Sport

Walsh weaves his magic for Jarlath's

CONNACHT COLLEGES SF A FINAL St Jarlath’s 0-16 Summerhill College 2-9: ST JARLATH’S College, the most prolific winners of the…

Mon Mar 12 2012 - 00:00

CONNACHT COLLEGES SF A FINAL St Jarlath's 0-16 Summerhill College 2-9:ST JARLATH'S College, the most prolific winners of the Hogan Cup with 12 titles, remain on course to make up for the disappointment of last year's All-Ireland final defeat as substitute Shane Walsh inspired them to a dramatic Connacht colleges senior football title.

Walsh was unable to start because of a hamstring injury but when Summerhill pulled five points clear at Ballyhaunis on Saturday, St Jarlath’s manager Liam Quinn decided to risk the promising Galway teenager. “We had a couple of injuries going into the game and Shane Walsh was very, very risky to bring on for the last 10,” said Quinn. “He really did the business for us, but it was a big, big gamble that we had to take.”

Mark Gerrity’s goal in the 49th minute for the Sligo side proved to be the trigger for Walsh’s introduction. At that stage Summerhill College looked certain to end a 27-year wait for their eighth Connacht title. Instead Walsh produced 15 minutes of magic to inflict a third straight final defeat on the Sligo boys.

“The way we fought back was excellent. And it wasn’t just Shane: there was another four or five guys that dug deep. They were brave at the end, they won the 60-40 balls and it made all the difference,” said Quinn.

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Seamie Cawley’s early goal had given Summerhill College a 1-5 to 0-7 lead at the break and when Gerrity goaled with 11 minutes remaining, St Jarlath’s hopes of a first Hogan Cup since 2002 seemed unlikely.

But after four points in 10 minutes, Walsh curled over his fifth in injury-time to send St Jarlath’s into a semi-final against St Mary’s Edenderry in two weeks time.

ST JARLATH'S COLLEGE: M Mulligan; C Coen, C Langan, R O'Connor; P Glynn, A Nolan, C Cunningham; S Glynn, C Gleeson; M McWalters (0-2), L Silke (0-1), J Donnellan (0-4, 3fs); S Silke (0-1f), M Farragher (0-3), R Moloney. Subs: D Walsh for S Glynn (41), S Walsh (0-5, two frees) for S Silke (49 mins).

SUMMERHILL COLLEGE: D Reidy; J McGoldrick, C McDonagh, B McGarry; J O'Hehir, C Kerins, D Long; E Connell, B Smith; M Gerrity (1-1, 1f), C Breheny (0-4, 3fs), D Corcoran (0-2); S Kerins, S Peyton (0-1), S Cawley (1-1). Subs: K Blake for Connell (40 mins), D Smith for O'Hehir (62 mins).

Referee: J Glavey(Mayo).