Coláiste Eoin prove too strong

LEINSTER COLLEGES SF 'A' QUARTER-FINAL: In the Leinster Colleges SF 'A' semi-finals, Coláiste Eoin will meet St Mary's of Edenderry, and St Pat's of Navan will play Árdscoil na Tríonóide.

A DISCIPLINED Coláiste Eoin advanced to the Leinster semi-finals after a comprehensive victory at Seán Moore Park, Ringsend, yesterday afternoon.

Opting to play against the elements in the opening half, Coláiste Eoin impressed from the opening minute, playing a well-honed possession game into the breeze and offering their opponents limited chances.

Dundalk Schools opened the scoring through Patrick Reilly’s third-minute free but Coláiste Eoin gained reward for their dominance with two well-taken Seán Mac Craith frees as Donal Sutcliffe and Jude Mac Suibhne exerted a strong presence around midfield.

Niall Hearty replied for Dundalk with the opening score from play after 26 minutes but Coláiste Eoin finished the half on a high with another Mac Craith free and a goal from Mark Schutte who followed up well after his initial effort was superbly saved by Kevin Brennan in the Dundalk goal as the Stillorgan side went in at the interval 1-3 to 0-2 ahead.

Any thoughts of a second-half Dundalk comeback were quickly dispelled as Schutte and Pádraig Ó Dálaigh added points and substitute Alex Ó Maoilmhuaigh ended the tie as a contest when punching home on 46 minutes from Ó Dálaigh’s precise delivery.

There was no way back for Dundalk despite increased pressure on the Coláiste Eoin rearguard, for whom Grahame Ó Fógartaigh and Aran Ó Murchú excelled, and two late points from Schutte clinched a comfortable 11-point victory for the Gaelscoil.

COLÁISTE EOIN: D Ó Caoimh; S Ó Seasnáin, E Ó Loinsigh, D Ó Aoidh; G Ó Fógartaigh, A Ó Murchú, J Mac Cionnaith; J Mac Suibhne, D Sutcliffe; M Schutte (1-3), P Ó Dálaigh (0-1), C Mac Gearailt (0-1, free); B Ó Murchú, S Mac Craith (0-3, frees), P Ó Fógartaigh. Subs: A Ó Maoilmhuaigh (1-0) for Mac Craith (42), C Ó Dea for Ó Fógartaigh (53), E Ó Braonáin for Ó Seasnáin (58).

DUNDALK SCHOOLS:K Brennan; F Sheridan, R Ellis, A English; N OCallaghan, C Sheridan, O Brayden; N OConnor, N Hearty; M Keane, D McKiernan, K Ryan; A Sharky, P Reilly, C McKeever. Subs: C Ryan for McKiernan (18), C McGeough for Sharkey (29), S McQuillan for Keane (51).

Referee: Eddie Craul (Wicklow).