Scahill on form as CBS head to North Leinster final

A fine tally of seven points and many assists from Josh Scahill helped Coláiste Mhuire to a comfortable win over Athlone school, Marist College, in damp conditions in Mullingar Shamrocks GAA on Wednesday, November 6, as the Mullingar side booked their place in the North Leinster 2nd Year football final.

Coached by Gráinne Byrne and Joe Corroon, CBS never looked like they were going to come away with anything other than a win following a spree of scoring in the opening minutes. Wing-forward Jamie Leech got things moving in the first seconds before Michael Brennan hit a second before two minutes had elapsed. Scahill got his first point and was heavily involved in the following five scores, all of which came from play. Leech added his second and third as CBS looked like it was going to be a one-way traffic for a prolonged period. His scores were swiftly followed by Brennan’s lovely swinging effort, one from Matthew Tully, and the main man Scahill took his chance to put his second on the board. The Marist efforts were strong but it was simply a case of height, power, and speed trumping them as Coláiste Mhuire took aim at will. Michael Brennan found his range with a fantastic 45 before Andrew Currid and Luke Stankard tried but were not able to make their own mark as efforts for the western side went wide.

The first goal came ten minutes before the break when Matthew Tully finished after the ball went through the hands of several player. With the score 1-11 to 0-0, direct running from Ruairí Nicholson teed up Currid who got his point and Marist were off the mark. The game ended as a contest entirely before the break when full-forward Luke Dowling hit the net twice in five minutes. Both goals were excellent multiplayer moves with Tristan Duncan central to both. One of the early CBS substitutes, Killian Raleigh, saw his shot crash off the bar before Scahill ended the scoring with the rebounded point. Half-time and the Mullingar side were in control, 3-13 to 0-1.

Despite substitutions aplenty for the home side, the work ethic did not budge as the scores kept coming. Scahill’s long-range effort was expertly taken but came just moments before Marist doubled their tally. A brilliant left-footed point from Conor McEnroe bringing some joy to the team despite the widening gap. Goal four for CBS was finished to the net by replacement, Senan Brody. The number 25 had a strong impact after coming on and was central to the teams’ next points from Scahill and Tully also. Following the next raft of substitutions, Stankard popped up with the third for Marist as Harry Costello worked hard to rally his team. Marist did manage to outscore the much-changed opposition by 1-3 to 1-2 in the final minutes. Stankard and substitute Jay O’Brien both pointed well before a quickfire 1-1 from Aodhán Fallon, including a lovely free off-the-ground, finished their tally. In the end, comfortable for the victors. A spot in the decider awaits.

Scorers – Coláiste Mhuire, Mullingar: J Scahill 0-7 (1f), Luke Dowling 2-0, J Leech 0-4, M Tully, J McHugh, S Brody 1-1 each, M Brennan 0-3 (1 45), L Fitzsimons 0-1.

Marist College, Athlone: A Fallon 1-1 (1f), A Currid, C McEnroe, L Stankard, J O’Brien 0-1 each.

Coláiste Mhuire, Mullingar: Tom McCaul; Seán O’Connell, Shay Leavy, Eoin McGinley; Shane Canning, Scott Farrelly, Tom Leech; Michael Brennan, Ollie Keane; Jamie Leech, Peadar Baird, Tristan Duncan; Josh Scahill, Luke Dowling, Matthew Tully. Rest of panel: James McHugh, Aaron Wallace, Luke Fitzsimons, Adam Slevin-Kiernan, Killian Raleigh, Seán Higgins, Conor Glynn, Ruairí Heffernan, Senan Brody, Liam O’Brien, Aidan Tuite, Adam Hughes, Darragh Daly, Filip Socha, Sam Clerkin, Michael Fitzgerald, Ross Maxwell, Ciarán McGrath, Cathal Kilmurray.

Marist College, Athlone: Finn Sheridan; Oisín Burke, Eoghan McCormack; Fearghal Kelly; Cillian Silke, Jack Preston, Conor Kinahan; Harry Costello, Andrew Currid; Conor McEnroe, Ruairí Nicholson, Frank Pettit; Aodhán Fallon, Adam O’Brien, Luke Stankard. Rest of panel: Fionn Cotton, Conor McCormack, Brendan Nally, Bruno Aymerich, Caelan O’Neill, Fionnán Finnegan, Odhran Finnegan, Ronan Regan, Rory Gethins, Ryan Cunningham, Harry Lowe, Cillian Fallon, Oisín McCormack, Ben Gilligan, Jay O’Brien.

Referee: Marius Stones (Offaly)