St Andrew’s claim schoolboys title

Thanks to Stephen Findlater for this on-the-spot report and photo – Southern Fried is stuck working in Cork 🙁 St Andrew’s claimed their second All-Ireland Schoolboys title in dramatic style at Villiers School in Limerick yesterday. Their winner came six minutes from time as Stephen Cole reacted quickest to a loose ball in the circle as both sides dozed, expecting a penalty corner to be awarded. The advantage was well-played and the midfielder duly obliged. That broke a 60-minute deadlock after an opening flurry saw both sides on the board inside five minutes. Jamie Haughton touched in Davy Carson’s reverse shot to give Andrews the lead, but Carl Eggert levelled within two minutes from a penalty corner — his 12th goal in five games.

Wesley enjoyed the majority of the possession thereafter, with Kyle Good on the right and Rob Whelan and Rob Anderson down the left producing some stylish play. Chances were few and far between, though, as both sides had four games in three days already in their legs. However, Eggert provided a constant threat. The best move of the game was all his own creation — a scintillating burst from the halfway which saw three defenders left in his wake, but his reverse just missed Stephen West’s goal. But Andrews stood firm, prompted by Richard Sykes at the back and the midfield style merchants, Stu Loughrey and Cole. When the one gilt-edged chance presented itself, Cole pounced and sealed the title for the first time since the class of 2001. It completed a memorable week for the Booterstown school. Pitted in the ‘group of death’ with the reigning champions, Cookstown, they were given little hope of progressing from their group. But their 3-2 win in over the Tyrone side was followed by an impressive comeback against Ashton yesterday morning. Dan Hobbs gave the Corkonians the lead with his ninth goal of the tournament but Cian Speers, Sam O’Leary and a sliding Rob McKenna set up a final spot. Wesley had a simpler route through the group stages, before knocking out Bandon Grammar in the last four. Predictably, Eggert was the hero, scoring twice in their 2-1 win. WESLEY: K Fitzgerald (GK, capt), N Megarity, P English, S Wilkie, C Motyer, K Good, C Eggert, J Tobin, R Whelan, D McCrea, T Samuel; Rolling subs: L von Eickstedt, R Anderson, L Chadwick, S Malcolm, D Gribben. ST ANDREWS: S West (GK), Keith K, B Murphy, R Sykes, S Loughrey, S Cole, D Cole, S O’Leary, C Speers, D Carson, J Haughton Rolling subs: S O’Halloran, J Beirne, R McKenna, A Fox, T Kirwan. All-Ireland Schoolboys Championships Semi-finals Ashton 1 (D Hobbs) St Andrews 3 (S O’Leary, C Speers, R McKenna); Bandon Grammar 1 (S McElroy) Wesley 2 (C Eggert 2); Final St Andrews 2 (J Haughton, S Cole) Wesley 1 (C Eggert)