2019 / 2020 Munster GAA Post Primary Schools Under 16.5 E Hurling Final – Comeragh College 5-9 Carrigtwohill 1-7

2019 / 2020 Munster GAA Post Primary Schools Under 16.5 E Hurling Final

Comeragh College 5-9 Carrigtwohill 1-7

On Thursday the 14th of November, the Under 16.5 hurlers of Comeragh College and Carrigtwohill Community College travelled to Kilgobnet GAA complex to play in the Munster Final.

After a hard-fought win in the semi-final the week previous, the Comeragh players knew how hard the task in front of them was going to be. The game began at a frantic pace with Carrigtwohill’s attacking threat scoring the opening two points of the game and putting great pressure on the Comeragh defenders. Taylor Fleming got a nice point from a counter-attack and after 10 minutes the score was 3 points to 1 point to Carrigtwohill.

An unfortunate injury to the Carrigtwohill centre back led to a break in play. Comeragh College came out of this break the better team and this was proven when Charlie O’Sullivan won a dirty ball before bursting through and burying the ball into the top corner of the net. From the puck out Carrigtwohill won possession and worked the ball in smartly and got a goal of their own leaving the score at 1-3 to 1-1.

The Comeragh lads didn’t let this affect them and went on the attack and scored two fine points from Dale Waters and Taylor Fleming. Moments later Jack Hickey won a ball and played a fine pass to Pauric Walsh who buried the ball into the net again. This was followed by the score of the game – a defence splitting solo run and accurate finish to the goal from Taylor Fleming. Pauric Walsh got his second score of the game – a fine point from a central position followed by a Charlie O’Sullivan point. Carrigtwohill got the final score of the first half leaving it 3-6 to 1-4 to Comeragh College at half time. This convincing scoreline was a combination of clinical finishing from the scorers but also some incredibly hard work from Nathan Booth, Fionn Barry and Callum Walsh.

The second half began with a number of rucks being contested in the middle of the field and both teams showed great discipline and desire while contesting these balls. A fine delivery into Charlie O’Sullivan from a Taylor Fleming free led to Charlie’s second goal of the game which was followed by Pauric Walsh’s second point of the game. It was now Jack Hickey’s turn to get on the scoreboard and he did so with 3 scores in a row, 2 points followed by a goal. Charlie O’Sullivan followed with a point from play which was to be Comeragh’s last score of the game.

It was now their turn to defend, with the full back line of Jack O’Neill, Gavin O’Keeffe and Kyle Cooke and goalkeeper Adam Kerwick coming out and clearing ball after ball while the half back line of Reece Halligan, Conor Corcoran and Tadgh Leane also stood firm to every challenge Carrigtwohill threw at them. It was this standard of disciplined and tough defending that set the platform all year for Comeragh forwards to score as they did. The management decided to freshen things up and Lorcan O’Sullivan, Eoin Barry, Niall Greene, Owen Dunphy and Jake Maher replaced Charlie O’Sullivan, Fionn Barry, Jack Hickey, Jack O’Neill and Kyle Cooke.

The final ten minutes of the game saw defending of total honesty and Carrigtwohill were held to 3 points in the second half. The players were then greeted with the final whistle and the celebrations began, subs bench emptying onto the field and a big circle of young men congratulating each other after becoming Munster champions.

This victory was no more than the Comeragh players deserved for their application, honesty and discipline while doing everything asked of them and more by the management. The future is very bright for this group of players and if they apply the same willingness to work hard then more good days lie ahead. The whole panel of players are delighted to get their hands on their Munster medal.