notice with two early points, followed by a Paddy Kiely goal, and Scoil Ruain looked to be in for a drubbing.

The second-half developed into a magnificent contest, particularly after Kevin Walser first timed a Killenaule goal six minutes in. And it got better when they hit the front for the first time after Michael Doyle took full advantage of a dreadful mistake by the Roscrea 'keeper to poke home a second goal after he dropped Tomas Duggan's long range effort on his line.

Roscrea were rocked by Doyle's lead goal after being in front for 50 minutes and they threw caution to the wind by switching their centre Sean Fitzgerald to attack.

It looked a disastrous move after Damien McCormack's first time strike found the Roscrea net and when Shane O'Brien added a point it gave Scoil Ruain a five point lead, 3-7 to 1-8, with three minutes of normal time remaining.

Surely they couldn't lose from that position? But lose it they did as Sean Fitzgerald began to exert enormous pressure on the Killenaule defence every time he won possession and that was often in those hectic closing minutes.

Great work by full-back Joe Treacy, who was also moved forward in one last throw of the dice, saw him set up Tommy Deveraux for the first of his two goals and with the game deep in injury time Deveraux struck a second time to give his side a dramatic victory that had looked beyond them a few minutes earlier.

Scorers: Roscrea: T. Deveraux 2-4; P. Kiely 1-0; D. Coleman 0-2; D. O'Connor, M. Bevans, E. Moloney 0-1 each. Killenaule: M. Doyle 1-3; D. McCormack 1-1; K. Walser 1-0; S. Cahill (frees) 0-2; S. O'Brien 0-1.

ROSCREA: P. Stone; A. Byrne, J. Treacy, D. buckley; J. King, S. Fitzgerald, K. McMahon; D. O'Connor, D. Coleman; M. Bevans, P. Kiely, C. Doran; E. Moloney, K. Dooley, T. Deveraux. Subs. S. Stapleton for Doran; H. Lupton for Moloney; L. Feery for Bevans.

SCOIL RUAIN: I. Ivors; M. O'Brien, P. Codd, T. Donovan; T. O'Keeffe, S. Cahill, T. Hanrahan; T. Duggan, S. O'Brien; J. Stokes, J. Leahy, K. Walser; D. McCormack, T. Burke, M. Doyle. Sub: S. Morrissey for Stokes.

Referee: W. Cloghessy (Drom-Inch).