THE NATIONALIST
Saturday 26th April 2003

Scoil Ruain's super first half effort not enough to stop Loughrea

All-Ireland Vocational Schools Senior Hurling Final

by Michael Heverin

St. Brigid's, Loughrea 1-13, Scoil Ruain, Killenaule 0-12

• A twelve point turnaround, which saw a six point lead become a six point deficit in twenty four minutes, ended Scoil Ruain's hopes in the All Ireland Vocational Schools senior hurling final at Semple Stadium on Sunday.
  
  In the end St Brigid's from Loughrea powered their way to their fourth title in a row but not before they got an almighty fright from the Killenaule boys in the first half.
  
  It was always going to be a huge test for the South Tipperary team against a Loughrea side that has won the title for the past three years, has won eight senior or junior titles in the past nine years and has become a recognised nursery for Galway hurling.
  
  But reputations meant nothing in the first half as Scoil Ruain tore into them from the start with Michael Heffernan and Jamie McCormack getting a grip at midfield and Shane Long, Keith Holohan and John Holohan causing all sorts of problems in attack.
  
  Backed by the significant breeze, Scoil Ruain built up a four-point lead by the end of the first quarter, 0-6 to 0-2 and had extended it to six, 0-10 to 0-4, approaching half time. Their lead was still five points at the break and an upset was still possible as the Killenaule side went in search of it first senior crown.
  
  But the second half was like a different game. Enter one Niall Healy who tore the Tipp challenge to shreds virtually single-handedly. Team captain Healy, a brother to Fergal who lined out with Galway against Tipp in the second game, looked a threat in the first half but he really turned on the style in the second when his side now had the benefit of the wind.
  
  Even the Scoil Ruain ploy of putting two markers on him didn't work as typified by his stunning goal eleven minutes into the second half when he left the defence in his wake.
  
  The second man on Healy reduced Killenaule's presence around midfield as Loughrea turned their six point deficit two minutes before the break, 0-10 to 0-4, into a six point lead, 1-13 to 010, twenty four minutes into the second half before Killenaule had their first point of that second half.
  
  Facing into the breeze, Scoil Ruain failed to make a similar impact as in the first half and their attack was feeding off crumbs as they tried to match Loughrea.
  
  But that certainly wasn't the case in the first as Scoil Ruain took the game to their vaunted opponents. A John Holohan point from a lovely sideline cut in the first minute gave them a great start and even though Frankie Burke equalised for the Galway school four minutes later, the initiative was still with Killenaule.
  
  Goalkeeper Gerry Kennedy made a great save to deny Loughrea what looked a certain goal while at the other end two Keith Holohan frees put his side 0-3 to 0-1 ahead after ten minutes.
  
  Maurice Callanan reduced the lead but Loughrea struggled to make any inroads as they tended to over-carry the ball and make that extra pass instead of taking their scores. Killenaule didn't suffer from any such problems and they had gone four ahead by the end of the first quarter with Shane Long hitting a lovely point from play and Keith Holohan proving unerring from frees as he sent over two more.
  
  It looked then as if all the good work might be undone when Daniel Whyte broke clear at the other end but once more Kennedy came to his side's rescue with a brilliant save. A Niall Healy point from a free cut the lead to three but again Scoil Ruain came back in tremendous style.
  
  In the 24th minute Michael Heffernan fed Shane Long and the Gortnahoe-Glengoole partnership worked a treat with the impressive Long hitting a fine point. One minute later Long hit another great point and as he continued to torment the defence, he took a pass from Jamie McCormack and was fouled. Holohan tapped over the free and Scoil Ruain were six clear, 0-9 to 0-3.
  
  Alan Callanan and Jamie McCormack then exchanged points before Healy brought the first half action to a close with a point from a free in injury time.
  
  Unfortunately, the first half was as good as it got for Scoil Ruain as the second half was a failed attempt to stop the Loughrea juggernaut with team captain Niall Healy at the wheel. Healy started the second half scoring with a pointed free in the 5th minute and when Alan Callanan reduced the lead to just three a minute later, it was starting to look ominous for the Tipp lads.
  
  In the 9th minute Healy took a short free to Maurice Callanan who popped over a point and two minutes later Loughrea took the lead for the first time when Healy cut through the defence and Gerry Kennedy was finally beaten by Healy's terrific shot.
  
  The game had now turned into one-way traffic as a watertight Loughrea defence held the Scoil Ruain attack at bay while at the other end the Galway forwards built up the lead.
  
  Points from play from Liam Geraghty and Alan Callanan and two more from frees from Healy and Maurice Callanan pushed the score to 1-12 to 0-10 after twenty minutes.
  
  As Scoil Ruain continued to struggle to get a foothold at midfield, Niall Healy was still causing problems for his two markers and when he was fouled, Callanan hit over the free for a six point lead with seven minutes to go.
  
  Scoil Ruain produced a late flurry with William Coleman hitting a nice score to open their second half account in the 24th minute and Niall Teehan pointed a free a minute later. But there was to be no way back for the Killenaule team and Loughrea finished the stronger with Gerry Kennedy having to pull off another excellent save to deny Healy his second goal.
  
  Scoil Ruain lost nothing in defeat and indeed can take great credit from their first half performance. There are few better teams in colleges hurling than Loughrea and yet for thirty minutes they struggled to keep pace with the Tipp side.
  
  Gerry Kennedy was outstanding in goal and denied Loughrea at least three times while in front Jonathan O'Dwyer, Mark McCormack and Edward Stokes formed a solid full line that Loughrea struggled to breach in the first half. In front of them, Kevin Kenny, Niall Teehan and Sean Cahill hurled with great composure and assurance.
  
  Midfield was a productive area for Scoil Ruain in the opening half with Michael Heffernan and Jamie McCormack establishing a key foothold with some forceful play that unsettled the Galway side. In attack, Shane Long scored three great points from play; Keith Holohan was unerring from placed ball with five points from frees while John Holohan's point from a sideline cut was a beautiful score. William Coleman, Michael O'Connor and John Coleman also rowed in with important contributions.
  
  Loughrea's outstanding player was Niall Healy who along with midfielder Michael Broderick was picking up his fourth successive medal in the grade. He had great support from Donal Nevin, Dermot Ryan and Maurice and Alan Callanan.
  
  Scoil Ruain: Gerry Kennedy, Jonathan O'Dwyer, Mark McCormack, Edward Stokes, Kevin Kenny, Niall Teehan 0-1, Sean Cahill, Michael Heffernan, Jamie McCormack 0-1, William Coleman 0-1; Michael O'Connor, John Coleman, Shane Long 0-3, Keith Holohan 0-5, John Holohan 0-1. Subs: David Maguire for William Coleman.
  
  St Brigid's: Mark Herlihy, Sean Burke, Donal Nevin, Dermot Clarke, Pat Holland, Dermot Ryan, Liam Geraghty 0-1, Michael Broderick, Donal Reilly, Maurice Callanan 0-4, Frankie Burke 0-1, Daniel Whyte, Finian Coone, Niall Healy 1-4, Alan Callanan 0-3.
  
  Referee: Anthony Stapleton (Laois).