by Elaine O’Leary
ARDSCOIL RÍS have secured their place in not one but two Munster Schools Cup finals when both Junior A and Junior B hockey teams beat out Bandon Grammar School sides at the Catholic Institute in Rosbrien.
The final-qualifying wins come just one weeks after the Ardscoil Minor B side took home the Munster title in a 2-0 victory over Midleton College.
Despite trailing at the end of the first quarter, Ardscoil dominated Bandon Grammar School in a 5-2 defeat in the Junior A semi-final. Goals from Fionán Kelleher, Sam Mulholland (2), Conor Ryan, and Dylan McNamara sealed the fate of the Cork side.
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Bandon brought one back in the last play of the game with a dramatic flick from Irish U16 International Jamie Horgan, but a strong defence throughout from Luke Finucane, Cian O’Leary, goal-scorer McNamara, and Diarmuid Nolan ultimately kept the Bandon Wolf from the door and saw the Ardscoil side through to the final, a step closer to the junior hockey triad.
A much closer game in the Junior B saw new kids on the block Ardscoil defeat Bandon Grammar by 2-1.
Spurred on by the earlier Junior A victory, and determined to complete the triad and make it three out of three for Ardscoil in Munster, the Limerick sidetook the opening quarter with a goal from David O’Callaghan.
However Bandon came strong out of the blocks in the second quarter, pulling back a goal quickly.
A half-time formation change from Ardscoil proved just the ticket as Fionán Kelleher (who also netted in the Junior A game) struck home a winner, putting Ardscoil in a lead they held for the rest of the game.
Ardscoil Rís will seek to complete the triad on April 18 at the Catholic Institute with the Junior A game tipping off at 12.30pm followed after by the Junior B at 2pm.