Late St Flannan's flourish denies Kilkenny CBC in All-Ireland Quarter-Final
St Flannan's Ennis 2-12 Kilkenny CBC 0-13
There was late heartbreak for Kilkenny CBC after two goals inside the final 10 minutes saw St Flannan's of Ennis defeat the beaten Leinster Finalists in a compelling Croke Cup Quarter-Final clash.
Thomas O'Connor and Graham Ball both found the net for the Clare school as they reeled off 2-3 without reply as they overtook a CBC team that looked well placed to advance for long periods of the 60 minutes.
When Joe Dowling made it 0-13 to 0-9 in CBC's favour, the finish line looked within range but Seamus Dwyer's team failed to score from that point on as Flannan's set up a last four meeting with Pres Athenry in a fortnight's time.
This was the third year in a row that Kilkenny CBC exited the championship at this stage and this one will hurt a lot as with the wind behind them, they looked to have built up a winning score when leading 0-9 to 0-4 at the interval with Patrick Lacey once again leading the charge.
The Dicksboro man added two more second half scores and with Joe Dowling and Zac Scanlon adding to the tally, CBC appeared to be on the cusp of a big scalp but the two Flannan's goals ensured it wasn't to be their day even if they can be glad at how they bounced back from a heavy loss in the Leinster Final.
Teams and Scorers
St. Flannan’s College: John Barry 0-6 (5f, 1’65); Thomas O’Connor 1-1; Harry Doherty 0-3 (2f); Graham Ball 1-0; Darragh McNamara, Eoin O’Connor 0-1 each
Kilkenny CBC: Patrick Lacey 0-8 (6f); Anthony Clifford, Zak Scanlon, Ollie O’Donovan, Cian Byrne, Joe Dowling 0-1 each
St Flannan’s College: Leon Talty; Darragh Ball, Sean McNamara, Darragh Murrihy; Graham Ball, James Cullinan, Colm Daly; Isaac Hassett, John Barry; Harry Doherty, Eoin O’Connor, Rory Ralph; Thomas O’Connor, Darragh McNamara, David Loftus.
Subs:Ben Talty for Hassett (38 mins), Donncha Mahon for Loftus (41 mins), Patrick Finneran for E. O’Connor (46 mins)
Kilkenny CBC: Rian Dowling (Dicksboro); Kealan Barcoe (Young Irelands), N Gibbons (Dicksboro), Conor Barcoe (Thomastown); Zak O’Halloran (John Lockes), Josh Dowling (Erins Own), James Bergin (James Stephens); Paddy O’Brien (John Lockes), Anthony Clifford (Dicksboro); Luke McDonald (O’Loughlin Gaels), Patrick Lacey (Dicksboro), Joe Dowling (Dicksboro); Cian Byrne (O’Loughlin Gaels), Ollie O’Donovan (John Lockes), Zak Scanlon (James Stephens)
Subs:Jack Roche (Rower Inistioge) for O’Brien (52 mins), Adam Maher (O’Loughlin Gaels) for Joe Dowling (59 mins)
Referee: Eamonn Stapleton (Limerick)