ST. JOSEPH’S PATRICIAN COLLEGE, GALWAY qualified for the Boys' National Junior Cup Final on Tuesday afternoon, following a 2-1 extra-time win against St. Patrick’s College, Cavan in TUS Athlone. The Ulster outfit showed great intensity in the opening period, with the Imade twins combining well with some lovely one-two combos, as well as Jay Graham and Ainis Oberauras proving lively in front of goal. Galway netminder Finian O’Connell was on fire as he kept his side in contention for long periods of the game with some sensational saves to keep out those brave Cavan scholars. The best of the chances for St. Patrick’s College came in injury time in the first period. Jay Graham hit an unbelievable free kick from the edge of the box, but the outstretched hand of keeper O’Connell saw the ball fly over his upright. The stalemate remained at the break.
St. Pat’s Captain Exel Imade had a wonderful opportunity to hit the opener, but his shot grazed the edge of the post 13 minutes into the second period. O’Connell was called into action again, four minutes later to stop an audacious strike from Ainis Oberauras. The battling spirit of the St. Patrick’s crew was rewarded on 66 minutes with a wonder strike from Ainis OBERAURAS, making it 1-0 to the Ulster men. Indeed, St. Patrick’s could have found themselves two up a minute later, but Jay Graham’s thunderous attempt from distance smashed off the crossbar.
The Bish were always dangerous in attack, and they worked extremely hard to level proceedings with some excellent passages of play. Their equaliser came six minutes from time with Cayden Harty’s well-worked free kick initially blocked by Joe McCreevy, with the ball rebounding out, and Jamie CORCORAN was quickest to react and chip the ball past the near post. The Cavan side had four consecutive corners deep into injury time, but Finian O’Connell played a starring role in clearing his lines and marshalling his troops to defend admirably. The game ended 1-1, and extra time beckoned.
It wasn’t until the fourth minute of the second period that the deadlock was broken with the talented Cayden HARTY producing a brilliant finish to make it 2-1 to the Connacht Champions. That goal proved vital as the Bish had six minutes plus added time to see the game out. Unfortunately for the Cavan side, they couldn’t find the elusive goal to level the tie as St. Joseph’s won out in a highly entertaining encounter. The Nun’s Island institution will await the winners of the other semi-final pairing as Munster kingpins St. Francis College, Rochestown take on Leinster stars Salesian College, Celbridge in Evergreen FC, Kilkenny (4G) today, Thursday (1 pm). The FAI Schools Tom Ticher National Junior Cup Final is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, March 25 (1-0), venue to be decided.
ST. JOSEPH’S PATRICIAN COLLEGE, GALWAY | Finian O’Connell, Max Kililea, Callum Oliver ©, Ben Nolan, Eoghan Hoban, Shane Fahy, Jamie Corcoran, Devin Burke, Tom Devlin, Tadgh McCartan, Cayden Harty
SUBS USED | Sean Rather for McCartan (HT), Liam Murphy for Burke (68), Alan Corcoran for J Corcoran (88)
SUBS NOT USED | Eoghan Quirke, Benny Ojo, Jay Langan, Evan McLouglin
TEACHERS | Coley Kelly, Darrach Behan
ST. PATRICK’S COLLEGE, CAVAN | Joe McCreevy, Simon Kolimor, Danny Reilly, Daire McCrystal, CJ Fitzpatrick, Shay Hyland, Ainis Oberauras, Jack Forde, Jay Graham, Exel Imade ©, Exceedingly Imade
SUBS USED | Enda Burke for Hyland (81)
SUBS NOT USED | Kacper Swadiak, Mickey Ferncombe, Aaron Farrelly, Omo Obilveivye, Charlie Reilly, Aaron Gaffney
TEACHERS | Nial Monahan, Edward O’Callaghan
MATCH OFFICIAL | Grainne Hannigan (Midlands)
