Scoil Naithí clinch Corn O’Rinn after epic battle against Scoil Treasa

A LATE goal by Aidan Ó Mórdha saw Scoil Naithí clinch a dramatic Corn Sean Ó Rinn Final at the expense of a hugely impressive Scoil Treasa outfit as they won out 4-5 to 3-6 at Croke Park last week.

It was the Treasa boys who made the early running in this Cumann na mBunscol epic, as centre forward, Tadhg Mention and wing forward, Rory Farrelly both struck over the bar before Mark Keegan rattled the net.

Finding themselves five points adrift and with Alex O Donoghue continuing to prove a headache for their cover, Scoil Naithí were very much on the backfoot at this stage.

But when Patrick Caulwell earned his side their first free of the contest, captain, Harry Mac Eoghain, slotted between the uprights to help settle the Ballinteer outfit.

And hope of a recovery was fuelled even more when MacEoghain’s long ball forward into the square took a favourable deflection to the goal.

Still Scoil Treasa continued to turn the screw and a stunning strike to goal by Mention saw them re-establish their five-point cushion by the halftime break.

Naithí continued to work their way back into contention with full forward, Kevin Scinéir demonstrating some excellent soccer skills to see the sliotar to the bottom right corner of the net.

And the Ballinteer side managed to draw level thanks to further points from Caulwell and Mac Eoghain.

Scoil Naithí goalkeeper, Tom Ó Buachalla was, however, called upon to make some incredible saves although Ryan Dunne finally saw his incredible effort from a side-line cut sneak by the talented custodian.

It again left the Scoil Naithí boys playing catch-up in the dying minutes, but the excellent Ferdia Ó Nuanáin put a long ball into the Scoil Treasa goalmouth where Ó Mórdha served up some lovely ground hurling to see it home for a last-gasp victory.

Scoil Naithí Girls were stopped just short of the Corn Fintan Walsh title

That triumph for the Scoil Naithí boys came hot on the heels of the 2- 2 to 0-0 defeat suffered by the school’s girls against Hollypark GNS in the Corn Fintan Walsh Final earlier that day.

Despite excellent defending by Scoil Naithí captain, Clara Ní Shuilleabháin, Emily Blake found the net for Hollypark in the opening minutes and they continued to build on that with a Cara Keane free before the break.

The pressure from Hollypark continued in the second half, but Naithí defended strongly with corner back, Ella Ní Chnáimhse, holding firm.

Midfielder, Aisling Ní Bhric produced some surging runs forward but unfortunately for the Ballinteer side none of those attacks impacted the scoreboard.

Instead another Blake goal in the second half followed by a late point was to prove more than enough to secure the win for Hollypark.