St Caimin’s      0-15 St Joseph’s Tulla      1-9

St Caimin’s claimed victory in the Clare second level schools U15 hurling championship with a deserved win over St Joseph’s Tulla in perfect conditions at Clarecastle recently. 
One week earlier the same schools met in the senior final, on that occasion it was St Joseph’s Tulla who edged home by the minimum.

This game was settled in the first quarter although St Caimin’s might have been hard-pushed if St Joseph’s had possessed more guile and speed in the forwards, particularly in the third quarter. 
Tiernan Agnew, the game’s top scorer and most influential player, opened the scoring from a free after two minutes before midfielder Jason Duggan added a second for St Caimin’s after eight minutes. 
    

St Joseph’s were finding it difficult to counteract the stronger Shannon school's outfit. Fiachra Donnellan, son of former county freetaker Val, finally got the East Clare school on the scoreboard with a brace of points in the 10th and 12th minutes respectively. 

Both sides were guilty of hitting wides with St Joseph’s spurning much needed chances for scores against the run of play.
Despite having ample possession in the second quarter St Joseph’s failed to score as Agnew led St Caimin’s to six unanswered points with five from play while Ciaran Hassett adding the other point.

Conor Shanagher was dominant on the wing for Caimin’s while centre back Eanna McMahon, Paddy Donnellan in goal and Ronan Molloy at midfield were holding their own for St Joseph’s as they trailed 0-8 to 0-2 at the interval but were buoyed by the hope of a strong wind in the second half.

Ronan Molloy struck fast and early for Tulla two minutes into the new half but goals were needed. St Caimin’s midfielder Liam O’Dwyer responded with a like score before Cian O’Callaghan rallied with a great point in the 36th minute. 
This sparked a revival of real substance by Tulla with two more scores from Fiachra Donnellan in the space of three minutes to narrow the deficit to a goal. By the 41st minute O’Dwyer and Donnellan exchanged scores as both sides were playing at a higher pace than before. 

Shane White, in goal for the Shannon school, pulled off the first of three excellent saves to deny St Joseph’s scores from point blank range. 
Tiernan Agnew eventually lifted the siege with a point from a free as one senses that St Joseph’s would need at least two goals to prise the honours away from the airport town school.

Rory O’Neill caught a high crossfield ball on the edge of the St Caimin’s square but his poorly struck effort was stopped somehow by White as once again Tulla handed the initiative back to their opponents who got the ball to Agnew and he pointed from play. 

Donnellan and Agnew exchanged scores to leave six points between the sides as the game entered the final five minutes play.
Just when it appeared that the game was over as a contest, and against the run of play, St Joseph’s struck for a Rory O’Neill goal from close range to narrow the deficit once more to a goal. 
New impetus was put into their challenge and Keith Donnellan struck to leave two points between the sides with the clock now ticking into the 60th minute. 
Cian Mulqueen replaced the injured Cian O’Callaghan as Tulla needed another goal to win with Caimin’s holding a two point lead. However Caimin’s final attack resulted in Aidan Gallagher striking over from 50 yards under pressure. 
One more foray down the field for Tulla was denied by Ambrose Heagney’s long whistle as St Caimin’s were crowned kingpins of Under 15 schools hurling champions and in part they gained a small measure of revenge for their narrow defeat in the senior final.

Best for St Caimin’s who were physically stronger were the excellent Shane White whose saves were amongst the key reasons for the win, alongside the outfield effort of Jordan Downes, Darragh Lohan, Conor Shanagher, Tiernan Agnew, Darragh Burke, Jason Duggan, David Frost and Liam O’Dwyer. 

St Joseph’s will regret a poor second quarter when they conceded four points in as many minutes. They spurned clear goal chances in the second half despite the best efforts of Paddy Donnellan, Cathal Browne, Eanna McMahon, Ronan Molloy and Cian O’Callaghan whilst Fiachra Donnellan held his own from frees.

After the game Clare coaching and games manager Sean Chaplin presented the Under 15 schools cup to St Caimin’s captain Darragh Burke. 
Tiernan Agnew who is also an accomplished handballer, will now turning his attention to the world championship in  that code for much of the coming season.

ST CAIMIN’S: Shane White (SMB), David Frost (Newmarket), James Holloway (SMB), Darragh Lohan (Wolfe Tones), Conor Shanagher (Wolfe Tones), Darragh Burke (Newmarket), Luke Merrigan (Wolfe Tones), Jason Duggan (Newmarket 0-1), Liam O’Dwyer (Wolfe Tones 0-2), Jordan Downes (SMB), Tiernan Agnew (SMB 0-10), Aidan Gallagher (SMB 0-1), Conor Flynn (SMB), Ciaran Hassett (SMB 0-1), Jack Corry (SMB). Subs: Ben Austin (Wolfe Tones) for Merrigan, Steven Casey (Newmarket) for Flynn.

ST JOSEPH’S, TULLA: Paddy Donnellan (Broadford), Sean O’Callaghan (Tulla), Cathal Browne (Clooney/Quin) Ronan Kelly (O’C Mills), Colm McInerney (Tulla), Eanna McMahon (Crusheen, capt), Stephen Donnellan (O’C Mills), Keith Donnellan (O’C Mills 0-1), Ronan Molloy (Tulla 0-1), Cian O’Callaghan (Crusheen 0-1), Willie Halpin (Tulla), Conor Murphy (Tulla), Eoin O’Connor (Feakle), Fiachra Donnellan (Feakle 0-6), Rory O’Neill (O’C Mills 1-0). Subs: Cian Mulqueen (Broadford ) for O’Callaghan (inj)

Referee: Ambrose Heagney (Corofin).