TIPPERARY STAR
Saturday 12th April 2003

by Noel Dundon

Scoil Ruain reach All-Ireland final

All-Ireland Vocational School Semi-final

Scoil Ruain, Killenaule 2-8, Causeway, Kerry 1-10

• An injury time point from centre forward Michael O'Connor steered Scoil Ruain, Killenaule into the All-Ireland Vocational Schools Senior Hurling Final following a pulsating game of hurling which went right down to the wire.
  
  This game had it all hard hits, terrific skill, scores a plenty, and buckets of free-flowing hurling. In fact, defeat was a hard pill to swallow for the well drilled Causeway side and they could have justifiably claimed that draw would have been a fairer result not too many would have argued, except perhaps for the Killenaule men.
  
  Two goals in two minutes in the second half certainly made a big impact for Scoil Ruain and sent them into the lead for the first time. The scores laid the platform for their victory and they certainly left a dent in the Causeway morale, the Kerry men having worked so hard to get into a favourable position before seeing it eroded before their eyes.
  
  Scoil Ruain started very slowly indeed and Causeway were 0-5 ahead by the end of the first quarter Ray Galvin getting four of their scores after Giles O'Grady had opened the scoring for them. Scoil Ruain had chances a plenty early on, but they were not taking them and were guilty of some poor finishing Causeway on the other hand were lethal and their 0-6 to 0-2 interval lead reflected their dominance with Michael Bowler getting their sixth point. Keith Holohan and Shane Long were the sole suppliers of scores for the Killenaule men.
  
  To add to Scoil Ruain's woes they lost centre back Niall Teehan with a leg injury just before the interval - the Gortnahoe /Glengoole man had tried to shake off the injury but was unable to do so. He was replaced by William Coleman who made a big impression in the second half.
  
  Coleman and Diarmuid Walsh traded scores and the Causeway lead was extended to five when Ray Galvin pointed a free in the 3rd minute. However the game took a dramatic turn in the 9th minute when Willie Coleman ran onto a through ball and poked the ball past the advancing keeper to notch a goal against the run of play. Killenaule were still celebrating when the ball hit the back of the net again this time it was John Coleman who finished brilliantly to send Scoil Ruain into the lead and into the driving seat.
  
  Causeway were rocked back on their heels and further scores from Keith Holohan and Shane Long for Scoil Ruain extended the lead again. Ray Galvin and Keith Holohan swapped points and when Ger Lovett doubled on an overhead ball and found the Killenaule net for a brilliant goal, the Kerrymen were back on level terms. Michael Bowler gave them the lead but Keith Holohan levelled again as the final whistle loomed.
  
  A last foray upfield saw Scoil Ruain's Jamie McCormack carry the ball deep into the Causeway defence and when he passed to Michael O'Connor, the Killenaule man made no mistake to edge his school in front again. It proved to be the winning strike.
  
  Scoil Ruain were delighted when referee John Sexton (Limerick) sounded the final whistle and they danced a jig of delight on the pitch. They showed great character and resolve in the second half to get themselves back into the game, take the blows on the chin, and bounce back. And, they made astute positional switches also - Coach Gerry Maguire and Selector Francis Kearney can take a bow for these.
  
  On the day Jamie McCormack, Michael Heffernan who made a big difference when switched to centre back, Keith Holohan, Shane Long, Mark McCormack and substitute William Coleman were very prominent while Gerry Kennedy never put a foot wrong in goals.
  
  It was heartbreak for Causeway as they had been in the driving seat for so long and probably did enough to have earned a draw. Still, when the final push came they were unable to break the Killenaule resolve. Best for them were Ray Galvin, Michael Bowler, Kenneth Leahy, Mike Quilter and Declan McCarthy.
  
  Scoil Ruain team: (Gortnahoe Glengoole unless stated) G. Kennedy (Killenaule); J. O'Dwyer (do), M. McCormack (St Patrick's); E. Stokes, K. Kenny, N. Teehan; D. Maguire (Killenaule), M. Heffernan; J. McCormack (Fethard), M. O'Brien (Mullinahone), M. O'Connor (Killenaule) 0-1; J. Coleman 1-0, S. Long 0-2, K. Holohan 0-4, J. Holohan (Ballingarry). Substitutes: W. Coleman 1-1 for N. Teehan; S. Cahill (Ballingarry) for M. O'Brien.
  
  Causeway team: S. Kelleher, J. M. Pearse, T. Murnane, M. Quilter, P. Bowler, K. Leahy, D. McCarthy, B. O'Grady, G. Lovett 1-0, D. Walsh 0-1, G. O'Grady 0-1, M. Bowler 0-2, R. Galvin 0-6, D. O'Connor, M. Boyle. Substitutes: G. Houlihan for D. O'Connor; D. O'Connor for M. Boyle.
  
  Referee: J. Sexton (Limerick)