FANTASY football? Intermediate School Killorglin, who just over "five years ago were only deemed good enough to play `C' grade, certainly believe dreams do come true after completing a fairytale ride to the top by claiming the All Ireland Colleges Senior Football Championship crown in an absorbing final at Croke Park yesterday.
The match probably confirmed St Patrick's suspicions that they were never fated to win this year, the gods and officialdom conspiring to ensure the absence of three key players - suspended for the fracas with St Mary's, Magherafelt, after the Ulster final - which left them with a defence as leaky as a sieve. In fairness, Killorglin had the personnel to exploit that weakness.
The match was a clash of two cultures: Killorglin's speed and finesse colliding with Maghera's greater physical strength. Indeed, there must be something in the Kerry air this year as, similar to Laune Rangers' All Ireland club success last month (Pat O'Sullivan, John Sheehan and Michael Francis Russell were also members of that success), the Killorglin side's fitness level was quite remarkable.
St Patrick's, chasing their fourth Hogan Cup, looked to be on course at half time. Two late first half points from Eoighin Farren and Stephen McGeehan gave them a 0-9 to 1-4 advantage at the break, Killorglin's goal coming in the ninth minute when Fergal O'Brien dispossessed Paul Diamond after a short kick out from goalkeeper Michael Conlon. Still, Pat's had recovered well enough with Farren and Gerard Cassidy, in particular, causing heart flutters in the Kerry defence.
Even after John Lynch got on the end of a Garryowen like free from O'Sullivan to punch home Killorglin's second goal in the 34th minute, St Patrick's kept their nerve and soothing points from Damian McErlain and McGeehan, combined with a well taken goal from Farren, put them into a three points lead entering the final quarter. Then it all went wrong.
Firstly, O'Brien got on the end of a nice move involving Gareth Sheehan and O'Sullivan in the 44th minute to slot home his second goal and, three minutes later, a high punt from O'Sullivan again caused mayhem in the Maghera defence and Russell was on hand to crash the ball home.
With an historic first Hogan Cup in their sights, Killorglin were in no mood to let the Ulster boys back and, although Cassidy and Seamus Kearney subsequently grabbed a couple of points, the Kerry school out gunned them with three from Sheehan (2) and Lynch to ensure another All Ireland title will have pride of honour with the goat at this summer's Puck Fair.
