Gutsy Bish come up just short in Senior B final

John O’Sullivan at The Sportsgrounds

St Joseph’s College 5

St Murdeach’s College Ballina 15

The Bish fell to defeat against St Murdeach’s College Ballina in the Top Oil Connacht Schools Senior B Cup final at the Sportsground on Wednesday.

Tries in either half from captain Evan Ferguson and fly half Harry West – who also added a conversion and a penalty to the final tally – saw the Mayo school lead 15-0 going into the game’s final throes.

Number 8 Mark O’Connor powered over the Bish’s solitary, consolation score, but it was too little too late and St Murdeach’s deservedly triumphed in a game played in at times atrocious conditions.

With the rain curtailing any hopes of expansive back line play, it was a day for the forwards to stamp their authority.

It was through this hard-nosed, physical approach that the Ballina school opened the scoring.

A series of dominant carries from their pack saw St Murdeach’s establish field position in the Bish 22 before number 8 and captain Evan Ferguson powered over from close range. The conversion was wide, but the Mayo team had an ideal start to proceedings, with the game only 10 minutes old.

The remainder of the half was an even affair, with the inclement conditions forcing handling errors from both sides and the majority of the action taking place in the centre of pitch.

A late attacking surge from the Bish – with scrum-half Tom Kelly and outhalf Conor Corcoran prominent – forced Murdeach’s into defensive action in their own 22. But prop Evan Creaven and lock Sean Walkin, in particular, lead the resistance and the red and white’s took their 5-0 lead into half time.

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

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