Sport

Ruthless display by Colman's

THIS is not how it is supposed to turn out when the country's two best colleges meet in an All Ireland A hurling final

By TOMAS CONLON
Mon Apr 28 1997 - 01:00

THIS is not how it is supposed to turn out when the country's two best colleges meet in an All Ireland A hurling final. Instead of the expected thriller at Croke Park yesterday, there was a gross mismatch that left neutrals hoping St Colman's of Fermoy would ease up long before the finish.

But, beaten in the final last year, complacency was out of the question for the Cork side as they flooded Good Counsel of New Ross with an unremitting torrent of scores.

The source of this scoring extravaganza was the Colman's full forward line: Eoin Fitzgerald, Neil Ronan and Jerome O'Driscoll amassed 4-16 of the final tally in a collective display of ruthless finishing.

Good Counsel stayed in touch through most of the first half however, the impressive Michael Doyle taking his chances and centre forward Paul Sheehan threatening with his pace early on. They trailed by just two points when, in the 28th minute, Fitzgerald struck the first telling blow, cutting inside and rifling a shot home.

READ MORE

Counsel were still in with a chance at half time, trailing 1-11 to 0-7 but then the deluge.

Ronan hit a free and O'Driscoll, showing a nose for goal, pounced on a parry from goalkeeper Niall Mackey to touch the ball home. Midfielder Paul Cotter added another point and suddenly, within three minutes, they led by 12 points.

Counsel came desperately close to retrieving the situation almost immediately but a ground shot from Doyle, which looked like crossing the line was scrambled clear.

Ronan scrambled home another goal in the 16th minute and Fitzgerald, showing scintillating pace, ran clear and kicked home their fourth. O'Driscoll continued to pick off the points without fuss, executing a virtuoso chip, swivel and shot in the 52nd minute. Mackey preserved honour with a brilliant double save from wing forward Ian Gardiner and O'Driscoll, following up. Good Counsel introduced a third substitute, Padraig Kehoe, in the 54th minute but no one came oft, communications clearly breaking down in the confusion. They played with 16 men to the final whistle but nobody noticed - and nobody, by that stage, cared either.