The battle for supremacy in senior schoolboys hockey in Munster will be too tight to call if yesterday’s All-Ireland Schoolboys Championships qualifiers are anything to go by.
Just two points separated the top three in Waterford, with Bandon Grammar emerging as the top seed as they mixed 2-1 victories over Villiers and Midleton College with a 1-0 loss to Ashton.
Villiers claimed second by virtue of a 2-1 success against Ashton and a 2-2 draw with Midleton, with Ashton – last year’s All-Ireland semi-finalists – squeaking ahead of the east Cork school in third after drawing 0-0 with them.
Ultimately, Midleton’s inability to pick off a win against any of their main rivals cost them, as they narrowly missed out on qualification for the second year running; only the top three go through to the competition in Dublin next month.
Hosts Newtown made a welcome return to this competition, but with less than 20 players in their senior cycle to choose from, were comfortably defeated in all their games.
Munster qualifiers for All-Ireland Schoolboys Championships, Waterford
Ashton 1 Bandon 0; Newtown 0 Villiers 4 Ashton 0 Midleton 0; Midleton 1 Bandon 2; Villiers 2 Ashton 1; Newtown 1 Bandon 6; Villiers 1 Bandon 2; Midleton 2 Villiers 2; Newtown 0 Ashton 5; Newtown 1 Midleton 3.
Final standings: 1 Bandon Grammar 9pts; 2 Villiers 8pts; 3 Ashton 7pts; 4 Midleton 6pts; 5 Newtown 0pts.
*Bandon, Villiers & Ashton qualify.
Villiers claimed second by virtue of a 2-1 success against Ashton and a 2-2 draw with Midleton, with Ashton – last year’s All-Ireland semi-finalists – squeaking ahead of the east Cork school in third after drawing 0-0 with them.
Ultimately, Midleton’s inability to pick off a win against any of their main rivals cost them, as they narrowly missed out on qualification for the second year running; only the top three go through to the competition in Dublin next month.
Hosts Newtown made a welcome return to this competition, but with less than 20 players in their senior cycle to choose from, were comfortably defeated in all their games.
Munster qualifiers for All-Ireland Schoolboys Championships, Waterford
Ashton 1 Bandon 0; Newtown 0 Villiers 4 Ashton 0 Midleton 0; Midleton 1 Bandon 2; Villiers 2 Ashton 1; Newtown 1 Bandon 6; Villiers 1 Bandon 2; Midleton 2 Villiers 2; Newtown 0 Ashton 5; Newtown 1 Midleton 3.
Final standings: 1 Bandon Grammar 9pts; 2 Villiers 8pts; 3 Ashton 7pts; 4 Midleton 6pts; 5 Newtown 0pts.
*Bandon, Villiers & Ashton qualify.