Referee Eddie Leonard alongside the two captains, Darragh Smith (left) of Westmeath Schools and Dublin South’s James Norris, prior to last Sunday’s game at O’Toole Park.

Brennan’s brace crucial as Westmeath Schools lose out

Published: Wed 4 Dec 2024, 4:16 PM

Dublin South 3-17, Westmeath Schools 1-17

By Gerry Buckley

Despite being short a few key players, the combined Westmeath Schools side pushed a very strong Dublin South team all the way before succumbing by a two-goal margin in last Sunday afternoon’s Leinster group teams final, played in relatively pleasant conditions at O’Toole Park, Crumlin.

While this defeat will be a big disappointment to a committed panel of players and their hard-working management team, overall this was a fine campaign from the Lake County lads.

Last Sunday’s game may well have been the icing on the cake had they been able to line out at full strength, but their spirit was admirable even when it looked like their wind-assisted opponents might pull away in the final quarter.

The result means Dublin South qualify for the knockout stages of the overall Leinster Schools SH 'A' championship as Westmeath Schools bow out.

Westmeath had the aid of a very useful wind in the first half and they scored two points in the opening two minutes courtesy of Conor Heffernan and Kian Loughlin (a free from the halfway line). The boys in white jerseys with sky blue and navy trim were on level terms by the fourth minute via a brace of converted frees from Daniel O’Kelly.

Neale Pierson and O’Kelly (another free) traded points, either side of Eoghan Brennan having a ‘goal’ disallowed after the referee talked to his umpires.

The losers scored three unanswered points by the 12th minute from the sticks of Loughlin (a free), Eoin Meehan, and Ben McNamee. O’Kelly’s fourth successful free left his side trailing by 0-6 to 0-4 at the end of the opening quarter.

In the 16th minute, fine play from skipper Darragh Smith, whose crisp and lengthy striking was evident all through, teed up Cormac McKeogh for a well-taken Westmeath goal. At the other end, Cathal Óg Fagan pulled off a great save from a batted effort from Daragh Ormsby.

Point exchanges ensued between Dylan Corrigan and O’Kelly (a free), Heffernan and O’Kelly (another free), Loughlin and Eoghan Brennan (South Dublin’s first from open play in the 25th minute), and O’Kelly (a free) and Loughlin (play).

O’Kelly’s first score from play and an instant follow-up from Ormsby left the winners trailing by a goal.

Loughlin converted another Westmeath free, but on the stroke of half-time Conor Dillon picked out Eoghan Brennan who bore down on goal and duly fired an unstoppable shot into the roof of the net. Westmeath still led by 1-11 to 1-10 at the interval.

On the change of ends, Ormsby and Corrigan swapped points, as did Killian Costello and Loughlin (a free). A huge free from O’Kelly levelled the contest before a whipped goal in the 36th minute from Oscar Brennan (at the end of a fine move) put South Dublin into the lead (2-13 to 1-13), and they would never relinquish it.

Loughlin (a free) and Costello (open play) soon traded points. Another Loughlin free preceded a brace at the other end from O’Kelly, both of them scored with Dean Simpson on the pitch and no player taken off instead of him.

In the 50th minute, Eoghan Brennan scored his second three-pointer after good approach work by Costello and O’Kelly, all but sealing victory for the wind-assisted metropolitans at this juncture.

Loughlin (a free) and Colm McCabe (a classy score from play) exchanged points. Loughlin brought his tally to double figures with another converted free to wrap up the scoring.

Scorers – Dublin South: D O’Kelly 0-11 (8f), E Brennan 2-1, O Brennan 1-0, D Ormsby, K Costello 0-2 each, C McCabe 0-1. Westmeath Schools: K Loughlin 0-10 (8f), C McKeogh 1-0, C Heffernan, D Corrigan 0-2 each, B McNamee, E Meehan, N Pierson 0-1 each.

Dublin South: Conor Coogan; Conor Quinn, James Neary, James Ryan; Tommy Cullen, James Norris, Colm McCabe; Fiachra Codd, Conor Dillon; Daragh Ormsby, Killian Costello, Daniel O’Kelly; Oscar Brennan, Eoghan Brennan, Hugh Egan. Subs used: Dean Simpson for O Brennan (47 mins), Cole Condon for Ryan (49), Odhran McGuckin for Egan (55).

Westmeath Schools: Cathal Óg Fagan; Ben McNamee, Mikey Weir, Cian Kinnarney; Dylan Corrigan, Darragh Smith, Conor Daly; Cody Ward, Finn Higgins; Kian Loughlin, Eoin Meehan, Neale Pierson; Padraig Casey, Cormac McKeogh, Conor Heffernan. Subs used: Oisín McCauley for Casey (39 mins), Aaron Flanagan for Daly (54).

Referee: Eddie Leonard (Wicklow).

In a nutshell

Man of the match

Colm McCabe (Dublin South): The wing back oozed class all through and looked like a future star in the making.

Match officials

Referee Eddie Leonard spent an inordinate amount of time reprimanding mentors, mostly those representing Westmeath. Yes, they were occasionally loud, but their frustrations were understandable. Some blatant fouls were ignored, with one free not awarded to the visitors in the 26th minute simply beyond belief. Also, the referee and his linesman on the dugout side of the ground ignored the blatant use of an extra player by Dublin South during which they scored two points.