Castlecomer surprise Castlecomer Community School overcame an eight-point deficit to register a surprise 2-14 to 2-12 victory over league champions St Kieran's College in the Leinster Colleges Senior Hurling championship at Nowlan Park yesterday.
Castlecomer, who had never beaten St Kieran's in the championship, looked in trouble when two goals from James Nolan pushed St Kieran's 2-3 to 0-1 clear in the first quarter.
Although they scored a goal through Canice Maher minutes later, at half-time Castlecomer trailed by 1-4 to 2-6.
A 35th minute goal from Brian Dillon cut the arrears to 2-5 to 2-7, and with free-taker Colin McGrath taking every chance that came his way, Castlecomer levelled the game at 2-10 apiece on 48 minutes.
They led for the first time a minute later thanks to a point from Colin McGrath. Dillon's late point guaranteed Castlecomer victory and a place in the final on Sunday week against Kilkenny CBS.
CASTLECOMER CS: G Delaney; A Moran, G Morrissey, O Walsh; C Fogarty, K Mooney, P Boran; E Hickey, B Dillon (1-1); N Darcy, M Murphy, T Greene; E O'Dwyer (0-2), C McGrath (0-10), C Maher (1-1).
ST KIERAN'S COLLEGE: M Gannon; N McQuillan, M Walsh, J Gannon; B O'Shea, M Phelan, M Fagan; M Leydon, A Tyrrell; J Nolan (2-0), D Walton, JJ Farrell (0-1); L Ryan (0-2), K Hogan (0-3), S Brennan (0-5). Subs: C McQuillan for Leydon; J Brennan (0-1) for Hogan.
Referee: J Guinan (Lisdowney).
Lavin back on panel
Steven Lavin is back on the Limerick panel ahead of Sunday's National Football League Division One A fourth round game against Kerry. Lavin only recently returned from Australia but has been showing well in training, and is on the bench. With Jason Stokes still injured, Darren Horan of Monaleen continues at full forward.
LIMERICK (SF v Kerry): S Kiely; D Carroll, J McCarthy, S Gallagher; P Ahern, P Browne, P Ranahan; J Galvin, T Cahill; J Ryan, T Carroll, J Cooke; J O'Brien, D Horan, M Reidy.
Kinsella appeal fails
Wexford have failed in their bid to make midfielder Diarmuid Kinsella available for Sunday's NFL Division Two B clash away to Antrim.
Kinsella received a straight red card in his side's second-round victory over Tipperary for which he received an eight-week ban.
The Castletown clubman appealed the decision to the Hearings Committee in Croke Park but failed to have the ban rescinded.
His midfield colleague Eric Bradley, sent off on a straight red in the county's last outing against Wicklow, will not appeal the four-week ban which also rules him out of the Antrim clash.
This leaves manager Paul Bealin with a midfield dilemma, for attacker David Fogarty, who has also figured in midfield, will also miss the game with an ankle injury.
Laois make changes
Laois manager Liam Kearns has made five changes to the side that drew with Louth for the Division One B visit to Down. Pádraig McMahon and Tom Kelly come into the defence in place of Rory Stapleton and Peter O'Leary, with Darren Rooney switching to full back.
Noel Garvan makes his first appearance of the year at midfield instead of Brendan Quigley, while Billy Sheehan and Barry Brennan have been replaced by David Murphy and Gary Kavanagh. Chris Conway moves to centre forward and Paul Lawlor switches to full forward.
Stapleton will play no further part in the league after dislocating his elbow against Louth. Brennan, who scored 1-3 in that game, is unavailable while Quigley, Michael Tierney and Niall Donoher were not considered due to their participation with the under-21s on Saturday.
LAOIS (NFL v Down): M Nolan; C Ryan, D Rooney, J Higgins; P McMahon, T Kelly, B McCormack; P Clancy, N Garvan; D Murphy, C Conway, G Kavanagh, B McDonald, P Lawlor, R Munnelly.
