Munster glory for Ashton after shuttles drama

From start to finish the final was close and credit to both defences, they were well on top.

Ashton players celebrate their victory in the Munster Senior Schoolboys final against Newtown Secondary School at Garryduff Sports Centre, Rochestown. Picture Chani Anderson

Ashton 1 Newtown 1 (Ashton won 3-2 on shuttles) 

It’s a cruel way to lose but an exciting way to win as Ashton School were crowned So-Hockey Munster Senior Schoolboys Cup winners at Garryduff on Wednesday.

The Cork school denied their Waterford opponents three in-a-row as they won the cup for the first time since 2023.

But in the end, it came down to two superb saves by their keeper, Hugo Casey-Floodman, in the shuttle shoot-out which saw his side came out on top.

From start to finish the game itself was close and credit to both defences they were well on top all through.

They denied the respective forwards any room in the circle, with few real chances created over the hour of play.

That matters little now to Ashton as they are the winners, a school with a rich history in this competition.

Chances were few and far between in the first quarter with Ashton creating the only two shots on goal.

The first fell to Will Black, but his effort from a penalty corner was well saved by George Power in the Newtown goal.

Their second effort also came from a penalty corner, with Black playing the ball to Ben Russell but again Power came to the rescue of his side.

With 17 minutes gone Ashton went close again when a long ball in from Cal Murphy was touched just wide by Charlie Bateman.

Newtown were playing a lot of long diagonal balls towards the circle, but they weren’t getting much joy from them.

However, they were starting to create goal chances, with Alfie O’Shea and Levi Fayle going close for them.

But by half-time it was still scoreless and even at that stage shuttles were looking inevitable.

Four minutes into the second half and some individual brilliance from Hayden Jones saw Newtown take the lead.

The Ashton team celebrate as they lift the cup following their win over Newtown Secondary School in the Munster Senior Schoolboys final at Garryduff Sports Centre, Rochestown. Picture Chani Anderson

He picked up the ball just inside the Ashton half, drove at their defence to score a superb individual goal to put his school in front.

For long periods it looked like it was going to be the winning goal, with their defence keeping Ashton at bay.

Denis McCarthy and Black went close for the Cork school but credit to Newtown they were keeping them out.

With two minutes go to Ashon found themselves back on level terms, when Black set up Jody Bateman to equalise.

They had a chance to win in late on but Max Dorgan’s shot from a penalty corner went just wide to see it go to shuttles.

In the shuttles Charlie Bateman, Daniel Bywater and Denis McCarthy scored for Ashton, who didn’t have to take their last one to see them take the cup.

Scorers for Ashton: J Bateman 1; C Bateman, D Bywater and D McCarthy scored shuttles.

Newtown: H Jones; C Duffy and M Fletcher scored shuttles.

ASHTON: H Casey-Floodman, M Hogan, W Black, M Dorgan, E Fitzpatrick, G Bryan, F O’Mahony, C Murphy, D McCarthy, B Russell, J Bateman, C Bateman, R Kenny, R Sullivan, J Barry, B Smyth, C Bywater, D Venner.

NEWTOWN: G Power, E Jackman, L Rudden, A Dooley, H Earl, M Toomey, C Duffy, O Gavin, H Jones, A O’Shea, M Fletcher, M Kelly, L Fayle, J Farrell, E Edmondson, R Navas Lwoff, R Martinez del Val, E Garate.

Umpires: Liz Clifford, David Murray.