Mount St Michael 0-11

St Nathy’s 3-18

MOUNT Saint Michael’s bid to reach the All-Ireland PPS Senior B football final came undone against an impressive St Nathy’s College, Ballaghaderreen outfit.

The Rosscarbery school trailed 2-7 to 0-10 at the break of this semi-final, played at the University of Limerick North Campus on Saturday, but the Connacht champions put on the afterburners in the second period to power into the Paddy Drummond Cup final.

Context is important, too, as the Rosscarbery school was missing three players – Jerome McCarthy, Kevin Duffy and Dylan O’Neill.

‘We had two guys with ankle injuries from the Munster final who were ruled out. A couple of days before the semi-final, Dylan O’Neill was ruled out as well,’ Mount Saint Michael’s boss Mike Keohane explained.

‘That made what was already a tough assignment an even tougher one.

‘I felt we played very well in the first half. We were the first to score, were only three points down at half time and we were happy enough with where we were at the break.

‘In the last number of months, we always pushed on in the second half. But St Nathy’s came out, bossed it and were physically stronger. They got the early scores and, unfortunately, we had no answers to them.’

The absence of the Carbery Rangers trio of McCarthy, Duffy and O’Neill was felt. McCarthy and Duffy both started the Munster final win, while super-sub O’Neill came off the bench to score three points, including the match-winner.

‘They were big losses, no doubt about that. Two of them are sixth-year students and the other is in fifth year. We finished the game with two third years on the team – that just shows where we were. We had to realign our panel this year and everyone who has come in has stepped up,’ Keohane said.

‘Everyone did the best they could and they gave a great account of themselves, but St Nathy’s played the best football they have all season.

‘We weren’t at our best, no denying that. It was just a day where nothing went our way. That happens to any team from time to time.

‘The players gave us great satisfaction and gave the school a great time. The support was brilliant and we were disappointed that we couldn’t give them more to enjoy.’

The Rosscarbery school surged into a 0-6 to 0-2 lead early on, but 2-3 without reply from Nathy’s – the brace of goals coming from Ryan O’Sullivan and Conor Moriarty – handed them a 2-5 to 0-6 advantage.

Scores from Luke O’Neill, Ronan Hayes and Joe McCarthy kept Ross in contention at half time, 2-7 to 0-10. The Roscommon school were too hot to handle in the second period as Declan Duffy bagged their third goal.

‘Anytime you win a Munster championship, that’s a successful year,’ Keohane added.

‘Great work has been put into this team for the last two to three years because we felt this was our best chance of Munster success,’ he said, as they turn their attention to a county senior B final against Pobalscoil na Tríonóide of Youghal.

‘We are hoping to end the season with a county win, which will be a very difficult task. Those injuries are not going to clear up anytime soon. We have to dust ourselves down and move on.

‘The school has never won a county and Munster B in the same year. We have an awful lot to play for.’

Scorers

Mount Saint Michael: R Hayes 0-6 (3f); L O’Neill 0-4 (2 2ptf); J McCarthy 0-1.

St Nathy’s College: D Casey 0-8 (2f, 1 2ptf); O Frain 0-4; J Cassidy 0-2; S Buckley 0-2 (1 2pt); R O’Sullivan, C Moriarty, D Duffy 1-0 each; N Gill, R Coleman 0-1 each.

Mount Saint Michael: C Campbell (Carbery Rangers); M McCarthy (Kilmacabea), B Sheehy (captain, (Carbery Rangers), R Fitzpatrick (do); D Scannell (do), C Buchanan (do), S Cuinnea (do); J McCarthy (do), P Tobin (do); O O’Donovan (Kilmacabea), R Hayes (Carbery Rangers), M McCarthy (do); L O’Neill (do), S Lane (do), J McCarthy (Kilmacabea).

Subs: J O’Donovan (Kilmacabea) for Lane (45), C Ó Donnabháin (Carbery Rangers) for M McCarthy (48), S Murphy (Carbery Rangers) for Fitzpatrick (53).

St Nathy’s College: P Gaynor; H Dooney, L Boyle, J Kilroy; J Cassidy, D Duffy, P Gilligan; O Frain, S Buckley; J Puncheon, D Casey, A Duffy; R O’Sullivan, M McTeigue, C Moriarty.

Subs: C Gallagher for Kilroy (ht); N Gill for Duffy (48); P O’Dowd for Gilligan (53); L Freyne for Puncheon (60); R Coleman for O’Sullivan (60).

Referee: E Horan (Kerry).