Good Counsel have too much for Kilkenny CBS in Leinster Colleges semi-final

For the first time since 2001, there will be no Kilkenny representation in the Leinster Colleges Senior Hurling Championship final with both St Kierans College and Kilkenny CBS falling to semi-final defeats this afternoon.

Kieran's lost to a last minute goal against Dublin South Schools but Kilkenny CBS can have no complaints after Good Counsel defeated them by eight points in Thomastown.

Kilkenny CBS came into the game as league champions and they had a dream start to the game when after only seven minutes, they were already 1-2 to 0-0 ahead.

Glenmore's Cathal Beirne scored a fine individual goal on the back of points from the Tullaroan pair of Bill Walton and Gearoid Dunne.

Good Counsel soon found their groove though and four successive points from Jack Redmond left just a single point between the teams.

Kilkenny CBS had the elements at their back in that opening period but they didn't really make best use of it as they hit nine wides and although Walton and Kevin Moore added on further points, it was Good Counsel who held the advantage at the half-time interval.

Redmond knocked over a couple more frees and with Marty Murphy, Cillian Byrne and George O'Connor all scoring from play, the Wexford school led 0-10 to 1-5.

Kilkenny CBS started the second half in similar fashion to the first with former Kilkenny minor star Gearoid Dunne striking over his second free from distance but Good Counsel seemed to have an answer to anything that was thrown at them with Redmond and Eoin O'Brien adding to the scoreboard.

Kilkenny CBS responded with points from play by Cillian Hackett and Kevin Moore but they were the only efforts from play for CBS as Good Counsel got on top.

Walton added on a trio of frees for the Kilkenny school but it was a final quarter that was dominated by Good Counsel and they knocked over points at will as they ran out 0-22 to 1-11 victors.

All is not lost for Kilkenny CBS though as they now meet St.Kierans in a playoff to determine who advances into the All-Ireland series as a result of the combined Dublin South Schools reaching the Leinster decider.

Good Counsel-  Jack Redmond (0-13, 0-9f), Eoin O'Brien (0-2), Cillian Byrne (0-2), Marty Murphy (0-2), George O'Connor (0-1), Billy Reid (0-1) and Danny Glennon (0-1)

Kilkenny CBS- Bill Walton (0-7, 0-7f), Cathal Beirne (1-0), Gearoid Dunne (0-2, 0-2f), Cillian Hackett (0-1) and Kevin Moore (0-1)

Good Counsel- Michael Kirwan; Gary Porter, Eoin Whelan, Ruaidhri Delaney; Billy Reid, Conor Foley, Lar Murphy; Peter McDonald, Michael Dundon; George O'Connor, Jack Redmond, Eoin O'Brien; Eoin Lyng, Marty Murphy, Cillian Byrne. 

Subs: Danny Glennon for Lyng 55 mins, Darragh Redmond for M.Murphy 62 mins, Barry Hassey for Porter 63 mins.

Kilkenny CBS-  Niall Holland (Tullaroan); Tadhg Gill (St.Martins), Luca Loli (Dicksboro), Rory O'Connor (Dicksboro), Kevin Moore (Dicksboro), Gearoid Dunne (Tullaroan), Ciaran Phelan (John Lockes); Finn Hogan (O'Loughlin Gaels), Charlie Nolan (Dicksboro); Bill Walton (Tullaroan), Cathal Beirne (Glenmore), Evan Buggy (James Stephens); Ivan Bolger (Graiguenamanagh), Cillian Hackett (Dicksboro), Greg Kelly (O'Loughlin Gaels). 

Subs: Joe Healy (Barrow Rangers) for Kelly 42 mins, Billy O'Neill (Graigue-Ballycallan) for O'Connor 48 mins, Mikey Stynes (Dicksboro) for Bolger 53 mins, Paddy Collins(Thomastown) for Hogan 53 mins, Eoghan O'Neill (Dicksboro) for Nolan 63 mins.