Nenagh CBS journey comes to a sickening end with last gasp point ending Croke Park dream

Masita GAA Post Primary Schools Croke Cup Semi-Final

Nenagh CBS 3-13

St. Raphael’s College, Loughrea 1-20

Nenagh CBS finally ran out of that stroke of luck as they fell heartbreakingly at the Croke Cup semi-final stage to a late Cullen Killeen point in the seventh minute of second-half stoppage time.

Nenagh made life difficult for themselves in the first half when they played with the huge breeze in Tulla and struggled early to convert it on the scoreboard but they did manage to take a six-point lead in at the break despite playing poorly.

The effort went up considerably in the second half and playing in the face of the breeze and Loughrea pulling the game level by the 44th minute, Nenagh managed to get into a winning position going into injury time as they led 3-13 to 1-16 thanks to frees from Darragh McCarthy.

However, Nenagh left too many golden chances to beef out that lead which could have secured the place in the final, but the six minutes of allotted added time - along with two more minutes played thereafter - saw Loughrea hit the final three points including the winner from the aforementioned Cullen to break Nenagh’s resolution.

Indeed, Darragh McCarthy had a golden chance to send Nenagh over the precipice in the third minute of added time when Joe O’Dwyer gave a sublime pass the the sharpshooter to send him in on goal and his effort was brilliantly saved by Shane Murray. After this chance, you just felt that Loughrea would get their chance; which is how it transpired as they go forward to face St. Kieran’s College in the All-Ireland Final.

Full report to follow…..

Scorers: Nenagh CBS: Darragh McCarthy (0-11, 0-9f, 0-1 65), Aodhan O’Connor 2-0, Danny Quinn 1-0, Jake Hackett, Zac Keller 0-1 each.

St. Raphael’s College, Loughrea: Paddy Mac Cárthaigh 0-7, Bobby Feeney (1-3, 0-2f), Cullen Killeen 0-3, Eoghan Mulleady, Vince Morgan 0-2 each, Diarmuid Mac Cárthaigh, Luke McInerney, Donnacha Campbell all 0-1 each.

Nenagh CBS: Simon Grace (Ballina); Conor Grace (Burgess), Cian Connolly (Nenagh Éire Óg), Gavin McGrath (Kiladangan); Jack Doran (Toomevara), Jake Hackett (Toomevara), Andy Hoolan (Moneygall); Ciaran Foley (Borrisokane), Darragh McCarthy (Toomevara); Jack Mulcahy (Kilruane MacDonaghs), Mason Cawley (Nenagh Éire Óg), Zac Keller (Nenagh Éire Óg); Aodhan O’Connor (Nenagh Éire Óg), Danny Quinn (Silvermines), Eoghan Doughan (Moneygall).

Subs used: Austin Duff (Toomevara) for Mulcahy (27); Joe O’Dwyer (Burgess) for Keller (42); Darragh Treacy (Silvermines) for Duff (48, inj); Brian O’Meara (Kilruane MacDonaghs) for Doran (48).

St. Raphael’s College, Loughrea: Shane Murray (Kilconieron); Jason Griffin (Loughrea), Daniel Keane (Kilconieron), Gavin Maher (Loughrea); Oscar O’Gorman (Kilconieron), Diarmuid Mac Cárthaigh (Sarsfields), Finn Beirne (Loughrea); Luke McInerney (Loughrea), Cullen Killeen (Loughrea); Donnacha Campbell (Cappataggle), Paddy Mac Cárthaigh (Sarsfields), Eoghan Mulleady (Kilconieron); Vince Morgan (Loughrea), Thomas Stratford (Sarsfields), Bobby Feeney (Loughrea).

Subs used: Stephen Keane (Kilconieron) for Stratford (41); Jack Shaughnessy (Loughrea) for Beirne (59).

Referee: Eamonn Stapleton (Limerick)