HOCKEY LEINSTER SCHOOLS' SENIOR CUP FINAL Wesley College 3 High School 0WESLEY MADE the cold sweep of Grange Road their own, when they carried off the double in the Leinster Schools' senior and minor cup finals yesterday. The senior trophy, won now by Wesley for the past four years, was rarely in the balance despite some robust defending from High School and particular vigilance from their goalkeeper Garreth Carragher.
Wesley were in the ascendancy from the off with James Dalrymple blazing a short wide straight from the tip off. They largely kept that tempo and direction of play going and the High School option for long stretches of the match really only appeared to be on the break.
Their midfield contested well for much of the game but in terms of circle penetration and territorial advantage, Wesley were the dominant force.
High School goalkeeper Carragher was again to the fore in the 14th minute, after Brian Doherty made ground and swept a reverse shot from close range.
Frustration appeared to be creeping in to the Wesley play as the chances were falling their way but they were unable to capitalise. Finally on 29 minutes a telling long drill from defender, Karl Chapple, found Karl Eggert free and this time the slightest of touches found the net for 1-0.
While Wesley hit the post again, the break arrived and still they had only one goal to show. High School's Robbie McGuinness, Paul O'Kelly, Niall Noonan and Guy Prendergast were kept busy in defence but just two minutes into the second half Wesley struck for their second.
On their first short corner of the match Brian Doherty's low drag flick beat Carragher for 2-0 and the defending champions could relax. The third goal came following more circle action and plenty of hasty defending from High School. Again it was from a set piece in the final minute of the match and again Doherty was on the end of the high drag flick.
WESLEY COLLEGE: C Hennessy, C Chapple, C Moyter, M English, R Whelan, K Smith, J Dalrymple, K Good, K Eggert, B Doherty. Rolling. Subs: L von Eickstedt, D Gribben, F Hill, R Anderson, S Wilkie, J Tobin, S Malcolm.
HIGH SCHOOL: C Carragher, P O'Kelly, R McGuinness, N Noonan, G Prendergast, J Walker, J Purcell, R Jones, M Evans, A Gray, D Meade. Rolling. Subs: J Barber, M McNulty, J Willoughby, K Gray, J O'Kennedy.
Umpires: J Girdham, A Groves.
• In the under-14 final Wesley defeated Sutton Park 2-1 to deny the latter their first minor trophy. Andrew Malcolm put Wesley 1-0 ahead, pouncing on a rebound off a post, before Mark Ryan equalised for Sutton from a short corner. In a tighter match than the senior final, Wesley finally snatched the trophy in the final minutes with Jonathan Lewis sweeping into the bottom left of the Sutton goal for the winner. Again Wesley successfully defended the cup they won in 2007.
