PRESENTATION COLLEGE, ATHENRY continue their Cup run success with a hard-fought 3-1 victory over Munster kingpins De La Salle College, Waterford in Nenagh on Tuesday to reach the final of the FAI Schools Tom Ticher National Junior Cup (Under 17, Large Schools). The Connacht side had the dream start with a goal inside four minutes. A well-worked corner courtesy of Adam Lynn was met by the versatile Niall McCarty to head home. With five minutes of the half remaining, the Waterford shot-stopper was called into action to brilliantly deny the industrious Colm Doyle. However, the Galway side did go two up just before the break with a neat finish by Captain Colm DOYLE to give them a little breathing space at half-time.
De La Salle showed their class with a more positive display in the second period and they grabbed a vital goal six minutes in. Darragh O’Connor’s initial strike was stopped by keeper Eoin Doyle but Orion CALA was on hand to slot home the rebound. Waterford could have equalised three minutes later when Captain Noah O’Brien came close but the ball was deflected over the bar for a corner. Colm DOYLE dashed the hopes of the Waterford faithful when he netted his second and Athenry’s third of the afternoon as he converted from the penalty spot with 55 minutes played. Orion Cala and Bobby Keohan were impressive for De La Salle but they just couldn’t muster a second goal to take the game to Athenry.
Presentation College will await the winners of the other semi-final which sees Wexford CBS take on last season’s beaten semi-finalists Abbey Vocational School, Donegal Town in Oriel Park, Dundalk this Thursday (1.0). The FAI Schools Tom Ticher National Junior Cup Final is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, March 26th, venue to be decided.
PRESENTATION COLLEGE, ATHENRY | Eoin Doyle, Alex Ryan, Devon Crawford, Cillian Salmon, Niall McCarty, Ben Moran, Daniel Madden, Adam Lynn, Colm Doyle ©, Athony Poniard, Rhys Lawless
SUBS USED | Alan Hanlon for Madden (13), Shay Brady for Lawless (72), Rian Donoughe for Lynn (78), Ethan Horan for Anthony Poniard (80+4)
SUBS NOT USED | Robert Burke, Kian McGlaughlin, Oran Shaughnessy
TEACHERS | Joe Finnerty, Jonathan Linnane
DE LA SALLE COLLEGE WATERFORD | J Power, Darragh Doyle, Jeff Fanning, Daniel Doyle, Noah O’Brien ©, Aaron Knox, Sipho Anderson Dube, Daragh O’Connor, Orion Cala, Bobby Keohan, Ethan Daniels
SUBS NOT USED | Darragh Hearne, Darragh O’Brien, Seán Devereux, Seán Lyons Mullan, Harry Kavanagh, Jamie Swift, Rafi Lonescu (GK)
TEACHERS | Emily Harrington, Robbie Power
MATCH OFFICIAL | Keith Brennan (North Tipperary)
