Ashton bid to end 12-year famine

Ashton School are hoping things have come together for them at just the right time as they bid to annex a first All-Ireland Schoolboys Championships title in 12 years this week. Irish international David Hobbs was a member of the 2000 title-winning squad and has left no stone unturned as coach this time around, taking the side on an unbeaten tour of England in August. The Blackrock Road school qualified as Munster’s top seeds without conceding a goal and hammered Bandon Grammar 8-1 in a friendly last week to suggest they’re switched on for this.

They boast a side with three Irish underage internationals – Gary Wilkinson, Richard Lynch and Simon Wolfe – and a majority of whom have also represented Munster, including this season’s U18 co-captain Richard Sweetnam. But they must first get past 2007 winners Cookstown in a group that also contains Villiers, competing for the first time since 2005. Sullivan Upper also pose a huge threat; they’ve been contributing more players to Ulster sides in recent seasons, such as hitman Matthew Allister, and recently beat Banbridge Academy 4-2 in the McCullough Cup, where they are thus far unbeaten. Limerick’s Villiers showed their counter-attacking prowess to get the results needed to qualify, and in David Cardy, Nathan Eacrett and Jonny Powell they have plenty of pace and creativity. The question, though, is whether they have enough overall quality to retain enough possession to eke out a shock result. Bandon Grammar are smarting from that big friendly defeat to Ashton and with half a dozen juniors in their panel are building for the future. Fred McElroy is a useful outlet from the back while Julius Handel provides some unpredictability higher up the pitch. But with tournament favourites Banbridge Academy – going for a third title in a row – heading up a tough pool they could struggle. Leinster powerhouses St Andrew’s and Wesley – both semi-finalists last year – are also likely to be in with a shout for overall honours. Andrew’s have already beaten Munster’s top two this term, a 3-0 success over Ashton going with a 7-0 defeat of BGS in west Cork. Lee Cole, Ben Campbell and Mark Loughrey will backbone Andrews’ efforts while Pembroke schemer Kirk Shimmins and Jonathan Roberts are the main men for Wesley. All-Ireland Schooboy’s Championships, October 24-26 Group 1: Wesley, St Columba’s, Friends, Campbell College Group 2: Banbridge Academy, Bangor GS, Bandon GS, Sutton Park Group 3: Sullivan Upper, Cookstown HS, Ashton, Villiers Group 4: RBAI, Mount Temple, St Andrew’s, Wallace Wednesday, October 24 Banbridge: Wesley College vs St Columba’s, 1.30pm; Banbridge Academy v Bangor Grammar School, 3pm Campbell College: Campbell College vs Friends’ School, Lisburn, 1pm; Sutton Park School v Bandon Grammar School Lisnagarvey, Comber Road: Sullivan Upper School vs Cookstown High School, 1.30pm; Wallace High School vs Mount Temple, 3pm NICS, Stormont: Ashton School v Villiers School, 3pm (water); St Andrew’s College vs RBAI, 3pm (sand-based) Thursday, October 25 Campbell: Campbell vs Wesley, 10am; Friends vs St Columba’s, 10am; Banbridge vs Bandon, 11.30am; Sutton Park vs Bangor, 11.30am NICS, morning session: Wallace v RBAI, 10am (water); St Andrew’s vs Mount Temple 10am (sand); Cookstown vs Ashton, 11.30am (sand); Sullivan Upper vs Villiers (water) Afternoon session: Campbell College v St Columba’s, 2pm (water); RBAI vs Mount Temple, 2pm (sand); Bangor GS vs Bandon GS, 3.30pm (water); Sullivan Upper vs Ashton, 3.30pm (sand) Lisnagarvey: Wallace High School v St Andrew’s, 2pm; Friends v Wesley, 2pm; Banbridge Academy v Sutton Park, 3.30pm; Cookstown v Villiers, 3.30pm Friday, October 26 Semi-finals: 9.30am, Lisnagarvey, Comber Road Final: 2.30pm, Lisnagarvey, Comber Road *Friendly matches for all schools not in Semi-Finals will be arranged and assigned pitches at the tournament dinner on Thursday, October 25