Penalty shootout devastation for Laois strong Knockbeg College who exit Leinster Colleges championship

It’s now nearly 40 years since Portarlington CBS became the second and still the most recent Laois school to win the Brother Bosco Cup, awarded to the Leinster schools senior “A” football champions.

Over the past quarter of a century and more, it has been Knockbeg College in Carlow who have carried O’Moore County hopes, with South Laois clubs invariably very well-represented in the blue- and-white hooped jerseys of the school.

Leinster Post-Primary Schools “A” championship

Marist College 2-10                  

Knockbeg College 2-10
(Marist win 4-3 on penalties)

That was certainly the case today in St. Brigid’s GAA club in Kiltoom, where there were 11 Laois starters on the Knockbeg team that took on Marist College of Athlone. Heartbreak was to be all they got from the trip however, as the home side prevailed in the most cruel and heartbreaking fashion imaginable.

After a thrilling and tense 80 minutes of action, penalties were required to settle this last-16 contest, and to decide who would advance to meet championship favourites, Naas CBS. Timahoe goalkeeper Oisín Ramsbottom certainly kept up his end of the bargain, making two saves despite twice being pinged by referee Hugh O’Kane for stepping off his line early, but his Marist
counterpart Andrew Stuart Trainer went one better with three stops, and that meant that it fell to Senan Baker (son of former Clare hurler Ollie Baker) to slot home the winning kick, which he duly did.

If Knockbeg had found a way to come through, it would have been their greater efficiency in front of goal that would have been their trump card. Some of the Marist College’s shooting was dreadful, plagued by both inaccuracy and poor shot selection, and in total they racked up 20 missed chances (13 wide, 7 dropped short) over the course of the 80 minutes.

Some of this was due to good Knockbeg pressure, particularly their collective defending, which was right out of the top drawer. Meanwhile, at the other end of the field, Colin Dunne was nothing short of outstanding, racking up 2-5 in total, 2-3 from play.

Right from the start, the contest settled into this pattern as Marist missed chances through shooting from distance, while Knockbeg took the lead through the game’s first goal, Dunne palming the ball to the net after a blistering burst of pace from Oisín Hooney opened up the home defence.

24 minutes had expired by the time Jack Mulvihill got Marist’s first point from play, and that proved to be the start of a crucial purple patch for the Athlone students.

A wonderful catch from Baker at midfield – where Oisín and Kyle Nolan had been dominant, up until the Caulry player was moved back to that area – opened up the field and led to him setting up Conor Hand for the game’s first goal. Within minutes, he then fired in a second himself, when a turnover in the Knockbeg full forward line led to a fast break down the left flank and a quick one-two and low finish.

2-3 to 1-3 at half-time became 2-5 to 1-4 after 40 minutes, with Knockbeg enduring their most significant missed opportunity of the game when Jack Byrne’s reflex punch at a loose ball flew straight at the Marist goalie from close range.

Another goal was in the pipeline however, and again, it was Dunne who delivered. The 2020 Laois minor star and vice-captain did brilliantly to break a high ball away from goalkeeper Andrew Stuart Trainor and pick up the loose possession, then dummy Daniel Meeley and roll the ball into an empty net.

From there until full-time there was never more than a point between the sides, as tension in the crowd grew with each passing minute. Substitute Chulainn Dowd looked as if he might have secured the win for the Marist with a wonderful score right on full time, but Knockbeg replied with plenty of composure and worked the ball down the field to win a free, which Dunne converted.

Knockbeg started extra time well with the first two points, but by now Marist looked the fresher team in the middle third and this showed when Baker fired over one free to halve the deficit, then another when Michael Wall dragged him down just as it looked as if he was about to score a decisive goal.

Wall took his black card and once Baker sent over the free, Knockbeg had to endure a few nervous moments before the second final whistle ushered in penalties. It turns out they hadn’t averted a crushing defeat by holding on, only changed the manner in which it would befall them.

Scorers for Marist College

Senan Baker 1-5 (0-4f), Conor Hand 1-0, Tom Kelleher 0-2, Jack Mulvihill, Bobby Nugent (m), Chullainn Dowd 0-1 each.

Scorers for Knockbeg College

Colin Dunne 2-5 (0-2f), Kyle Nolan 0-3 (0-1 45), Oisín Hooney, Tomás Byrne 0-1 each.

MARIST COLLEGE

Andrew Stuart Trainor; Michael Henry, Daniel Meeley, Josh Kenny; Brian Connell, Jack Mulvihill, Paddy Higgins; Tadhg Baker, Tom Kelleher; Shane Lawless, Matthew Whittaker, Conor Hand; Oisín Shortall, Bobby Nugent, Senan Baker. Subs used: Chulainn Dowd for T Baker (48), Johnny Martin for Lawless (53), Owen McNamara for Connell (53), Brian Connell for Mulvihill (60), Tadhg Baker for Kelleher (72), Harry Stuart Trainor for Higgins (74)

KNOCKBEG COLLEGE

Oisín Ramsbottom (Timahoe); Micheál Downey (Ballylinan), Adam Delaney (St. Joseph’s), Michael Wall (Arles Killeen); Jesse McEvoy (Ballylinan), Tomás Byrne (St. Joseph’s), Jamie Conway (Arles Kilcruise); Oisín Nolan (Castledermot), Kyle Nolan (Éire Óg); Jack Byrne (Graiguecullen), Oisín Hooney (St. Joseph’s), Conall Bergin (Grangenolvin); Oisín Doyle (Clonmore), Colin Dunne (Arles Killeen), Cillian Maher (Stradbally). Subs used: Cialan Brady (Éire Óg) for Maher (half-time).
Referee: Hugh O’Kane (Longford)