Screeney’s brilliance sinks St Fergal’s Rathdowney in Leinster Hurling final

St Fergal’s Rathdowney fell short of Leinster glory on Wednesday morning, suffering defeat to a Coláiste Naomh Cormac side featuring Aaron Screeney, the younger brother of Offaly hurling star Adam Screeney.

Screeney proved a constant threat to the Laois school, finishing as top scorer with 2-6 to help secure a seven-point victory at the LOETB Centre of Excellence.

Leinster PPS 2024-2025 (Leinster) Junior Hurling C Final

Coláiste Naomh Cormac 4-10

St Fergal’s Rathdowney 1-12

It didn’t take long for Screeney to get in on the act as he raised a green flag inside three minutes with a superb one-handed strike from a tight angle. Ross Quinlan got St Fergal’s Rathdowney off the mark with a pointed free in the sixth minute.

Jack Dunican, who finished with 2-2, opened his account for the Offaly school before St Fergal’s Rathdowney hit the front with three points without reply. Callum Jones went on a great run which ended with him splitting the posts, before he also slotted over a free. Quinlan doubled his tally, leaving the sides all square after 10 minutes, 0-4 to 1-1.

St Fergal’s Rathdowney almost got in for a goal soon after but were denied by a great save from James McLoughlin off a Quinlan effort. Screeney tapped over a free for the away side, but St Fergal’s Rathdowney were growing into the contest and went ahead for the first time with 13 minutes played courtesy of a point each from John Coonan and Jones (free).

That was as good as it got for the Laois side as Dunican rattled the back of the St Fergal’s Rathdowney net for his side’s second goal. Screeney pointed a second free to push his side into a three-point lead. James Doherty replied with a score for St Fergal’s Rathdowney, but Coláiste Naomh Cormac picked off four unanswered scores down the other end. Three of those came from the hurl of Screeney and the other from Fiachra Carroll, one of only two scores that didn’t come from either Dunican or Screeney.

Doherty looked to have gotten St Fergal’s Rathdowney back into the contest just before the break when his shot flew past McLoughlin and into the net, but Coláiste Naomh Cormac found time to get the goal back almost instantly. Screeney set up Dunican for his second goal of the game. Coláiste Naomh Cormac went into the dressing rooms with a 3-7 to 1-7 advantage.

The second half began with neither side able to sustain any period of possession. Doherty added a point to his earlier goal, while Jones scored a great point from play for the Laois side. Coláiste Naomh Cormac midfielder Joe Quinn increased his side’s lead, but St Fergal’s Rathdowney raised the next three white flags to get themselves right back into the contest. Jones scored all three points, two of them coming from placed balls.

With only two points separating the sides with 10 minutes to go, the game was there for the taking. Doherty bore down on goal and looked destined to put his side in front, but his batted effort was saved by McLoughlin. St Fergal’s Rathdowney would go on to rue that missed chance as Coláiste Naomh Cormac finished the game with 1-2 unanswered.

Dunican slotted over a free before returning the favour to set up Screeney for his second goal of the game. Substitute Luke Gill pointed the game’s final score in the 56th minute. St Fergal’s Rathdowney, now trailing by six points, knew that goals were their only option. Doherty was denied again by McLoughlin and also by the crossbar. In the end, it was Coláiste Naomh Cormac celebrating with a seven-point victory as 2024 Laois GAA Hall of Fame inductee Tom Jones presented the trophy to the Offaly school.