St Mary's, Edenderry claim West Leinster soccer title

St Mary’s SS, Edenderry 4 Coláiste Mhuire, Mullingar 2

An impressive St Mary’s Secondary School side overcome a spirited Coláiste Mhuire outfit in the FAI Schools Boys West Leinster Senior Division 2 League decider last Thursday.

Played at a bitterly cold Moate Community School venue, this was a game that was in the balance for long stretches of the first half but once the Edenderry boys took control before the interval, there was only going to be one winner. St Mary’s produced a blistering start to the second half and two goals in the opening five minutes sealed the title against a Mullingar side competing in their first ever senior soccer final.

Coláiste Mhuire pressed hard in the latter stages and were rewarded with a second goal, but overall it was a relatively comfortable victory for St Mary’s and there were scenes of jubilation afterwards when Leon Clarke accepted the trophy from Chris Clyne, West Leinster organiser.

St Mary's Edenderry held a slender 2-1 advantage at half-time after an eventful opening 45 minutes. The Mullingar side began brightly, creating early openings. In the sixth minute, a corner from Seán Plunkett found Ronan Byrne in space, but his effort cleared the crossbar.

Jack McCann then forced home the opening goal in the 11th minute, his follow-up header finding the net after a dangerous free kick delivery unsettled the St Mary's defence.

It looked promising for Coláiste Mhuire at this stage, but St Mary's gradually asserted control. Eoghan Cullen showed composure on the ball, and their pressing game began to force errors. A misjudged clearance from goalkeeper Shane Martin was seized up by Cullen and it led to a free kick opportunity, but Martin atoned by holding the resulting shot.

Edenderry eventually made the breakthrough in the 25th minute following sustained pressure. A well-worked move involving Daniel Shannon and Gearóid Tyrell resulted in a corner. From the ensuing play, Charlie Connell latched onto the ball on the edge of the box and drilled a precise low shot beyond Martin to level the match at 1-1.

Coláiste Mhuire responded and Jack McCann combined well with Fionn Maguire in the 37th minute, but Maguire’s low strike lacked the necessary power to trouble the St Mary’s goalie.

The Offaly side's pressure paid off again just before the break. A series of corners - three in succession - stretched the Coláiste Mhuire defence, and in the 40th minute, Tyrell’s delivery found its way to the net, putting St Mary's 2-1 ahead.

Martin was called into action again in the 42nd minute, this time punching away a shot from Fionn Murphy. Coláiste Mhuire sought an immediate response, but James Murtagh’s goal-bound effort was deflected over for a corner which led to nought. Murtagh subsequently delivered the ball inside, leading to a half-chance for Michael McLoughlin, but his effort was saved and in any event, the referee ruled him offside.

As the half-time whistle blew, St Mary's held the advantage after overturning Coláiste Mhuire’s early dominance.

The Edenderry side produced a dominant second-half display and they wasted no time in extending their advantage. Just two minutes after the restart, Daniel Shannon unleashed a superb low drive from outside the box, arrowing his shot beyond Martin to make it 3-1. It was a goal of real quality and set the tone for what was to come.

With momentum firmly in their favour, St Mary's piled on the pressure, pinning Coláiste Mhuire deep in their own half. That pressure yielded another goal in the fifth minute when Shannon turned provider, delivering a dangerous ball into the area. When it was knocked down, Eoghan Cullen reacted quickest to force it home, putting Edenderry in complete control at 4-1.

To their credit, Coláiste Mhuire tried to rally, but they struggled to carve out clear-cut opportunities. Their task was made even more difficult when Michael McLoughlin was forced off with a knee injury after contesting possession, leading to a lengthy stoppage that disrupted their rhythm further. It was an unfortunate injury for the young Mullingar man.

As the game entered the closing stages, Coláiste Mhuire pressed forward, winning a couple of free kicks in promising positions, but Jack McCann’s effort failed to trouble Seán O’Neill in the St Mary's goal.

In the 86th minute, the Westmeath outfit finally found a breakthrough, giving themselves a glimmer of hope. Beau Greene rose highest in the box to meet a cross, planting a firm header into the net to reduce the deficit to 4-2. For a brief moment, St Mary's were forced to refocus.

However, they saw out the remaining minutes, managing the game well to ensure there would be no late drama. When the final whistle blew, their deserved victory was confirmed. The chants of their supporters rang out loudly throughout the game and they were rewarded as they cheered on their heroes once the presentation was complete.

Player of the match: Daniel Shannon (St Mary's SS). The Edenderry striker looked classy at times and his outstanding goal at the start of the second half was a moment of brilliance that ensured his side took complete control of this final. Gearóid Tyrell also impressed for a well-drilled Edenderry side.

St Mary’s Secondary School, Edenderry: Seán O’Neill, Cillian Murray, Anthony Logan, Leon Clarke, Seán Denehan, Jack Doyle, Eoghan Cullen, Fionn Murray, Daniel Shannon, Gearóid Tyrell, Charlie Connell. Subs used: Jamie O’Leary, Mario Ene, Flynn Nolan.

Coláiste Mhuire, Mullingar: Shane Martin, Finn Raeside, Evan McGreal, Ronan Byrne, Shane Windsor, Andrew Brennan, James Murtagh, Seán Plunkett, Beau Greene, Jack McCann, Fionn Maguire. Subs used: Michael McLoughlin, David Rodrigues, Rory McCaul, Declan Newman, Hugo Sleator, Adam Smyth, Seamus O’Brien.

Referee: David Nagle (Banagher).