Coláiste na Coiribe show little mercy to brave Woodford side

Coláiste na Coiribe 3-15

Mercy College, Woodford 2-8

Patrick Earley  at Duggan Park

COLÁISTE na Coiribe collected a first ever Connacht Post Primary Senior hurling title when they defeated a gallant Mercy College, Woodford to claim the Barry Burke Cup in a thoroughly enjoyable provincial Senior C decider at Duggan Park, Ballinasloe on Saturday.

Standout performances by last year’s county minors Donal Ó Sé and Colm Cunningham, along with last year’s minor footballer Cathal Sweeney, proved the difference between the sides, as Coláiste na Coiribe’s class told in the end, though they were made to work for it.

Making any Connacht final is a fantastic achievement, but to do so with players from a single club is quite remarkable and that’s exactly what Mercy College did, with all 26 squad members hailing from the Tommy Larkins club, something to be proud of for both club and school.

Indeed, it was they who started the brighter, racing in to the 0-3 to 0-1 lead with well-taken scores by Ruairi Keane, Seamus Comar and Adrian Moran.

Coláiste na Coiribe worked their way in to the game thereafte, however,and by the time Mercy College registered their fourth point of the game, the city school had hit them for 1-5.

Brian Palmer and Ó Sé (free) levelled the tie before Man-of-the-Match Sweeney landed his opening score of the final, collecting Ó Sé’s delivery and pointing on the run.

Ó Sé then fired his first point of the day from play before full-forward Sean Joyce goaled to hand his side a five-point lead.

For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.

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