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Missed Chances Prove Costly As St Brendan's Go Down By Double Scores

Thursday, 17 February 2011

Challenging for the ball in the rain in the Leinster Colleges SH quarter final were Kevin Donovan (St Brendan's CS) and Kieran Butler (Good Counsel)

Good Counsel New Ross 0-12 St Brendan's CS Birr 0-6.

St Brendan's Community School, Birr were left to rue a string of missed chances, particularly from frees, as they made their exit from the Leinster Colleges Senior Hurling 'A' Championship when going down by doubles scores to Good Counsel New Ross in their quarter final tie played at the Castlecomer Community School pitch on Saturday last.
Good Counsel made better use of their scoring chances and their attack always looked to carry that bit more of a threat but had Birr converted their chances into scores, it could have been a different story. They were within striking range of their opponents for most of the game but the goal they needed to really ignite their challenge never really looked like coming.
Good Counsel took the initiative early on and scored three unanswered points in the first 12 minutes. St Brendan's got off the mark after 13 minutes but the Wexford side stretched the lead to four points 10 minutes before the break. Birr stuck with them and at the interval Good Counsel held a three point lead, 0-6 to 0-3.
It remained close through the third quarter and the gap was still just four points entering the final quarter and Birr were pressing well but struggled to turn their possession into scores. Good Counsel opened a six point gap with nine minutes left and although Birr got one back, they were chasing the game at this stage and Good Counsel were able to hold on for a six point win and claim their place in the semi-finals.
St Brendan's cause wasn't helped by a number of injuries which robbed them of a number of key players from the starting line up. Brendan Murphy started at full forward but was also clearly hampered by injury and had to go off early in the second half. Peter Dooley came in at that stage and did make an impact, winning a number of frees, and with a bit more luck, might have been able to turn the game around for Birr.
However their inability to take their scores, particularly from frees, proved very costly. Four different players carried out the free taking duties over the hour but eight scoreable chances went abegging and they were left to rue those misses. It was frustrating for them as every time it looked like they might be able to put pressure on their opponents, they missed opportunities to close the gap.
Scoring in general was a big problem for St Brendan's and corner forward Darragh Cleary was the only player to score from play for Birr and they failed to raise a flag from play over the final 38 minutes of action. They finished with a total of 11 wides with their opponents hitting nine.
Good Counsel also wasted some good opportunities from frees but they did show greater ability in picking off scores from play and five of their six forwards plus one of their midfielders found the mark from play. It was the big difference between the sides and that extra bit of sharpness in attack was a crucial factor in swinging the game for Good Counsel.
The Wexford school were strong in defence where centre back Shane O'Gorman had a fine game, while Tony French and Colin Foran also played well. Garret Foley put in a lot of good work around the middle of the field while in attack Jack Guiney and Mark Mansfield were the big threats.
Conor Walsh, Liam Brady and Michael Kennedy worked hard throughout in the St Brendan's defence. Andrew Connolly did a lot of good work at midfield and later in attack, where Darragh Cleary took his first half points well, while Peter Dooley made an impression when he came in during the second half.
Both sides missed early chances before Jack Guiney pointed a 20m free after four minutes and added a second three minutes later. St Brendan's were already finding problems from placed balls and Good Counsel stretched the lead to three after 12 minutes when Mark Mansfield and Mark Aylward combined to set up Simon Aylward for a point.
St Brendan's got their first point a minute later when Owen Dunne picked out Darragh Cleary and he shot a fine point from the right wing. That was answered by a similar score from the wing for Good Counsel by Mark Mansfield. They stretched the lead to four when Ciaran Ryan's first effort was well blocked by Conor Walsh but the ball came back to Ryan and he put it over the bar.
St Brendan's pointed again when Kevin Donovan passed to Colm Mulrooney and his long ball found Darragh Cleary and he shot over. Four minutes before the break Good Counsel pointed again. St Brendan's players were attracted to a scuffle as Good Counsel played on leaving two players unmarked and Mark Mansfield slotted the ball over the bar. Kevin Donovan replied with a '65' for Birr to cut the lead to three points. Jack Guiney went for goal from a 25m free but his effort was well blocked on the line by St Brendan's and the half time score remained 0-6 to 0-3 in favour of Good Counsel.
Three minutes after the restart midfielder Garret Foley ended a nice move with a point and the lead stretched to five points five minutes later when Jack Guiney went low again from a 20m free but Kevin O'Connor did well to block the ball and it deflected over the crossbar. St Brendan's got their first point of the half after 11 minutes when Andrew Connolly pointed a free but the puck out was allowed to run straight to Jack Guiney and he pointed again at the other end.
Midway through the half Andrew Connolly drove a 20m free just over the crossbar but points from Kieran Butler and Jack Guiney stretched the lead to six with nine minutes left. St Brendan's pulled one back through another Andrew Connolly free but Mark Mansfield was on target again to extend the lead to six again. St Brendan's kept pressing but the goal they wanted just wouldn't come and it was Good Counsel who were left to celebrate at the final whistle.

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