2024/2025 TUS Corn Risteard Uí Mhathúna (Under 19 C Hurling) Final – Scoil Mhuire & Íde, Newcastle West 0-10 St. Mary’s Newport 1-5

Scoil Mhuire & Íde, Newcastle West defeated St. Mary’s Newport by 0-10 to 1-5 in the 2024/2025 TUS Corn Risteard Uí Mhathúna (Under 19 C Hurling) Final on Saturday February 15th at Kilmallock.

---

It was the culmination of hard-work and determination. Perhaps evidence of a change in sporting ethos. For all the mercurial hurling talent that passed through SMI’s doors, there were undertones of underachievement.

This time felt different. This SMI team came to Kilmallock last Saturday to rectify the promise held by so many of their predecessors. That is, to win the school’s first Senior provincial title.

---

---

After a typically nervy opening four minutes, SMI captain Diarmuid Lyons soloed through the middle to register the opening score of the contest. St. Mary’s responded two minutes later as Cillian Collins found himself in a 1v1 with Odhran Kelleher before striking a brilliant score over his left shoulder.

However, Collins getting any change off of Kelleher would become a rare occurrence as the game flowed on. A Conor Hough free put SMI back in front after eight minutes while towering wing-forward Charlie Tobin levelled for Newport four minutes later. A sequence of delicately crisp passes resulted in a fine Leon O’Flynn effort with the shot carrying just enough velocity to creep above the crossbar.

Lyons pointed his second from the left hand side from the subsequent attack in what seemed like a devastating double punch from SMI. Tobin’s frame and aerial capacity quickly made him a primary danger for the SMI defence as he struck for his second point of the game after twenty minutes. Despite implementing a ‘sweeper’ themselves, Newport’s long deliveries to the inside forwards were continuously channelled into the path of SMI’s extra defender in the minutes leading up to half-time.

Amidst the greasy conditions, ball retention became key to hopes of adding to the scoreboard. SMI began to pick out danger man Conor Hough with some low defense piercing balls from Liam O’Connor and Fionn Meehan. It resulted in Hough pointing from a free and then putting over a delightful score from play in the space of a minute.

A pair of well-struck placed balls from Hough closed out the half. HT SMI 0-8 St. Mary’s Newport 0-3.

---

---

---

On resumption of the contest, Newport set out to retrieve the five point lead cast out by SMI before the interval. A pair of Collins frees eroded the deficit as the game became scrappy with numerous bodies converging into rucks around the ball.

Patrick Cagney and Gavin Thompson were doing overtime in the SMI engine room as Hough maintained his sharpness from frees by carving a brilliant effort from an acute angle after forty-two minutes. Three minutes later Hough, after shredding his marker, made an angled run towards goal before attempting to pick out team-mate Conor McMahon on the edge of the square.

However, his pass lodged itself in the sodden turf and what looked like a potential game winning goal was quickly swept away. As SMI began to subconsciously retreat deeper into their own half against the breeze, Newport sought an opportunity and went on the offensive. But critically they couldn’t get a return from their chances. Their five wides in succession was a crucial stat in the outcome of the game. They also perhaps may be galled by the fact that SMI only had two attempts on goal twenty minutes into the second half.

With Odhran Kelleher, David Moloney and Eoghan Sheehan performing superbly at the back and given the poor on-field conditions, a four point lead looked safe. But this SMI team religiously don’t make things easy for themselves, the Ballingarry game and the semi-final against Clonakilty being live examples. With two minutes of normal time remaining, Tommie Cusack destined his free for the SMI square where it rebounded off keeper Darragh Tierney before being flicked home by Collins.

Just like that it was back to a one point game as the nerves became unbearable. Newport pressed for an equaliser but SMI broke up field against the play with Diarmuid Lyons, the model leader of the team, running through to slot over a vital score for his side. Newport could offer no more and SMI were Munster ‘C’ Hurling Champions on a scoreline of 0-10 to 1-5.

It’s a victory that will go beyond the confinement of the Kilmallock playing pitch while adding substance to the vision held by those who aim to promote GAA in the school. It also proves that even your best school days can come on a Saturday.

---

---

Scores SMI: Conor Hough 0-6 (0-5 frees), Diarmuid Lyons 0-3, Leon O’Flynn 0-1.

Scores Newport: Cillian Collins 1-3 (0-2 frees), Charlie Tobin 0-2.

SMI: Darragh Tierney (Newcastle West), David Moloney (Knockaderry), Odhran Kelleher (Kileedy), Eoghan Sheehan (St. Kierans), Liam O’Connor (Monagea), Patrick Cagney (Feohanagh-Castlemahon), Sean Long (St. Kierans), Gavin Thompson (St. Kierans), Diarmuid Lyons (Newcastle West) capt, Diarmuid Mullaney (Kileedy), Sean Lyons (Newcastle West), Leon O’Flynn (Newcastle West), Conor Hough (Monagea), Gavin Dorgan (Monagea) Fionn Meehan (Feohanagh-Castlemahon).
Subs: Conor McMahon (St. Kierans) for Leon O’Flynn (30 mins inj) Cathal Kiely (Monagea) for Fionn Meehan (38 mins), Andrew Lyons (Newcastle West) for Diarmuid Mullaney (45 mins).

St. Mary’s Newport: Evan Duffy, Fintan Sheridan, Cathal Hannan, Conor McLoughlin, Darragh Meaney, Tommie Cusack, Adam Power, Jamie Long, Eoghan Flynn, Charlie Tobin, Darragh Collopy, Cathal Sheridan, Callum Poole, Cillian Collins, Jack McCarthy.
Subs: Oisin Kennedy for Jack McCarthy (36 mins), Cormac Shanahan for Eoghan Flynn (51 mins).