St Flannan's clinch Dean Ryan Cup with late goal burst

Captain Dylan Keane Hayes sealed the win in injury time for a St Flannan's side that had Clare hurling heroes Jamesie O’Connor and Tony Kelly among its management team

Supporters celebrating after St Flannan's won the Dean Ryan Cup hurling final at TUS Gaelic Grounds. Picture: Brendan Gleeson

Dean Ryan Cup final

St Flannan's, Ennis 3-16 Ardscoil Rís, Limerick 0-16 

Three goals in the final quarter helped St Flannan's to return a 13th Dean Ryan Cup title to the Ennis secondary school.

The Clare side had one point to spare at the second-half water break in TUS Gaelic Grounds but then goals from Oisin Whelan, Luca Cleary, and Dylan Keane Hayes saw off the challenge of Limerick’s Ardscoil Rís.

This was the first Munster Post Primary Schools U16½A hurling crown for Flannan's since 2011.

Ardscoil Rís were backed by a gentle breeze in the opening half and were two points clear at the break.

The Limerick city side had points from Danny Chaplin, Fionn O’Brien, and Sean Duff for a 0-5 to 0-2 advantage at the first half water break.

Whelan frees and scores from Eoin Kennedy and Michael Power saw St Flannan's battle back to leave it 0-8 to 0-6 at the interval.

Four unanswered points from the off in the second half turned the momentum towards the Clare school.

Undeterred Marc O’Brien and Chaplin scores had Ardscoil Rís level for a fifth and final time at 0-11 each on 44 minutes.

Whelan edged St Flannan's a point clear at the second-half water break and then they raced towards the winning line in the final quarter.

Whelan had their first goal just on the restart and they were soon 1-15 to 0-12 clear. 

Cleary added another in the 55th minute and captain Keane Hayes sealed the win in injury time for a St Flannan's side that had Clare hurling heroes Jamesie O’Connor and Tony Kelly among its management team.

Scorers for St Flannan’s: O Whelan (1-8, 6f), D Keane Hayes (1-1), L Cleary (1-0), F Hegarty (0-2), E Kennedy, M Power, J Hegarty, T Boddy, J Mescall (0-1 each).

Scorers for Ardscoil Rís: D Chaplin (0-7, 6f), S Arther (0-3, 3f), F O’Brien, E Begley (0-2 each), S Duff, M O’Brien (0-1 each).

ST FLANNAN’S: C Howard; J Casey, F O’Braoin, P Nagle; T Collins, J Hegarty, R Kilroy; D Keane Hayes, E Kennedy; M O’Connor, F Hegarty, J Mescall; M Power, O Whelan, L Cleary.

Subs: S Scanlon for O’Connor (36), K McDonnell for M Power (42), T Boddy for Kennedy (48), E Price for Nagle (60).

ARDSCOIL RÍS: J O’Connor; J Finn, J Moylan, J O’Keeffe; S Duff, S McNamara, D Horkan; M O’Halloran, F Fitzgerald; N Liddane, D Stritch, F O’Brien; M O’Brien, D Chaplin, E Begley.

Subs: S Arthur for Liddane (36), P Kearney for Chaplin (53), D Gleeson for Begley (58).

Referee: T McGrath (Tipperary).