Pres Athenry turn it round to beat Flannan's in Croke Cup

Athenry produced the goods when it mattered most in a powerful second-half performance

 

All-Ireland PP Hurling quarter-final: Presentation College Athenry 1-19 St Flannan's Ennis 1-14 

Presentation College Athenry produced the goods when it mattered most as a powerful second-half performance blew away the St. Flannan's College challenge in this Croke Cup quarter-final in Gort on Saturday afternoon.

A very competitive opening half saw the sides go in level at the break, but the Clare outfit looked to have taken command of proceedings as they went three points clear in the opening minutes of the second half. However, an amazing turnabout in the fortunes of the Galway school saw them eventually get on level terms and when Ciarán Leen buried the ball in the net it gave them an advantage they never looked like losing thereafter.

While the opening four points of the contest were shared, as Leen with two frees for Athenry were matched by a brace by Harry Doherty at the other end, matters turned the way of St. Flannan's when Marco Cleary set up Darragh McNamara for a goal to put them 1-2 to 0-2 ahead on 14 minutes. Aided by three frees by Doherty, they continued to hold an edge in that half and only additional time scores by Leen with a free and Frank Burke restored parity at 1-7 to 0-10 at the interval.

Matters looked to be going the way of Flannan's on the resumption, as two Doherty frees were added to by Ronan Kilroy and James Cullinan, while just a Leen free at the other end rewarded the Galway side as matters lay at 1-11 to 0-11 on 36 minutes. A number of positional switches appeared to help Presentation Athenry get a grip on proceedings and for the remainder of the game they outscored the visitors by 1-8 to 0-3.

Two Leen frees and a point by the outstanding Jason Rabbitte levelled matters, before a Leen goal put the home side 1-14 to 1-11 ahead on 42 minutes and thereafter they never looked back. Three Rabbitte points were added to by Leen (free) and Burke, while two smashing efforts by Robert Loftus and one from Doherty with a free were of little consolation to a St Flannan's side, whose tally of 14 wides was to cost them dearly in the overall context.

Presentation College Athenry: C. Callanan; L. Keane, S. Murphy, A. McDonagh; O. Fitzpatrick, D. Counihan, M. Fallon; R. McGlynn, R. Murphy; D. Kearney, J. Rabbitte (0-5, 0-1 free), E. O'Brien (0-1); E. Hannon, C. Leen (1-11, 0-9 frees), F. Burke (0-2).

Subs: C. Hannon for Kearney (28mins), R. Burke for Fallon (31mins), E. McDonagh for McGlynn (37mins), J. Diviney for E. Hannon (63mins).

St. Flannan's Ennis: M. Ó Colleáin; C. Hill, J. Casey, S. McNamara; C. Daly, J. Hegarty, R. Loftus (0-2); J. Cullinan (0-1), D. Costello; R. Kilroy (0-2), D. Ball. H. Doherty (0-8 all frees); D. McNamara (1-1), C. Ralph, M. Cleary.

Subs: P. Finneran for Ralph (44mins), P. O'Connell for Cleary (51mins), D. Killoughery for Ball (58mins).

Referee: Michael Maher (Offaly).