FAIS LEINSTER SEN CUP SEMI-FINAL
St Joseph'S CBS............................. 3
St Paul's College 0
IN THE mid-eighties St Paul's College was in its heyday as a rugby establishment as it proudly locked shoulders with such giants as Blackrock College on the hallowed fields of Donnybrook.
However, if one delves deeper into the old school records, one will see that sporting diversity has always been encouraged from cricket to table tennis and beyond.
Most recently they have excelled in cross country, hurling, basketball and golf, and last week they took on the mighty St Joseph's College from Fairview on the all weather in Clontarf in the Leinster Schools Senior semi-final.
Joey's are no strangers to this competition with former Shelbourne player Kevin Doherty one of many to have donned the famed Marino shirt.
They won this competition in 2002, and against a Paul's team, albeit one weakened by three notable absentees, turned on the style this time with three first-class finishes.
Paul's had had the upper hand when the sides met in the league, but Joey's ability to get behind the defence was to prove crucial on the day.
Paul's pressed well in the early stages but fell behind on 13 minutes following a good interception by Cian Bowe.
The Joey's centre-half was rock solid all afternoon and his well-flighted ball into Alan Gannon saw the Joey's striker race clear before shooting low past the keeper.
Paul's, however, came close to an equaliser soon after when Jack Lyons' diagonal ball released Conor Ryan out wide.
Ryan showed good pace to escape his marker but going slightly away from goal his left-foot effort just cleared the top of the crossbar.
However, Joey's were to get back on top again after that and while Paul Gannon headed just wide off Ellie Dongo's corner, a terrific break by Dongo down the left saw Gannon double his tally with an excellent effort on 26 minutes. Moments later, Ciaran Doyne supplied twin brother Stephen for Joey's third to leave the Marino men in a commanding position at half-time.
Paul's, however, made a better go of things after the break with Adam Farrell striking the crossbar and Ryan then having an effort pushed onto the posts before the game petered out as a contest.
St Joseph's CBS: Alan Conroy, Leon Grouse, Paul Gannon, Thomas Murphy, Cian Bowe, Mark Byrne, Ciaran Doyne, Alan Gannon, Ellie Dongo, Jason Devlin, Stephen Doyne. Subs: Jimmy Hopkins for Murphy (61), Danny Conroy for A Gannon (84) Ross Ryan for Dongo (81).
St Paul's College: Charlie Banks, Stephen Lanelli, Seán McConnell, Conor Ryan, Robbie Dowling, Aidan Rowe, Conor Ryan, Carl Byrne, Jack Lyons, Adam Farrell, Charlie Byrne. Subs: Luke O'Hanlon for Farrell (68).