by Elaine O’Leary
ARDSCOIL RÍS have secured their place in not one but two Munster Schools Cup finals when both Junior A and Junior B hockey teams beat out Bandon Grammar School sides at the Catholic Institute in Rosbrien.
The final-qualifying wins come just one weeks after the Ardscoil Minor B side took home the Munster title in a 2-0 victory over Midleton College.
Despite trailing at the end of the first quarter, Ardscoil dominated Bandon Grammar School in a 5-2 defeat in the Junior A semi-final. Goals from Fionán Kelleher, Sam Mulholland (2), Conor Ryan, and Dylan McNamara sealed the fate of the Cork side.
Bandon brought one back in the last play of the game with a dramatic flick from Irish U16 International Jamie Horgan, but a strong defence throughout from Luke Finucane, Cian O’Leary, goal-scorer McNamara, and Diarmuid Nolan ultimately kept the Bandon Wolf from the door and saw the Ardscoil side through to the final, a step closer to the junior hockey triad.
A much closer game in the Junior B saw new kids on the block Ardscoil defeat Bandon Grammar by 2-1.
Spurred on by the earlier Junior A victory, and determined to complete the triad and make it three out of three for Ardscoil in Munster, the Limerick sidetook the opening quarter with a goal from David O’Callaghan.
However Bandon came strong out of the blocks in the second quarter, pulling back a goal quickly.
A half-time formation change from Ardscoil proved just the ticket as Fionán Kelleher (who also netted in the Junior A game) struck home a winner, putting Ardscoil in a lead they held for the rest of the game.
Ardscoil Rís will seek to complete the triad on April 18 at the Catholic Institute with the Junior A game tipping off at 12.30pm followed after by the Junior B at 2pm.
