Coláiste Choilm hurlers battle back to deny Mitchelstown CBS in thrilling final

Coláiste Choilm 3-20 Mitchelstown CBS 1-19 

COLÁSITE Choilm completed a sensational comeback to retain the Cork PPS U16 B Hurling title after a cracking clash with Mitchelstown CBS in Castletownroche.

Led by captain Cian Ahern, Danny Miskella, Tadhg Murphy, Cian O’Connor and Kevin O’Leary, the Ballincollig school roared back from 0-14 to 0-8 down at the break, and seven points to no score in arrears after 12 minutes, to win by seven.

It was heartbreak for the north Cork school, as Jason Walsh and Willie Duggan’s side had started so well and had stand-out displays from Harrison Conway, Eoin Fitzgerald, Seán Gallahue, Jack Hanrahan, Oisín Power and Darragh English, while goalie Peter O'Keeffe had reacted smartly to deny Miskella in the first half. 

Goals were key here, with Cian Ahern racing through from a Murphy pass to cleverly fire low to the net for the first goal and first score of the second half: game on. Mitchelstown responded well, hitting the next three points through their impressive full-forward unit of English, Conway and Cormac Vaughan but they couldn’t maintain that momentum.

Coláiste Choilm mentors John Ryan and Johnny Dwyer reshuffled the deck, Colm Sheehan came on as a ball-winner at wing-forward, Colm O’Herlihy went to seven while Danny Miskella and Cian O’Connor switched. 

Luke O’Mahony and Sean Murphy were getting through serious work in the middle third while centre-back Kevin O’Leary and full-back Adam Kennedy got a vital grip in defence.

The direct approach to Tadhg Murphy and O’Connor feeding off Matthew Thompson paid off. In a devastating spell, O’Connor buried a superb individual goal, Miskella hit a soaring point and Murphy clipped over 0-4 to move the Collig side ahead: 2-15 to 0-18.

Mitchelstown went hunting green flags though and Conway pounced on the breaking sliotar to level with 10 minutes remaining. Coláiste Choilm’s response was a third goal, Cian O’Connor taking on three defenders before teeing up Murphy, who finished clinically past Peter O’Keeffe.

Gavin Canty got the next point for CBS but with keeper Ethan Donovan and Ciáran Ward making some timely interceptions, they couldn’t get the goal they needed. At the other end, Miskella, Murphy and O’Connor landed some lovely points while the victors had the luxury of popping over an injury-time penalty.

A huge boost for hurling in Coláiste Choilm and the feeder clubs Ballincollig, Éire Óg, Inniscarra and Ballinora.

Scorers for Coláiste Choilm: Tadhg Murphy 1-14 (0-10 f, 0-1 pen), Cian O’Connor 1-2 (0-1 65), Cian Ahern 1-1, Danny Miskella 0-3.

Mitchelstown: Oisín Power 0-9 (0-8 f), Harrison Conway 1-2, Darragh English 0-2, Jack Hanrahan, Jerry Gubbins, Cormac Vaughan, Colin O’Flynn, Eoin Fitzgerald, Gavin Canty 0-1 each.

COLÁISTE CHOILM (Ballincollig, except where noted): E Donovan; C Ward, A Kennedy (Ballinora), E Lynch; D Crowley, K O’Leary, P Rose; C O’Connor, S Murphy (Éire Óg); L O’Mahony, C Ahern, C O’Herlihy (Inniscarra); D Miskella, M Thompson, T Murphy.

Subs: C Sheehan (Éire Óg), A Heelan (Inniscarra).

MITCHELSTOWN CBS: P O’Keeffe (Shanballymore); C O’Keeffe (Kildorrery), W Hanley (Ballygiblin), J Carey (Skeheenarinky); S O’Donnell (Glenroe), S Gallahue (Ballyspillane), Eoin Fitzgerald (Glenroe); J Gubbins (Skeheenarinky), J Hanrahan (Ballygiblin); C O’Flynn (Skeheenarinky), O Power (Fr Sheehy's), M Fitzgerald (Glenroe); D English (Fr Sheehy’s), H Conway (Ballygiblin), C Vaughan (Skeen).

Subs: W Fitzgerald (Glenroe), G Canty (Skeheenarinky), T Murphy (Kildorrery), L Heaphy (Ballygiblin).

Referee: Denis Motherway.