Clara school claims national soccer title

Soccer: FAI Schools Minor ‘B’ Boys National Cup Final (Small Schools)

Coláiste Muire, Crosshaven 1, Ard Scoil Chiaráin Naofa, Clara 2

Clara's Ard Scoil Chiaráin Naofa secured the Minor ‘B’ Boys National Cup title when they defeated Coláiste Muire, Crosshaven in a highly entertaining encounter in Fairview Rangers AFC last Wednesday (April 26)

It was a frantic start to proceedings as Clara’s Isaac Ryan and Tadhg Maher came close to breaking the deadlock early on as well as Crosshaven’s starlet Oisín Buckley at the other end of the park.

The opener came on 17 minutes as Isaac Ryan’s initial effort was palmed away while Tadhg Maher slotted in the rebound.

The deadly duo were causing problems for the Cork defenders as Maher’s strike from distance sailed narrowly over the upright while Ryan’s attempt clipped the post on 23 minutes.

Cork’s Shane Casey came agonisingly close to connecting to a Fionn O’Donovan cross two minutes later.

Clara’s second goal came a minute from the interval with a beautifully taken shot from Dylan Dunne as they went in two up at the break.

Maher got on the scoresheet again 11 minutes into the restart but it was disallowed for an off-side.

Oisin Buckley grabbed a peach of a goal with 49 minutes on the clock to bring it to within one as the momentum was shifting slightly to the Munster champions.

Fionn O’Donovan was nearly getting the equaliser four minutes later but his effort was just wide of the target.

Clara were comfortable in possession in the latter stages of the game and did enough to avert any further Crosshaven threat.

It was a slick performance from Jason Kiernan’s side to capture the title. Clara lost the First Year ‘B’ National Cup last October to Balla Secondary School so it was lovely to see Kiernan’s crew dust themselves off after that defeat and get over the line this season with the same group of players.

Crosshaven will be bitterly disappointed having lost the Junior ‘B’ National Cup to Pobalscoil Ghaoth Dobhair in March. A second defeat in the National stages but they should be sure to impress next season with the talent on display last week.

COLÁISTE MUIRE, CROSSHAVEN, CORK | Sam Murphy, Oisin Auzins, Fionn O’Keefe, Fionn Doran Noonan, Matthew O’Connor, Joey Middleton, Diarmuid Kelly, Jimmy O’Donovan, Oisín Buckley, Fionn O’Donovan, Shane Casey

SUBS: Oscar Coleman, Oscar Mansfield, Joe O’Connell, Jack Ward, Tommy Crowley, Peter McCann, Callum Mulcahy, Cormac Ryan, Djevency Joseph, Jack Ashcroft, Aaron Ahern, Nicholas Woodroofe, Joshua Foley, Rafael Considine Cruz

Teachers:| Cian Hurley & Michael Ryan

ARD SCOIL CHIARÁIN NAOFA, CLARA: James McKenna, Jack Griffith Ryan Handy, Daniel Stoyanov, John Carroll, Liam Fitzpatrick, Isaac Ryan, Dylan Deehan Kavanagh, Tadhg Maher, Dylan Dunne, Leon Nolan

SUBS: Jack Lynch, Niall Clerkin, Ayden Kelly, Oisin Guilfoyle, Neil Gaffey, Daragh Rownan, Cian Judge, Callum Tracey, Nathan Kelly, Thomas Weir, Matthew Moran, Jack Fleming, Alex Kelly Sean Mullen, Raphael Dunne, Evan Redmond

Teachers: Jason Kiernan

Referee | Colm Walsh (Limerick)