Colmans cruise into Hogan Final

Hogan Cup Semi-Final
St Colman’s Newry 3-14 Dundalk Colleges 1-9

Holders St Colman’s Newry eased their way through to the Hogan Cup final with a fairly comfortable win over Dundalk Colleges at Crossmaglen on Saturday.

They dominated the first half with the wind in their backs and led by 2-8 to 1-4 at the break. Although the Louth combination reduced the lead to 5 points midway through the second half, St Colman’s stepped on the gas once more and finished with 1-3 without reply, the 58th minute goal claimed by Shay McArdle.

St Colman’s hit 1-6 from open play in the opening quarter – and also hit 4 wides, a couple of which came after defensive-splitting moves that could have produced goals.

Caolan Mooney opened the scoring nearing the second minute and points followed from the Johnstone brothers and Tony McGreevy before Mooney fisted his second point.

Although Conal McKeever responded with Dundalk’s second point, they were to be hit with a quick move right up the middle in the 12th minute. Shay McArdle was involved twice before playing Mooney in one-on-one on the Dundalk ‘keeper. He powered it home from 10 metres.

St Colman’s continued to dominate the play – but they only added 2 further points over the next 12 minutes to lead 1-7 to 0-3 before Mooney tapped home his second goal after Jerome Johnstone this time created another one-on-one for him.

Johnstone added a free and St Colman’s were on cruise-control. But Dundalk hit back in the couple of minutes before the break with McNeice off-balance trying to beat out Andrew Sharkey’s lob and the ball fell kindly for Conal McKeever to fire home. With Sean McAuley adding a point it was 2-8 to 1-4 at the turnover.

Ciaran Byrne hit 4 good points in the first 20 minutes of the second half as Dundalk availed of the breeze, but they never got closer than 5 points and St Colman’s missed goal chances in the 41st and 42nd minutes.

McArdle found the net late on to confirm their superiority and book a place in Saturday week’s final in Croke Park against St Jarlath’s Tuam who had a goal to spare over Coláiste Chríost Rí of Cork.

St Colman’s : Matthew McNeice, Micheal O’Hare, Niall Donnelly, Shay McArdle 1-1, Darryl Brannigan, Eamon Magee, Keelan Haughey 0-1, Ryan Johnston 0-1, Conor Gough, Tomas Mulholland, Pearse Casey, Caolan Mooney 2-3, 0-1 free, Jack Haughey 0-1, Jerome Johnston 0-5, 0-3 frees, Tony McGreevy 0-1.
Subs : Patrick Morgan 0-1 for T Mulholland (40), Ryan Mussen for C Mooney (59).

Dundalk Colleges : Darren Breen, Kieran Lenehan, Daragh Smith, Conor McMenamin, Sean Thornton, Darren McMahon 0-1, Sean McAuley 0-1, Patrick Reilly capt, James Stewart, Kevin Hearty, Andrew Sharkey, Cian Doyle, Ciaran Byrne 0-6, 0-3 frees, Shane Thornton, Conall McKeever 1-1.
Subs: Conor Ryan for P Reilly (7), Robert Williams for C McMenamin (13), Andrew Murphy for Shane Thornton (ht), Andrew English for Sean Thornton (ht), Peter Lynch for S McAuley (60).

Referee : Pat McEnaney (Monaghan).