Egan double drives St Jarlath's to Connacht Colleges glory

The famous Tuam nursery won the Aonghus Murphy Cup for the 49th in total, and they were deserving winners after an impressive second half display against St Colman's College, Claremorris.

Connacht Post-Primary Schools SAFC final 

St Jarlath’s 3-6 

St Colman’s 0-9

TWO goals from man-of-the-match Patrick Egan propelled St Jarlath’s College Tuam to their first Connacht Post-Primary Schools Senior ‘A’ football championship title for ten years at Tuam Stadium this afternoon.

The famous Tuam nursery won the Aonghus Murphy Cup for the 49th in total, and they were deserving winners after an impressive second-half display.

St Colman’s had led by four points late in the opening half, but a 30th minute goal from St Jarlath’s captain Seán Bermingham changed the course of the decider.

The sides traded points early on through St Colman’s Niall Hurley and Patrick Egan for St Jarlath’s, but a scoreless period of almost 20 minutes followed.

Then wind-assisted St Colman’s burst into life and kicked four points in the space of six minutes from Cathal Corless, Peter Gallagher (free), Adam Beirne and the stylish Niall Hurley.

The Claremorris school looked to be in complete control heading into half-time but St Jarlath’s struck back when their brilliant full-forward Seán Bermingham bundled the ball into the net after a high ball into the St Colman’s goalmouth from Alan Banks. St Jarlath’s midfielder Patrick Egan also hit the net in the 32nd and 41st minutes and the Tuam school never looked back from there. St Colman’s only managed to score two points from frees in the last 20 minutes.

ST COLMAN'S: N Moran; B Óg McTigue, E Jennings, C Morley; O McNulty, F Gallagher, P Gilmore; D Joyce, MJ Duffy; D Gallagher, J Melvin, C Corless (0-1); P Gallagher (0-4, 4fs), A Beirne (0-2, 1f), N Hurley (0-2).

Subs: O Duffy for D Gallagher; C Lydon for Jennings; B Birmingham for McTigue.

ST JARLATH'S: K Gilmore; E Brady, B Coen, J McHugh; J Conneely, R Fahy, C Davin (0-1); B Cogger, P Egan (2-1); R Colleran, C Heneghan, L O’Shaughnessy; L Davin, S Birmingham (1-4, 1f, 1 mark), A Banks.

Subs: R Coen for O’Shaughnessy; S Canavan for L Davin; K Courtney for Egan.

Referee: J Gilmartin (Sligo)