Cooney’s cracker powers St Raphael’s to Connacht glory

St Raphael’s, Loughrea 1-10

Pres College, Athenry 0-9

TWELVE months ago they weren’t even competing at this grade but last Friday, St Raphael’s College, Loughrea fulfilled their rich potential when dethroning Presentation College, Athenry and claiming a first Connacht Post Primary Schools Senior A title since 2004.

Having watched both semi-finals, this decider always had the potential for a surprise. St Raphael’s were outstanding in their semi-final defeat of Gort Community School and if they were to transfer that form onto the field of play again last Friday, they were in with a chance.

And they duly did so on a very different afternoon’s hurling where heart, grit and work rate were the key components required for victory on a bitterly cold and miserable afternoon in the Connacht GAA Centre of Excellence, where a strong wind blowing directly down the field had a huge bearing on proceedings.

St Raphael’s had the aid of the wind in the opening half but struggled to adapt in the first quarter, spurning chance after chance and lacking composure in their deliveries to the inside line where Pres Athenry captain Ian McGlynn was stationed between his full and half-back lines.

St Raphael’s hit seven wides in the opening quarter alone, while Pres Athenry played exactly how manager Cathal Moore would have liked in that period, crowding the middle third where St Raphael’s went man-for-man, and working the ball through the lines in an attempt to conjure frees when they did have possession.

After 16 minutes, they were level at 0-2 apiece and St Raphael’s were in dire straits, seemingly throwing the game away a little bit more with each wide they struck.

The big change came when manager Frannie Forde switched John Cooney from wing-back to midfield, with Keith Dervan switching back on Paddy Rabbitte.

Cooney had been centre-back in the semi-final, but with Shane Morgan stationed at centre-back from the off to shore up the defence on Friday, Cooney was given licence to push forward and attack.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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