6 Meitheamh 2018

Gaelscoil Thaobh na Coille overcame spirited opponents in the form of Scoil Treasa (Firhouse) to claim the Cumann na mBunscol Johnston Mooney & O’Brien hurling title in Croke Park on Wednesday 6^th last. The sliotar was thrown in at 10am and it was evident from very early on when Scoil Treasa scored a goal in their opening attack that we would have to fight in order to get anything out of the game. Five unanswered points put us in front only for the boys from Firhouse to find the net again in only their second effort on goal. A Conal Ó Riain goal helped Gaelscoil Thaobh na Coille to a 1.06 v 2.02 half time lead.

Scoil Treasa were quickest out of the traps again in the second half when they again found a way through our defensive cover and passed our goalkeeper. 3 of the next 5 scores went the way of Firhouse which saw them hold a 3.05 v 1.08 lead before play was halted for 7 minutes to allow for treatment of Eamon Ó Cionnaith, who was hospitalised as a result of a blow to the knee.

Only 10 minutes remained in the game and we trailed by a single goal. The management and players could be forgiven for having a feeling of déjà vu such was the sense of familiarity with how the semi-final match against Scoil Maelruain panned out. In that match, we lost an early goal to fight back and lead by a single point (2.06 v 3.02) at half time. Our Tallaght opponents that day again scored an early second half goal and lead by that margin as we entered the final 10 minutes of play. A place in the final was at stake and there was a choice to make – to buckle against stubborn, physically tougher opponents or to rise to the challenge and to play the game at a faster pace. Gaelscoil Thaobh na Coille players certainly answered the rallying call in rattling in 1.04 without replay to record a hard fought 4 point victory.

The script was therefore written for the concluding moments of the final – we needed to strike for goals. The first came from a free and it came as little surprise that it was team captain, Conal Ó Riain, who found the back of the net. He repeated the feat from play a few minutes later and we held on to record a 3.08 v 3.05 victory. Conal recorded a tally of 3.04 while Breandán Ó Cionnaith added 0.04. They both held the Johnston Mooney & O’Brien Cup aloft to the rapturous appreciation of their fans. In winning the hurling final, Gaelscoil Thaobh na Coille had won the football – hurling double and cemented their place as the leading Gaelscoil for GAA in Dublin.

Comhgáirdeachas & míle buíochas to Oisín Mac Muiris &  Máirín Ní Dhubhthaigh – hurling trainers