Fr. Faul Cup Success
January 12th, 2010 by S Hanna
Late Show by Edmund Rice Seals Win
Glengormleys Edmund Rice College fought back from an eight-point deficit to break Coláiste Feirste hearts and take home the silverware from this colleges final at Casement Park.
The Falls Road college, one of the rising names in Ulster Colleges competition, led 3-5 to 1-3 with 20 minutes remaining, but a blistering haul of 3-4 in the closing period ensured Edmund Rice College would be celebrating at the final whistle.
Coláiste Feirste were on top in the opening period, stoking over two early scores, but Hightown, despite their lack of early possession, did manage to strike the post through John Donnelly.
Hightown’s Kevin McLaughlin then smashed a shot off the bar and into the net for the first goal of the match after 15 minutes.
But Coláiste Feirste came roaring back, with scores from two North Belfast Gaels, firstly Padraig Mac Riabhaigh pointed and then Dillon Mac Fhirbhisigh won a high ball and poked it to the net past the Hightown goalkeeper.
The momentum was now with Coláiste Feirste and a great left footed effort into the square by Lochlann Mac Cuardaigh was skewed over his own bar by a Hightown defender. But Martin Murray, the Edmund Rice midfielder, scored his second point with a free in the dying seconds of the half to leave two between the sides.
Telling positional switches for Edmund Rice saw Pearse Connor come on for Niall Southam at full-forward and Brian Gormley moving to midfield with Sean McKee going to wing forward.
Murray, just like in the first half, opened the scoring with a superb point, but Coláiste Feirste then hit something of a purple patch.
Garaí Ó Lionnáin scored a fine point before Ciaran Ó Flionn hit the back of the net with a neat turn and powerful shot that went in off the bar.
Hightown were reeling and were dealt with what seemed a fatal blow seconds later when Mac Cuardaign fired another left footed ball towards the square and Mac Fhirbhisigh once again was on hand to flick the ball into the net.
The Edmund Rice half-backs Caolan Foster, Martin Hackett and captain Ronan McCafferty worked like Trojans to quell Coláiste Feirste’s attacks and begin their own, while the full back line put their bodies on the line for the cause.
Eight points down but inspired by midfielder Murray the North Belfast lads fired over two points before having a goal denied by a fine, close range save from Coláiste Feirste keeper Breandán Ó Neill.
But Hightown wouldn’t have long to wait for a goal as Murray fizzed a ball into John Donnelly, who fired to the back of the net to leave a goal between the sides with 15 minutes left to play.
John Donnelly thought he had scored the equalising goal when he slid in at the far post but the ball was somehow clawed off the line with the cost of a close line free, which Murray duly converted.
Another Murray free, struck right between the posts from out on the left, put the minimum between the sides.
Amazingly, another goal arrived when John Donnelly again found the net when he sliced home a loose ball in the square to break Coláiste Feirste hearts and before the final whistle Donnelly punched a high ball to the net to make it 4-7 to 3-6. The final whistle sparked mass celebrations from the Edmund Rice College players and supporters.
Edmund Rice:
Conor Teer, Terence McDonald, Terence McNamara, Kevin Montague, Coalan Foster, Ronan McCafferty, Martin Hackett, Martin Murray, Sean McKee, Brian Gormley, Kevin McLaughlin, John Donnelly, Ryan Davidson, Niall Southam, (Pearse Connor), Niall McGivern. Subs: Pearse Connor, Joe Montgomery, Tiernan Lindsay, Paul Kane, Daniel Moore, Martin Moore, Finlay McCallum, Kevin Morrow.