Football

St Ronan's, Lurgan cap perfect season by finishing Hogan heroes

A jubilant Jamie Haughey collects the Hogan Cup for&nbsp; St Ronan's College, Lurgan.<br />Pic Philip Walsh
A jubilant Jamie Haughey collects the Hogan Cup for  St Ronan's College, Lurgan.
Pic Philip Walsh
A jubilant Jamie Haughey collects the Hogan Cup for  St Ronan's College, Lurgan.
Pic Philip Walsh

St.Ronan's Lurgan 1-10 Rice College Westport 1-9

A season that will never be forgotten was rounded off in style by St.Ronan's Lurgan at Croke Park on Saturday afternoon when they shaded a close fought encounter with Rice College Westport to annex the coveted Hogan Cup.

It's the stuff that dreams are made off as a school, that is less than three years old, has clinched the top prize in All Ireland schools football. Having retained the MacCormack Cup before going on to win a first MacRory title they have now completed the Grand slam and there was no prouder man in the winning changing room than joint manager David Wilson.

"It's a very special day," admitted David.

"We knew that we were going to be up against it today but we vowed that we would give it everything that we had and the lads certainly did that. It wasn't a case of going down to Croke Park to play in an All Ireland final, getting a pat on the back, we wanted to win.

At halftime we were two points down and we had missed a couple of chances while they had got a goal and could have got another one. We just said to the players that this was their time to push on and they did just that and its super."

Trailing 1-5 to 0-6 at the break their goal from Tiernan Kelly in the third quarter was a crucial score and while the midfielder didn't make the best of connections it went in and that was all that mattered to David.

"I am a firm believer that the best shot goes to the net, it doesn't matter how it hits the net, whether it bursts the net or not, as long as it crosses the line it's a goal and it was a massive score for us," he said.

"We have worked hard all year and our performances in the second half have always been good. It was down to work rate, fitness and being composed on the ball. I think that our series of tough games in the MacRory Cup and All Ireland semi final stood to us today and we were able to see out a victory like that."

Rice College grabbed their goal after only six minutes when midfielder Patrick Chambers punched a Jack Carney 45 to the net, the kick coming after St.Ronan's keeper Luke Mulholland had denied Pat Lambert with a wonderful save.

The superb Oisin Smyth had landed the game's opening score and by the 18th minute St.Ronan's were 0-5 to 1-1 in front with Smyth on target again and Eoin McConville having converted a couple of 45s.

Westport keeper Cian Kennedy had thwarted a goal attempt from Ruairi McConville while on another occasion Eoin McConville just couldn't get the ball out from under his feet with another goal chance beckoning.

Keith Joyce brought the sides level before Lambert raced through to fist the lead point. While Rioghan Meehan levelled matters it was Westport who finished the half the stronger with a wonderful point from Mark Moran and a free from Stephen Loftus.

Loftus got the opening score of the second half as well but man of the match Smyth cancelled that out. Jack Lenehan then blasted a goal chance wide in the 38th minute but in the next attack St.Ronan's found the net.

Adam Loughran, Meehan and the superb Leo Monteiro were all involved in the build-up and when Smyth off loaded to Kelly his first time shot went past Kennedy.

Lambert and Loughran exchanged points before a Loftus free levelled matters going into the final quarter. A quickly taken 45 from Lambert picked out Moran for the lead score but that point in the 47th minute proved to be Westport's last of the afternoon.

Monteiro laid the ball out for Loughran to split the posts with his weaker left foot in the 52nd minute before a score worthy winning any game arrived sixty seconds later.

Loughran won possession from the kickout and played it to Eoin McConville who in turn picked out Smyth and he hit an outstanding point with the outside of his boot from under the Hogan Stand, a score that any senior Inter County player would have been proud of.

St.Ronan's had been the better side in the second half without taking their chances and it looked as though it would still come back to bit them when Lambert was awarded a 13m free three minutes from time. It looked a straight forward kick but Lambert edged it to the right of the posts, a miss that was confirmed by Hawkeye much to the relief of St.Ronan's.

The MacRory Cup winners defended with discipline in the closing minutes and when Lambert shot wide from play the final whistle sounded from the next kickout on a truly historic day.

St.Ronan's Lurgan: L Mulholland, E McCluskey, A Mulholland, J Haddock, A McCreanor, J Lamont, J Haughey, J Lenehan, T Kelly (1-0), O Smyth (0-4), A Loughran (0-2), R Meehan (0-1), R McConville, L Monteiro, E McConville (0-3, 2 "45s", 1F). Subs: M McAfee for R McConville, J Megoran for McCreanor

Rice College Westport: C Kennedy, L Dawson, R Brickenden, R Walsh, J Carney, E McLaughlin, M Brady, F McManamon , P Chambers (1-0), K Joyce (0-1), M Moran (0-2), L Tunney, S Loftus (0-4, 4F), P Lambert (0-2,1F), C Heaney. Subs: C Calvey for Loftus, J McGlynn for Brady

Referee: B Cawley, Kildare

St.Ronan's man of the match – Oisin Smyth

On an historic day for St.Ronan's Oisin Smyth came up with the winning point that will be talked about for years to come, an outstanding effort with the outside of his boot from the right wing. He had earlier kicked three other points from play and provided the pass for Tiernan Kelly's goal in a superb all round display.

Rice College man of the match - Jack Carney

Lined out with number five on his back but the right half back was everywhere. It was his 45 that led to his side's goal while time and time again in the second half he won possession from his side's kickouts to drive his side forward.