St Kieran's College make winning start to Leinster Championship campaign - Kilkenny People Sport

Reigning All-Ireland and Leinster College’s Senior A Hurling Champions St Kieran’s College got their 2024/25 campaign off to the best possible start with a comfortable win over Good Counsel College in New Ross on Thursday afternoon.

While the day was very mild, the sticky underfoot surface made for challenging conditions for both teams. The winners controlled the game from the throw-in and led 1-6 to no score after twenty minutes. Three early points from Eoghan O’Brien plus a brace from Noah Manogue gave an early indication that it would be a tough afternoon for the New Ross college.

The game’s only goal arrived on fifteen minutes when Kieran’s full-forward Eoghan O’Brien hit a delightful cross-field delivery to Eoghan Cahill who finished impressively.

Good Counsel did not help themselves with some wayward shooting in the first half. It took the hosts twenty-five minutes to land their first score, a pointed free from Sean O’Brien. Two minutes earlier they were awarded a penalty for a foot tackle by a Kieran’s defender. Sean O’Brien’s weakly struck shot was well saved by Kieran’s goalie Luke Lawlor.

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Evan Murphy and Sean Deeley dominated at the centre of the Kieran’s defence leaving Good Counsel struggling for scores. By half time the winners led 1-8 to 0-2 with the game effectively decided by that stage.

It only got marginally better for the home side in the second half. With Ed Lauhoff dominating at midfield the Kieran’s attack saw plenty of the ball with Ciallin Brennan, Noah Manogue and Eoghan O’Brien impressing. Sub Cian Phelan landed a brace of points for the winners when introduced, with excellent wing-back Jim Conlon also landing a brace in the second half.

The one area where the winners need to reflect on after this game was their tally of sixteen wides. It did not matter on this occasion, but it might on another day. Kieran’s also missed a late penalty.

Good Counsel moved the ball around well in the early stages, but struggled to make any headway against a rock solid winner’s defence. Darragh Vereker, David Kennedy, Jason Cody and Andrew Murphy tried hard for the New Ross college against superior opponents.

St Kieran’s next game is against Kilkenny CBS at home on Tuesday, December 3, while Good Counsel’s next game will also against Kilkenny CBS.

Teams & Scorers:

St. Kieran’s College - Luke Lawlor, Mikey Rohan, Evan Murphy, Bill O’Shea, Conor Brophy, Sean Deely, Jim Conlon (0-2), Ed Lauhoff (0-1), Ruairi Murphy, Noah Manogue (0-8, 0-6 frees), Ciallin Brennan (0-3), Bill McDermott (0-1), James O’Neill,
Eoghan O’Brien (0-1), Eoghan Cahill (1-0). Subs (Used) – Cian Phelan (0-2), Conor Holohan, David Barcoe, John Fitzpatrick and Michael Lynch.

Good Counsel - Paddy Quigley, David Kennedy, Joe McCarthy, Mitch Cullen, Tom Cummins, Darragh Vereker, James Reid, Cian
O’Shea, Sean Fitzharris, David Foley, Sean O’Brien (0-3, frees), Conn Mernagh, Jason Cody (0-1), ColmKavanagh, Andrew Murphy (0-3, frees). Subs (Used) – Cian Rossiter, Darren Rossiter, P.J. Mackey, Martin Sinnott and Ross English.

Referee – Gearoid McGrath (Wexford).

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