O’Hanrahan the hero as Kieran’s are kings again

IN the end there was to be no hurling romance in Semple Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

The remarkable progress made by Árd Scoil Rís in recent years brought them to the brink of All-Ireland colleges hurling glory yet their hopes were dashed in the cruellest fashion. As this decider entered injury-time, they held a 1-11 to 1-9 advantage after a resilient second-half display had seen them overturn a four-point deficit to surge ahead.

But there is a reason why St Kieran’s had accumulated 17 Croke Cup titles before Saturday’s clash. When the action was fraught with tension, their latest collection of talented youngsters displayed a glacial nerve to collect the school’s 18th crown. In the 62nd minute midfielder Conor O’Shea burst down the right wing and he arrowed the ball across the square for Thomas O’Hanrahan to finish to the net.