Summerhill retain Connacht crown

Summerhill College 1-17 St Attracta’s 1-9

Cathal Mullaney

Summerhill College retained their Connacht Post Primary Schools Senior ‘A’ league title with a comprehensive eight-point win over St Attracta’s Community School at Connolly Park, Collooney this afternoon.

Although there was only one winner, it was a tremendous feat for the County to have two colleges contesting an ‘A’ final at provincial level for the first time, and hopes will be high that Sligo may also have a championship title later this year.

Dominant throughout, Summerhill were briefly threatened by a second half comeback from St Attracta’s when Rory Ryan netted midway through the half, but they showed real composure to comfortably see out proceedings.

A superb opening half display left the defending champions in a commanding eight-point lead at the break, 0-11 to 0-3, with Patrick O’Connor and Nathan Rooney particularly influential for the winners.

O’Connor’s dominance in the middle third, along with Kevin Banks and Sean Power, totally offset the industry of Adrian Frain for St Attracta’s.

The withdrawal of Liam Gaughan after a heavy knock early on was a huge blow for St Attracta’s who struggled to gain any real momentum early on, and only managed three opening half points, two of which came from Conan Marren.

That said, a much different side emerged in the second half. For all their first half dominance, Summerhill were on the back foot for much of the second half with St Attracta’s halving the deficit.

Conan Marren tagged on three points for the south Sligo school, while Rory O’Dowd’s goal added a real impetus to the comeback.

However, Summerhill, with Cian Lally and Kyle Cawley becoming more influential, never panicked and always looked composed.

Cawley, along with Nathan Rooney and Lally, registered scores for the winners, with Cian Lally’s second half goal after Ronan Sweeney’s pass, to extend his sides lead to eight points again, the decisive score.

To their credit, St Attracta’s battled hard, but Summerhill always had the upper-hand as they ran out deserved one-point winners.

St Attracta’s squad: Adam Broe, (Tourlestrane) Darren Leonard (Tourlestrane), Gary Walsh (C)(Curry), Joe Moran (Tubbercurry), Aaron Kearns (Curry), Nathan Mullen (Coolaney/Mullinabreena), Richie Lang (Tourlestrane), Adrian Frain (Bunninadden), Conan Marren (Tourlestrane), Fearghal Brennan (Curry), Liam Gaughan (Tourlestrane), Oisín Higgins            (Curry), Gerard Perry (Tubbercurry), Barry Gorman            (Coolaney/Mullinabreena), Seímídh O’Baoighill (Tubbercurry), Paul Brennan (Tubbercurry),  Marc Burke (Tubbercurry) David Brennan (Tubbercurry), Darragh McDonagh (Curry) Colm Doddy (Bunninadden), Rory Ryan (Tubbercurry), Rory O’Dowd (Bunninadden) Craig Gallagher(Curry), Niall O’Donnell (Bunninadden), Cian Brett (Bunninadden), Tommy Henry (Curry), Sean McVeigh (Tourlestrane), Conor Walsh (Tourlestrane), Red Óg Murphy (Curry), Eamon Gorman (Coolaney/Mullinabreena), Shane Keyes (Tubbercurry), Jordan Brennan (Cloonacool), Mark Lundy            (Tourlestrane) Brendan Connolly (Coolaney/Mullinabreena), Luke Gilmartin (Tubbercurry), Daniel Clarke (Tourlestrane), Eddie McGuinness (Tubbercurry).

Manager: Colm McGee (Tubbercurry) Selectors: James McDonagh (Curry), Stephen Henry (Tourlestrane), Nathan O’Malley (Castlebar Mitchels) Coach: Pat Kilcoyne  (Tubbercurry)

Summerhill College squad: Oisin Conway (Coolera/Strandhill), Colin Feeney (Drumcliffe/Rosses Point), Adrian Cummins (Calry/St Joseph’s), Connor McGovern (Calry/St Joseph’s), Darren O’Hara (Tourlestrane), Sean Power (Drumcliffe/Rosses Point), Stephen Mulligan (St Mary’s), Patrick O’Connor (St Farnan’s), Kevin Banks (Coolera/Strandhill), Cian Lally (Drumcliffe/Rosses Point), Cathal Herron (St Molaise Gaels), Jack Ballyntyne (Calry/St Joseph’s), Ronan Sweeney (Owenmore Gaels), Kyle Cawley (St Mary’s), Nathan Rooney(St Mary’s). Subs: Niall Crawley (St Mary’s), David Kilrehill (Coolera/Strandhill), Ross Hickey (Drumcliffe/Rosses Point), Aaron McCormack (Drumcliffe/Rosses Point), Shane McCallion (Drumcliffe/Rosses Point), Cathal Jordan (St John’s), Colm Tuohy (Drumcliffe/Rosses Point), Oisin Kelly (St Mary’s), Tony O’Kelly-Lynch (St Mary’s), Gareth Davey (Drumcliffe/Rosses Point), Cian Hough (St John’s), Sean Callaghan (Coolera/Strandhill),  Fionn Morrissey (Coolera/Strandhill), Conor Darcy (St Mary’s), Conor McGovern (St John’s), Kevin Connell (St Mary’s), Davoren Fallon (Calry/St Joseph’s), Shay Doherty (Coolera/Strandhill), Brian Cox (Calry/St Joseph’s).

Manager (joint): Joe Neary (Cloonacool) and Barry Convey (Eastern Harps) Coaches: Mark Breheny (St Mary’s), Keelan Watters (St Molaise Gaels), Liam Og Gormley (Bunninadden)

Referee: Michael Duffy (Enniscrone/Kilglass)