O Caoimh to the rescue for Coláiste Eoin

GOALKEEPER Daniel O Caoimh was Coláiste Eoin’s hero with two spellbinding second-half saves in this Leinster Colleges ‘A’ SFC semi-final in Blessington on Saturday.

Dara O hAodha’s eighth minute penalty gave Coláiste Eoin a four-point lead, but points from Liam McGovern (free), Niall Kelly and John Lawlor reduced the deficit. Coláiste Eoin hit back with two frees from Colm Mac Gearailt and a point from blood substitute Alex O Maoilmhiaigh to enjoy a 1-4 to 0-3 half-time lead.

Despite dominating, Árdscoil had only a point from Tony Gibbons to show for their third quarter efforts.

O Caoimh made the first of his stunning blocks from Darroch Mulhall before MacGearailt punished the Athy boys with another free. Matters got worse for the Athy boys when midfielder Jamie Farrell was dismissed for a second yellow card on 47 minutes.

Four minutes later, however, centre-back Tony Gibbons buried a shot to the Coláiste Eoin net. Brian O Murchú and Cian Reynolds exchanged scores to leave a point between them before MacGearailt converted a free for Coláiste Eoin.

They almost had victory snatched from them in added time but O Caoimh superbly denied Mulhall.

COLÁISTE EOIN: D O Caoimh; S O Seasnáin, E O Loinsigh, D O hAodha 1-0(pen); G O Fogartaigh, A O Murchú, J Mac Cionnaith; J Mac Suibhne, D Sutcliffe; M Schutte, P O Dálaigh, C Mac Gearailt 0-6 (fs); B O Murchú 0-1, S Mac Craith, P O Fogartaigh. Subs: A O Maoilmhiaigh 0-1 for Schutte (20-30); O Maoilmhiaigh for O Dálaigh (39).

ÁRDSCOILD NA TRÍONÓIDE: P Walsh; D Hyland, L Thomas, D O’Toole; B Hyland, T Gibbons 1-1; B Kenna; K Feely, J Farrell; L McGovern 0-1(f); C Reynolds 0-1, S Doyle; J Lawler 0-1, N Kelly 0-1, D Mulhall 0-1(f). Subs: K Bolger for Doyle (46); M Behan for O’Toole (53)

Referee: D Brazil, Offaly.