Moate CS boys bow out as ladies march on
Moate Community School were knocked out of the Leinster Schools SF ‘A’ championship yesterday on Wednesday, even though they weren’t playing.
The Moate CS camp were hoping for Coláiste Choilm to defeat St Mel’s College, Longford and they duly did so, but the margin of the Tullamore side’s victory (3-3 to 1-8) was not enough for Moate to go through.
Instead, St Mel’s – who drew with Moate in the opening round – advance to the knockout stages on scoring difference. The margin was very tight with Moate having lost to Coláiste Choilm by two points (2-7 to 1-8).
However, there was better news for the Moate CS ladies team who advanced to the Leinster Senior 'A' final thanks to an excellent victory over old rivals Scoil Chríost Rí, Portlaoise yesterday (Thursday). Final score: 2-17 to 2-8.
Anna Sheerin and Kate Whyte scored the MCS goals; Shannon Mulvihill was top scorer with eight points; while Chloe Moran was impressive in defence.
Moate led 1-8 to 1-4 at half-time and Whyte's goal in the closing stages finally broke the Portlaoise side's resistance.
The defending champions, Moate CS will play either Loreto, Navan or Mercy, Ballymahon in the Leinster final which is expected to be played in January.
Looking back to the MCS boys' Leinster campaign, wasteful shooting in the first half combined with the concession of a soft second goal were crucial factors in their recent defeat to Coláiste Choilm at BNM O’Connor Park.
Moate CS swiftly responded to the first Coláiste Choilm goal (scored by raiding defender Ben Heffernan) with a superb goal of their own from midfielder Tobby Conteh.
However, they proved unable to recover from the Tullamore side’s second goal, when Luke Bourke pounced after a ball across goal was not dealt with.
In the previous match against St Mel's, which was badly hampered as a spectacle by strong wind, a late point from Liam Maxwell (Cill Óige) salvaged a draw for Moate CS. Final score: .Moate CS 1-7 St Mel’s 0-10.
See below for the Moate CS team & scorers in the aforementioned three games.
Moate CS ladies (v Scoil Chríost Rí): Emma Quigley (Caulry); Joyce Conway (St Joseph’s), Aimee Murphy (St Joseph’s), Cliona McCormack (St Joseph’s); Hannah Doolan (St Manchan’s); Chloe Moran (Moate), Holly Keenan (Moate); Megan Clinton (Caulry); Anna Sheerin (Cill Óige, 1-1); Saoirse McGuinness (St Manchan’s), Aine Gaynor (Caulry, 0-2, 1f), Hazel Kelly (Cill Óige); Ava Cornally (Clara, 0-3), Shannon Mulvihill (Garrycastle, 0-8, 4f), Kate Whyte (Milltown, 1-3). Sub used: Claire O’Donohoe (Moate).
Moate CS boys (v Coláiste Choilm): Sean Furey; Thomas Parker, Luke Whitney, Sean Murphy; Sean Keenaghan, Dara Lowry, Eoin Bracken; David O’Reilly (0-2), Tobby Conteh (1-1); Ronan Murray (0-2), Donal Shirley, Ronan Aspell; Eoghan Curran, Eoin Murphy (0-1f), Liam Maxwell (0-2, 2f). Sub used: William Reynolds for Aspell (h-t).
Moate CS boys (v St Mel's College): Sean Furey; Thomas Parker, Luke Whitney, Sean Murphy; Eoin Bracken, Dara Lowry, Sean Keenaghan; Tobby Conteh (1-1, 0-1f), David O’Reilly; Liam Maxwell (0-3, 3f), Donal Shirley (0-1), Ronan Aspell; Eoghan Curran, Eoin Murphy (0-2, 1f), Pauric Robbins. Subs used: Ronan Murray for Robbins; Pauric Robbins for Curran (inj.); Eoghan Curran for Aspell.