St Mary?s always in control against Marist as victory sets up clash with neighbours

St Mary?s, Edenderry: 1-8 Marist College, Athlone: 0-3 After defeat to Colaiste Eoin in the first round, St Mary?s, Edenderry got their Leinster Colleges SF ?A? Championship campaign firmly back on track with victory over Marist College from Athlone in Kinnegad last Friday afternoon. The first round losers went into a qualifying round and, by virtue of this victory, the Offaly school are now into the second round proper, where they will face Luke Dempsey?s St Joseph?s, Rochfortbridge this Friday. As the scoreline suggests, St Mary?s fully deserved victory against a Marist side that played a hard fought game that went to extra time, against Moyne Community School, just three days previously. The Athlone side were without their influential centre half-back Shane Mulvihill, Connacht rugby star Adam Kennedy and Eoin Slevin, who was suffering from the flu. That said, however, the performance of St Mary?s was streets ahead of the one they gave in the first round and, even if they had those missing players, perhaps Marist would still have been on the wrong end of the scoreline. The defensive showing from the Offaly side was a joy to behold and the evidence is in the concession of only three points over the of the 60 minutes. In particular, the half back line of Jake Kavanagh, Josh Kavanagh and Derek Kelly were in inspiring form. Indeed, the latter grabbed the all important goal 23 minutes in, but it was centre-back Josh Kavanagh from Rhode who gave a simply sublime performance and truly stunted the threat of Callum McCormack, a star on last year?s Westmeath Under-16 team. Marist really didn?t take their chances when they arose but the same can not be said of St Mary?s. They kept the scores ticking over and Kildare man Paul Cribbin really came good in the second period and that ensured a comfortable eight point win for the Offaly school. In a wet and windy Kinnegad, St Mary?s were in the driving seat at the interval, leading 1-4 to 0-1, and, in fact, their opponents didn?t score for a whopping 25 minutes. Marist had chances to redeem themselves after the break but on numerous occasions they shot many scorable efforts straight into the hands of Edenderry goalkeeper Colin McCormack. St Mary?s might have only added a further four points after the interlude, but this was more than enough to see off the challenge of the lack lustre opposition. Marist College only managed to score a single point during the opening minutes and that came ten minutes in when the aforementioned Callum McCormack struck high and over the bar from the right wing. By that stage, Paul Cribbin had already opened the scoring for St Mary?s but they had to wait a further 18 minutes before they put point number two on the board. That point came from the boot of Sean Hurley from a 13 metre free and from there on in St Mary?s new exactly where the posts were. Their most vital score arrived in the 23rd minute when Derek Kelly got forward to grab a goal. A line ball from Eoin O?Donoghue found Sean Hurley and he located Stewart Cullen. Cullen gave possession to Stephen Guing and it was his ball across the face of goals that was finished to the net at the far post by Kelly to leave the score at 1-2 to 0-1. Balyna man Paul Cribbin almost immediately tagged on another point and indeed things could have been worse for Marist College two minutes later. Eoin O?Donoghue?s ball played Cribbin through and in soccer fashion he struck for goal, but Marist ?keeper Justin Coughlan got the slightest of touches to avert the danger. Three minutes into time added on, a foul on Stewart Cullen saw Sean Hurley convert the resulting free to leave the half time score at 1-4 to 0-1. After the break things didn?t improve much for the Marist. They did draw first blood when David Fagan?s quick free found Callum McCormack and he fired over but a third point didn?t come until 20 minutes later and, by that stage, they were well and truly beaten. The scoreboard read 1-5 to 0-2 after twelve minutes of the second half thanks to a fine score Stephen Guing, after a move that began with a line ball on the left from Derek Kelly. When Offaly minor Mark Young tagged on a sixth point at the midway point of the second half, the game was well and truly up for the Marist College. Further points from Eoin O?Donoghue and Cribbin, while a free from Callum McCormack finished up the scoring in this qualifying encounter. However, in stoppage time Marist College looked almost certain to tag on a goal but Seanie Moore did excellently to clear Eric Farrell?s effort from the line. For Marist College, their 2008 interest in this competition comes to an end, but St Mary?s remain and will look to keep going at the expense of neighbours St Joseph?s this Friday afternoon. Scorers: St Mary?s - Paul Cribbin 0-3, Derek Kelly 1-0, Sean Hurley 0-2 (2f), Stephen Guing 0-1, Mark Young 0-1, Eoin O?Donoghue 0-1. Marist College - Callum McCormack 0-2 (1f), Ronan Stack 0-1. St Mary?s, Edenderry: Colin McCormack; Des Holton, Liam Holt, Conor O?Donoghue, Jake Kavanagh, Josh Kavanagh, Derek Kelly; William Holton, Mark Young; Stephen Guing, Eoin O?Donoghue, Paul Cribbin; Sean Hurley, Seanie Moore, Stewart Cullen. Subs: Pat Kelly for S Moore (57 mins), Brian O?Flaherty for S Hurley (58 mins). Marist College: Justin Coughlan; Patrick Boland, Patrick Blaine, Ronan Farrell; Sean Colgan, Trevor Farrell, Joe Reilly; Robert Buckley, Kevin Naughton; David Fagan, Callum McCormack, Ronan Stack; Eric Farrell, David Fagan, Daniel Sammon. Subs: Eamon Donoghue for R Stack (35 mins), Brian Mulvihill for D Sammon (46 mins). Referee: Alan Lagrue (Kildare).