Tuesday March 7th 2023 is another date that can be etched into the sporting history books for Colaiste Clavin senior football teams. Having reached the decider of North Leinster for the first time in over 10 years, our lads put in a phenomenal performance in a game played in Mullingar Shamrocks. From the throw in, playing against a stiff breeze and roared on by the vocal travelling supporters, we took the lead from a 45’ by Nathaniel Daquil after 5 minutes. From that point until the final whistle, we would never relinquish the lead in the game. Following that point, Adam Peacock added a well worked point before the ever-dangerous Malachy Fisher Burke saw his effort on goal go over the keeper and drop into the net to leave us leading by 1:2 to no score with 10 minutes played. For the next 15 minutes, Ardscoil Padraig came roaring back into the contest. They reeled off 4 points in a row to bring the deficit down to the minimum. Our lads regrouped before half time. Firstly Malachy Fisher Burke got in one on one and he was unlucky to see his audacious lob on the keeper go agonisingly over the bar. A minute later, he added another point from long range to ensure that we took a 3 point lead going in at half time on a scoreline of 1:4 to 0:4
Following the break, Ardscoil Padraig struck first to reduce the arrears to 2 points. Then a superb flowing move from back to front culminated with Malachy Fisher Burke being put through one on one from a long Brian Stagg delivery and this time he made no mistake, hammering the size five into the top right hand corner of the net leaving the goalkeeper with no chance. However, to their credit, Ardscoil Padraig dominated possession for the next 15 minutes and went about chipping away at the deficit. This possession did not translate into many scores due to some heroic last gasp defending from our defence. During this spell, Ardscoil Phadraig only added on one solitary point. Special credit must go to Sandijs Buls who, after having already made a terrific one on one block in the first half, pulled off another diving one handed save to tip the ball out for a 45’. It was a vital save as a goal at this point for the opposition could have given them a huge boost of confidence. In the last five minutes of normal time Laoghaire Connolly added two further scores to stretch our lead. In injury time Ardscoil added their final point of the game. We would have the last say however and with one of the final kicks of the game, Oisin McIntyre hit a monster of a point from out on the right wing to put the result beyond any doubt. Final Score Colaiste Clavin 2:7 Ardscoil Padraig 0:6.
Team:
1 Sandijs Buls
2 Cian Colgan
3 Cian O’Sullivan
4 Thomas Dorran
5 John Doyle
6 Conor Dixon
7 Nathaniel Daquil (0-1, 45)
8 Brian Stagg
9 Patrick Jordan ©
10 Luke Brady
11 Malachy Michael Burke Fisher (2-2)
12 Laoghaire Connolly (0-2)
13 Kai Moloney
24 Adam Peacock (0-1)
15 Ben McLoughlin
Subs:
16 Shane Kelly (for T. Dorran 40 mins)
17 Patrick McElhinney (For A. Peacock 35 mins)
18 Jayden McCormack
19 Oisin McIntyre (For L. Brady 50 mins) (0-1)
20 Paraic Farrell
21 Daniel Donnelly Fahey
22 Kayden Plunkett (For K. Moloney 35 mins)
23 Joe O’Neill
