Árdscoil na Tríonóide 1-11 St Peter's, Wexford 0-5: A TOWERING performance by midfielder Kevin Feely, allied to a last quarter contribution of 1-2 from 16-year-old Niall Kelly, propelled Árdscoil na Tríonóide to the semi-final of the Leinster colleges SF A championship for the first time on Saturday.
The Athy-based outfit kept St Peter’s scoreless in the second half to record an ultimately comfortable victory but it looked like going all the way to the wire at half time, with the sides level on 0-5 apiece.
Indeed the Wexford boys led by two points after 20 minutes, after scoring four on the trot, including a wondrous effort from a sideline kick by Wexford minor Mark O’Connor.
But thanks to the total dominance of Feely, himself a member of the Kildare minor panel, Árscoil hit back to restore parity, courtesy of points from the athletic midfielder and last year’s Lilywhite minor captain, Cian Reynolds.
Three pointed frees from Liam McGovern sent the winners on their way after the resumption. Kelly added two points from play and his brilliant goal in the 55th minute sealed the verdict for the south Kildare contingent.
ÁRDSCOIL na TRÍONÓIDE: P Walsh; B Purcell, L Thomas, D O'Toole; D Hyland, T Gibbons, B Kenna; K Feely (0-1), J Farrell; L McGovern (0-3, three frees), N Kelly (1-2), C Reynolds (0-4, four frees), S Doyle; J Lawler, D Mulhall (0-1). Subs: K Bolger for Doyle (39 mins); S Ronan for Hyland (53 mins); J Brennan for O'Toole (59); B Conway for Mulhall (60); M Behan for Kelly (60+2)
ST PETER'S: S Bierney; K Hannigan, A Cash, S Griffith; F Hynes, C McCabe, S Corrigan (0-1); D Wright, J Gordon (0-1); AJ Lehane, M O'Connor (0-1, sideline), N Murphy; M Power, K Whelan, G Murphy (0-2). Subs: B Wright for N Murphy (29); C Kavanagh for Power (46); B Hughes for Corrigan (51)
Referee: P Kehoe(Carlow).
Next Up . . .
Tomorrow, Coláiste Eoin will take on Dundalk Colleges in Clanna Gael, Ringsend (throw-in 2pm) with the winner meeting St Mary’s of Edenderry in the semi-final.
St Pat’s will meet Árdscoil na Tríonóide in the other semi-final.
