COLLEGES' GAA: Árdscoil na Tríonóide 0-10 St Joseph's 1-3: ÁRDSCOIL NA Tríonóide had just too much guile for a hard-working St Joseph's outfit, finishing with four points in succession to claim a deserved victory in the first round of the Leinster Colleges' SF A competition in Athy.
The hosts had the upper hand for most of the game but found it difficult to escape the shackles of the industrious Rochfortbridge boys until the final quarter.
They led by 0-3 to 0-1 at the break, thanks to points from Darroch Mulhall, John Lawler and Niall Kelly, with Stephen O’Connell replying for St Joseph’s.
A 35th-minute goal by Donal Hickey brought the sides level and though Kelly responded immediately with a point for the Athy team, a wonderful point by Hickey restored parity again.
St Joseph’s continued to display an admirable work-rate but with Kevin Feely making some wonderful fetches around the middle, and Cian Reynolds adopting a very effective play-maker role, Árdscoil finished the stronger team.
Paul Coates made a magnificent save to deny Lawler a goal but Lawler did slot his third point from play soon after. With Liam McGovern thundering into proceedings at the most crucial juncture with three points of his own, the Athy school duly progressed to the second round.
ÁRDSCOIL NA TRÍONÓIDE: S Foley; D Hyland, L Thomas, D OToole; J Brennan, B Purcell, B Kenna; K Feely, J Farrell ; L McGovern (0-3, one free), C Reynolds, J Lawler (0-3); N Kelly (0-2), T Gibbons, D Mulhall (0-2).
ST JOSEPH'S: P Coates; J McPadden, E Rigney, J Guiden; C Boyle, S Hannon, J Gonoud; J Brickland, A Flanagan; A Birdman, J Cully (0-1, free), T Dowling; P McPadden, S O'Connell (0-1), D Hickey (1-1). Subs: S Deegan for O'Connell (44 mins); M Glennon for Guiden (50 mins).
Referee: P Kehoe(Carlow).
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