Thursday, November 12, 2009

Kilkenny, Sutton and Temple set to challenge school's hierarchy

Tightly contested early stages of the Leinster schoolboy’s senior league suggest that while St Andrew’s and Wesley are still the teams to beat, they will be pushed all the way by the chasing trio of Kilkenny, Sutton Park and Mount Temple.

Sutton have already nicked a draw from Andrew’s and held All-Ireland champions Wesley – who swept all before them in Belfast recently – to 3-0 in the opening half of the campaign. Kilkenny’s 7-0 win, though, over Mount Temple means they could be the team to watch when it comes to the newly inaugurated Development Cup in January.

At Junior level, results have been similarly tight with Wesley needing two late Andrew Malcolm goals against Mount Temple to convert a 2-1 deficit into a 3-2 win in one of the games of the season to date.

Former Ireland U-16 captain Mark Ryan was central to the Temple assault. Wesley held much of the possession, creating numerous chances but found Senan O’Mahony in inspired form between the posts.

Their high-pressing game, though, left wide open spaces at the back and Ryan’s ability to deliver 60-metre overheads found Nathan Northcutt in space to open the deadlock midway through the first half. And Matthew Owen doubled that lead from a penalty corner rebound early in the second half to raise hopes of an incredible upset.

But Wesley continued to plug away and got in with a shout when Ian Stewart – one of a number of players moving straight up from last year’s U-14 team – showed his predatory instincts to net. And the side kept coming forward and broke the Clontarf school’s resolve in the 64th minute when Malcolm popped up to equalise before the same player snatched the winner with the last touch of the game.

Elsewhere, the Cats nabbed a 3-3 draw against St Andrew’s while St Columba’s won a thriller against Temple with the odd goal in nine.

Senior A: Wesley 3 Sutton Park 0; Sutton Park 3 Mount Temple 2; St Andrew 2 Sutton Park 2; St Andrews 3 Sutton Park 1; St Andrews 4 Kilkenny College 0; Kilkenny College 7 Mount Temple 0
Senior B: Wesley B 6 St Andrew’s B 1
Junior A: St Andrews 3 Kilkenny 3; St Andrews 3 St Columbas 2; Mount Temple 4 St Columbas 5; Wesley 10 St Columbas 1; Wesley 3 Mount Temple 2
Junior B: St Killians 5 Mount Temple 0
Junior C: Wesley C 0 High School 6
Minor A: St Andrews 6 St Columbas 0; Wesley 3 Sutton Park 1; Sutton Park 5 St Columbas 2; Newpark 2 St Columbas 1; St Andrews 7 St Columbas 0; Wesley 2 St Columbas 0; Mt Temple 3 Newpark 1
Minor B: Kilkenny 1 Drogheda 1; Kilkenny 1 St Andrew’s 1
Under 13 A: St Andrews 5 Sutton Park 0; St Andrews 4 Sutton Park 0; St Andrews 1 Wesley 0; Wesley 1 King’s Hospital 0
U-13 B League: Mount Temple 5 Newpark 0; Mount Temple 0 St Killians 0; Wesley B 0 King’s Hospital 0
U-13 C League: Wesley C 1 King’s Hospital B 1

* If you have any information, updates or stories from any of the schoolboy leagues, please let me know by emailing stevie_findlats@yahoo.com

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

I don't think it's fair to call a possible MT junior victory over Wesley an upset, MT have played 3 games and have blown a lead in each in the last 10 mins, including a 4-3 loss to Kilkenny. MT could have been top of this league with more concentration in the last few minutes. Definately will push for the junior cup.

Anonymous said...

sutton 2 andrews 2 wouldnt write them off

Anonymous said...

very dissapointed to hear john scottus have stopped hockey...for a school who made a jun a final and dominated jun b with dundalk seems a shame!!!any reasons for them stopping competing???...

Anonymous said...

any updates on the schoolgirls premier league results ?

Anonymous said...

kilkenny definetly one to watch getting progresively stronger each match!

Anonymous said...

No matter what anyone says no one is going to be able to compete with wesley seniors this season!

Anonymous said...

Minor A score. Mount Temple 2 Sutton Park 3.

Mount Temple are progressing at every level, i believe they have a decent coaching team that have raised the profile of Hockey within the school.
Bane is a LEGEND..

Anonymous said...

lies, wesley arent half as good as your making them out to be. results from this morning, beaufort played muckross in a friendly and lost 3.0, from beaufort previously beating them 5.0. looks like muckross are back in it, to win the cup

Anonymous said...

eh isnt beaufort and muckross girls hockey??

Anonymous said...

any boys results from this week?