Runners-Up last year the men from the marble city will be looking to claim back the cup that they last won in 2019
Brian Dowling’s charges have set up a meeting with Presentation Athenry to make it eight consecutive finals that the Kilkenny schools team will have contested, they defeated Cashel Community School on Saturday last with a 3-13 to 2-9 win in St Brendan’s Park, Birr.
Early goal for Cashel
Kierans conceded an early goal score by Ronan Connolly, the Kilkenny school never does panic during a game and they steadied the ship despite the early setback, and goals from Ted Dunne and Donagh Murphy helped the team take the lead. Things got better for Kierans before the break and a third goal from Harry Shine after he combined beautifully with Jeff Neary to fire his side into a six-point lead at half time 3-6 to 1-6.
The second half was a tight tense affair, scores were hard to come by and both teams were made to work for their scores as a huge prize awaited the winner. Kierans did hold out and won the game with seven points to spare.
Scorers for St. Kieran’s: Harry Shine 1-6 (0-5f), Ted Dunne 1-2, Donagh Murphy 1-0, Jeff Neary 0-1, Pádraig Naddy 0-1, Aaron McEvoy 0-1, Killian Corcoran 0-1, Anthony Ireland Wall 0-1.
Scorers for Cashel CS: Ronan Connolly 1-6 (0-4f), Bobby Power 1-3.
“It was good and bad, anytime you’re in an All-Ireland Semi-Final it’s brilliant because you can be there in a final, we won by seven points but there is a lot for us to improve on, Cashel were on top for different part of the game but you will get that from top teams your not going to have sixty minutes plain sailing”.
“It’s cliche that semi-finals are there for winning, whatever happens on the 17th March no one will remember what happened here today. We said to the lads in the dressing room, we don’t have any trophy, Cashel still have their Harty Cup to celebrate, we have to make sure we do everything we can to bring home a trophy to Kierans College”.
This year’s Masita Croke Cup final will be held in Croke Park on St Patricks Day with a 3pm throw in.
