Local schools learn knockout fate in Leinster championship
Athlone Community College and Marist College are both preparing for knockout games in the Leinster Schools SF 'A' championship next week.
Athlone CC's footballers host St Mel's College, Longford next Tuesday, December 21 (throw-in 1.45pm) in the school grounds, while Marist College will meet St Mary's Knockbeg College next Wednesday in Kiltoom (12 noon). The winners of both those games will advance to the quarter-finals.
St Mel's drew with Moate Community School and lost narrowly to Coláiste Choilm, Tullamore in the group stages. Athlone CC clinched a place in the knockout stages with a comprehensive win over St Joseph's, Rochfortbridge, having lost to St Patrick's CS, Navan in the opening game.
In ACC's 5-14 to 2-4 win over St Joseph’s, Oisín Canny (St Brigid's) and Brendan Murphy scored two goals each, while Oisín O’Flaherty (Clann na nGael) impressed at midfield and contributed 1-2 to the scoring tally.
Marist College won both of their group games (against St Mary's, Edenderry and Coláiste Mhuire, Mullingar) and will be hopeful of building on those wins against Knockbeg, a school located close to the Laois/Carlow border.
The likes of Caulry's Senan Baker and Tubberclair's Tom Kelleher have been influential figures for Marist, while Paddy Higgins scored the only goal in the 1-13 to 0-9 victory against Coláiste Mhuire.
The other Westmeath team left in the running for the Br. Bosco Cup is Coláiste Mhuire, who face Naas CBS next Tuesday in Hawkfield, close to Newbridge (1pm).
On Monday last, Coláiste Mhuire secured their place in the knockout stages with a 2-9 to 0-10 victory over St Mary’s, Edenderry. Sean Leech and David Williams scored the goals for the Mullingar outfit.
2020 champions St Joseph's, Rochfortbridge were dethroned last Friday with a heavy defeat to St Patrick's CS, Navan. The Westmeath school only managed to score two points (with Michael Doherty and Oisin Coogan the scorers) as the Navan side recorded a 1-12 to 0-2 victory.
Moate CS were knocked of the competition by virtue of scoring difference, after losing narrowly to Coláiste Choilm.
The five winners of the knockout ties in the preliminary round will progress to the quarter-finals, where they will join Wexford Schools (winners of the group team section), Good Counsel College and Scoil Mhuire, Clane.
For anybody intending to attend any of the upcoming games, all fixtures listed below are subject to confirmation.
Leinster Schools SF 'A' preliminary knockout round
Monday, December 20
Coláiste Choilm, Tullamore v St Peter's College, Wexford (Stradbally GAA, 12noon).
Tuesday, December 21
Athlone CC v St Mel's College (Athlone CC, 1.45pm).
St Patrick's CS, Navan v Maynooth SLS (Páirc Tailteann, 12noon).
Naas CBS v Coláiste Mhuire, Mullingar (Hawkfield COE, 1pm).
Wednesday, December 22
Marist College, Athlone v St Mary's Knockbeg College (St Brigid's, Kiltoom, 12noon).