Ardee Community School fall to defeat in Leinster A PPS Championship

Ardee Community School were beaten in their Leinster A PPS Championship preliminary quarter final by Ardscoil na Trionoide Athy, on Monday lunchtime in Athy, where the home side scored four first half goals on their way to a deserved victory.

The Athy school finished with a winning tally of 5-13, with 5-12 emanating from play. They were also hugely economical in front of the posts, with that 5-12 coming from 24 shots in open play.

Ardee CS to their credit refused to throw in the towel, despite being outplayed for most of this contest, with late goals from Ardee St Marys’ Adam Gillespie, and Stabannon’s Ryan Shevlin putting some respectability the scoreboard from their perspective in a very open game of football.

Ardscoil na Trionoide had 1-1 on the board inside the first two minutes, by the time Ardee had time to draw breath, with Sam Lynch collecting a Darragh Farrell pass before slotting to the net, to go with his earlier white flag.

The Louth side responded, through a Ryan Shevlin free following a foul on Sean Flynn, before Flynn fired over from play following a clever footpass by the returning Adam Gillespie, whose pass found Cormac Lundon who set up Flynn for that point.

Cormac Lundon who ran at the opposition at every opportunity, scored from play to leave just a point between the sides in a lively opening 7 minutes.

However, the home side stepped it up a gear, with Kildare minor player Ronan Kelly putting three between the sides with a quickfire brace, as the Athy school got great joy when they moved the ball through the hands, running at the heart of the Ardee defence.

The home side also won 6 out of 10 on Ardee CS’s kickout, with Eoin Johnson, and Laois minor Robbie Murphy supported by Evan Doogue in winning possession in this department.

On the back of this, Ardscoil na Trionoide landed two further majors through Darragh Farrell and Harry Grainger, to lead 3-3 to 0-5 after 17 minutes.

Grainger’s goal had preceded fine scores from Josh Taffe and Dylan Shevlin for Ardee CS, with Taffe finishing with 22 possessions in an impressive showing from himself.

That period also saw Ardscoil’s keeper Oisin Groarke thwart a goalbound from Dylan Shevlin who collected another clever Adam Gillespie pass, with the latter finishing with 19 possessions for his side.

Evan Doogue soon set up Colm Moran for the Athy school’s fourth goal, which gave Ardee CS a mount to climb at 4-4 to 0-7, despite the best efforts of Josh Taffe and Sean Flynn who landed further scores.

As the Athy side continued to find joy on the Ardee kickout, Ronan Kelly made it 4-4 to 0-7 approaching half time.

However, Ardee CS gave themselves a glimmer of hope before the break, when Josh Taffee took a Sean Flynn pass off the shoulder, before firing to the net, to leave seven between the sides at the interval at 4-5 to 1-7.

Second Half:

But that was as close as the back to back Lennon Cup winners got to their opponents, as Ardscoil na Trionoide Athy outscored Ardee CS by 1-6 to 0-1 to lead by fifteen by the end of the third quarter.

Following a Cameron Pedreschi turnover, Evan Doogue slotted home the home side’s fifth goal, which had followed fine points from Ronan Kelly (2), Cameron Pedreschi, Colm Moran, Eoin Johnson and Robbie Murphy.

A tenacious turnover from Josh Taffe, saw Sean Flynn set up Cormac Lundon for his second score from play, before Ardee landed their second goal through Ryan Shevlin, who parried the rebound to the net, after Ardscoil’s keeper Oisin Groarke had denied Sean Flynn for the second time in the half.

A long Ardee kickout saw the pacy Lundon set off on a long run, before being dragged back in the box, earning his side a penalty, which Adam Gillespie converted to leave nine between the sides at 5-12 to 3-9.

But Ardscoil na Trionoide closed out the game thanks for Sam Lynch (f) and Harry Grainger to seal their place in the quarter finals of the Brother Bosco Cup.

Despite this defeat, Ardee CS who finished with 14 men, will look to defend their Lennon Cup crown against the De La Salle next week.

Ardee Community School: Liam O’Donoghue; Tom Grimes, Keelin Martin, Ciaran Russell; Josh Taaffe (1-2), Andy Murphy, Conor Clinton; Flynn Markey, Ryan Shevlin (1-1); Tadgh Devanney, Dylan Shevlin (0-1), Luke Keenan; Adam Gillespie (1-0) (1 pen), Sean Flynn (0-3) (1f), Cormac Lundon (0-2).

Subs: Jack Martin for Keenan (42), Killian Rafferty for Devanney (47).

Ardscoil na Trionoide Athy: Oisin Groarke; Daniel Henry, Mark Grufferty, Liam Byrne; Cameron Padreschi (0-1), Harry Grainger (1-1), Callum Keaveny; Eoin Johnson (0-2), Robbie Murphy (0-1); Ronan Kelly (0-4), Colm Moran (1-1), Sam Lynch (1-2); Evan Doogue (1-0), Darragh Farrell (1-1), Paidi Kelly.

Subs: Roan Brennan for Keaveny (49).