Wallace hoping Counsel finally go one better
Nestled on top of the hill overlooking the town of New Ross in Co Wexford, the college has contested Croke and Hogan cup finals without success, yet many of its students have gone on to backbone the county senior hurling and football teams.
They will make another go of it on Monday when they take on Thurles CBS at Semple Stadium (5.15pm).
In 1995 Philip’s older brother Francis played at full back on the school’s senior football team which lost the All-Ireland final to St Pats of Maghera.
Two years later Philip played in the same position on the hurling team which lost heavily to St Colman’s (Fermoy) in the All-Ireland final.
After leaving school Philip went to UCD and later qualified as a secondary school teacher. He is presently a member of the staff at Terenure College (Dublin), and is the current full back on the Wexford senior football team.
“Good Counsel has a great sporting record at college’s level in both the county and the province, winning numerous hurling and football titles, yet the big prize has always eluded them”, said Philip.
“The 1997 All-Ireland defeat was a heartbreaker as we had beaten a highly talented St Kieran’s side that included Henry Shefflin and Eddie Brennan, in the Leinster final, before going on to crush St Raphael’s in the All-Ireland semi-final.
“Wexford winning the All-Ireland senior hurling final the previous year gave the county a massive lift and it certainly had a tremendous effect on us as students in Good Counsel.
“Having played so well against St Kieran’s and St Raphael’s, there was a lot of talk around the school and the town that this was going to be our year to finally make the big breakthrough.
“Because of the closeness of South Kilkenny, players from the Rower Inistigue, Graiguenamanna and Tullougher clubs just over the border were students in the school, and we had eight lads from that county on our team.
“Hopes were high that we could build on the county senior success and bring the Croke Cup back to Wexford for the first time. Maybe that expectation got to the players, but we never got out of the blocks and Colman’s hammered us 4-20 to 0-9. Good Counsel also had a very reputation as a football nursery for the county. At present there are seven former students on the Wexford senior team.”
During his time in UCD, he played Sigerson and Fitzgibbon Cups with no success and it was during his time in the Dublin university that he opted to concentrate on Gaelic Football despite being an accomplished hurler also.
“The New Ross district is very much a footballing stronghold and while a lot of the lads going to Good Counsel would play hurling and would be very good at it, once they went back to their clubs they tend to concentrate on the big ball.”
Out of the college now for over 12 years, Philip looks back on his time there with very happy memories despite the losses on the playing field.
“It’s only when you move on and get older that you appreciate your school days. They are among the best times of our life and the friendships you make last forever.
“While I won both senior Leinster hurling and football colleges senior medals in my time in Good Counsel, the big one always seemed to elude me which is one of the disappointments I have. However time has moved on and I’ll be in Thurles on Easter Monday cheering on the present team. I’ve followed their progress every year since I’ve left and I feel this present hurling team is as good as any that the college has produced.
“People like Mike Purcell (Miley we used to call him), Aidan O’Brien and Kevin Keogh are still involved with the teams from my time and it would be a fitting reward for them if the All-Ireland could be won.
“Good Counsel will be the underdog going into the final. All the pressure will be on Thurles to deliver in their own back yard, and that may work to our advantage. Hopefully our lads can capitalise on that.”
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