Over 500 Moate CS fans set to travel to tomorrow's Leinster decider

More than 500 supporters are expected to travel from Moate to Portlaoise tomorrow (Friday) to cheer on the local Community School in the final of the Leinster Schools' Senior Football Championship. 

It's 35 years since a school from Moate has reached this stage in the competition, and Moate CS principal Tom Lowry said there was a huge level of interest in the game throughout the town and surrounding communities.

'The students are trying to learn and have a normal school day today, but I think the match, and the fact that we will be on the bus this time tomorrow heading up to it, is in the back of everyone's mind,' Mr Lowry told the Westmeath Independent this morning.

He said ten busloads of supporters would be departing from the school, and that there will also be great support from local national school St Oliver Plunkett's and from the GAA clubs in Westmeath and Offaly whose representatives play for the school.

Moate CS face St Peter's, Wexford, in the decider at O'Moore Park, Portlaoise (1pm).

There was once a time when Moate – and the former Carmelite College – ruled the roost in Leinster football, with the Carmelite winning six Leinster titles (and two All-Irelands) between 1975 and 1981.

But despite coming close to reaching the final in recent years, the Lake County outfit had failed to reach the Blue Riband of Leinster Schools' football.

That changed after last week's semi-final win against four-times winners Good Counsel, New Ross, who were denied a meeting in the final with their county rivals thanks to Moate's 1-9 to 0-8 victory in Stradbally.

With the Moate school only officially opened in 1996, as a result of an amalgamation between Convent of Mercy Secondary School, Carmelite College and Moate Vocational School, reaching the Leinster final is no mean feat.

Manager and teacher Peter Tormey is desperate to see his young charges go one step further, and to take the Cup back to Westmeath, where it hasn't resided since Athlone Community College (one of the teams Moate CS defeated along the way to the final) won the trophy in 2008.

“Look, the lads have done so well this year,” said Bunbrosna's Tormey.

“It's always been one game at a time for us, and it's taken us, thankfully, to the final. We always knew the semi-final against Good Counsel would be a big challenge and we weren't overly happy with the way we used the ball in the first half. We were better, I felt, in the second half when we used a bit more patience in our approach play and got the rewards.

“We took our chances when they came, but we know on another day Good Counsel could have taken a few more scores to make it a tighter affair. In the end, we came through another big, physical test and after a similar game against Scoil Aodhain, and we're hoping that those two hard matches will really stand to us in the final,” he added.

Tormey said that all the players, including the returning Ruairi Aspell (who had a lengthy lay-off through injury before returning in impressive fashion against Good Counsel last week), came through the game without any injury worries for the final.

Tormey said that Moate CS have been very fortunate on the injury front this year and preparations this week have focused on getting the players as fresh and relaxed as possible for the big occasion in Portlaoise.

In St Peter's, Wexford, Moate will face a tough opponent managed by current Model County stalwart Brian Malone. They navigated a way past Colaiste Eoin and Knockbeg College before the 0-13 to 1-8 semi-final triumph against Wicklow Schools in Enniscorthy last week.

Cathal Devereux was central to St Peter's success in the last four encounter, scoring six points (four frees), but having watched his team cope really well against the threat of Good Counsel's star player, Jamie Myler (restricting him to four points, all from frees), Tormey is confident his side can prove a match for anybody in the county, on their day.

“The lads are in great condition, there's no doubt about it, and they will be raring to go on Friday. We've just concentrated on a few little things this week, the things we want to get better at, but it's mainly been about getting the lads recovered from the semi-final exertions and as prepared and relaxed as possible for Friday.

“It's going to be a big occasion for everyone involved in the school but for the players, it's just another match to be won. We will go into it with that same mindset, which has served us well in the competition so far, and see where it takes us,” he said.