Ciaran Leen inspires Athenry past St Flannan’s into All-Ireland decider

Athenry led for all but two minutes of the semi-final as the school reached its third decider in four years. They are chasing a first Croke Cup

Ciarán Leen scored 10 points for Presentation Athenry in their Croke Cup semi-final victory over St Flannan's. Pic:  Tom Beary/Sportsfile

Dr. Croke Cup semi-final: Presentation College Athenry 1-18 St. Flannan’s College 1-14 

Presentation College Athenry’s determined redemption mission took another major leap when maintaining their hold over St. Flannan’s College to return to the All-Ireland Senior A PPS Hurling Final.

Having been pipped at the post in the last year’s decider in Croke Park, the back-to-back Connaught champions have the chance to make amends and garner a first ever Croke Cup if they can overcome roll of honour leaders St. Kieran’s College (Kilkenny) on St. Patrick’s Day.

Leading for all but two minutes of the tie, the Galway side merited victory as inevitably led by talisman Ciaran Leen, they proved the far more consistent side over the hour in front of a sizeable attendance in Kilbeacanty.

County senior Leen was a guiding force throughout with his expert freetaking, posting ten points in all before Cian Hannon’s opportunist strike entering the final ten minutes put six points between the sides at 1-15 to 1-09.

To their credit, St. Flannan’s did grab the next three points through joint-captains Harry Doherty and James Cullinan along with a John Barry free. However, that was as close as the Ennis school would get as Brendan Bugler’s side would be largely frustrated by their mounting wide count which ended up at 17 misses.

Only managing to score 15 times, it was a damning statistic and meant that their remarkable powers of recovery that had become almost a trademark throughout the Harty Cup and even last time out against CBC Kilkenny were exhausted.

With a strong wind at their backs, Pres. Athenry picked off four of the first five points including a sumptuous lineball through Leen before the drama was ratcheted up with a flurry of goal sightings. Thomas O’Connor was twice denied by some stern Athenry defending at one end while Ciaran Leen was also prevented from shooting by a brilliant Sean McNamara interception.

However, an emphatic breakthrough would arrive in the 15th minute when James Cullinan’s long delivery broke over the top for Harry Doherty to fire to the net and inch St. Flannan’s 1-2 to 0-4 clear.

Presentation Athenry’s response was impressive though as while St. Flannan’s radar faltered, Ciaran Leen arrowed over four frees to aid his side to seven of the last nine points and ensure an 0-11 to 1-04 interval cushion.

St. Flannan’s almost got an immediate reprieve on the resumption when Graham Ball’s delivery broke inside for Thomas O’Connor to pull first time, only for goalkeeper Cathal Mannion to expertly smother the shot.

The Clare college again cursed their luck when substitute Ben Talty crashed a shot off the crossbar but they did manage to fire four unanswered points through Barry (2), Doherty and Patrick Finneran to lessen the damage to just two at 0-13 to 1-08 by the turn of the final quarter.

Cian Hannon tested the reflexes of St. Flannan’s goalkeeper Leon Talty to earn a ’65 that Ciaran Leen gladly punished but it was Hannon’s 50th minute strike after making space to find the left corner of the net that really soared Pres. Athenry to new heights.

St. Flannan’s did inevitably rally but if anything it was the Galway side that seemed the most likely to grab the next goal as Leon Talty had to be alert to stop a Ronan Cahalan shot from point blank range in the 56th minute.

Ciaran Leen simply kept the scoreboard ticking over the keep their Clare opponents at arm’s length and cement a long-awaited return to Croker on Tuesday week.

Scorers for Presentation College Athenry: C Leen 0-10 (7f, 1’65, 1sl); C Hannon 1-1; R Cahalan 0-3; N McCarthy 0-2; A McDonagh, S Brady 0-1 each 

Scorers for St. Flannan’s College: J Barry 0-7 (5f); H Doherty (1-3); G Ball, P Finneran, T O’Connor, J Cullinan 0-1 each 

PRESENTATION COLLEGE ATHENRY: C Mannion (Athenry); S Brady (Athenry), M Lewis (Killimordaly), E McDonagh (Athenry); C Donoghue (Clarinbridge), R Burke (Kilconieron), R McGlynn (Athenry); A McDonagh (Athenry), I Leen (Craughwell); R Cahalan (Killimordaly), C Hannon (Athenry), N McCarthy (Athenry); N Kelly (Athenry), C Leen (Craughwell), A Poniard (Athenry) 

Subs: M Cloonan (Craughwell) for Kelly (53), J Dunleavy (Turloughmore) for Poniard (63) 

ST FLANNAN'S COLLEGE: L Talty (St. Joseph’s Doora/Barefield); D Murrihy (Inagh-Kilnamona), S McNamara (Clooney-Quin), C Hill (Ballyea); D Ball (St. Joseph’s Doora/Barefield), J Cullinan (Ruan), C Daly (St. Joseph’s Doora/Barefield); G Ball (St. Joseph’s Doora/Barefield), J Barry (Inagh-Kilnamona); D McNamara (Clooney-Quin), P Finneran (Clooney-Quin), R Ralph (Clarecastle); E O’Connor (Ballyea), T O’Connor (St. Joseph’s Doora/Barefield), H Doherty (Clarecastle) 

Subs: B Talty (St. Joseph’s Doora/Barefield) for Hill (37), D Loftus (Éire Óg) for E. O’Connor (50), J Ryan (Ruan) for D. Ball (57, inj), J Keane Hayes (Kilmaley) for D. McNamara (60, inj) 

Referee: C Ryan (Tipperary)