Following their victory in the semi-final over St Colman’s College, Fermoy, County Cork, the senior footballers of St Paul’s High School are only one game away from an All-Ireland Colleges title.

Playing in front of a large St Paul’s crowd on Saturday 24 March in Portarlington, County Laois, St Paul’s stormed through the semi-final with a decisive scoreline of 1-11 to St Paul’s, against 2-04 to St Colman’s.

Match report (courtesy of www.armaghgaa.net) below.  

All-Ireland Final date and venue confirmed:  Saturday 31 March, 2.45pm, St Paul’s Bessbrook v Ardscoil Rís Dublin, Kingspan Breifne Park, Cavan.  (Google Maps link)

On a sunny afternoon at Gracefield’s GAA club in County Offaly, St Paul’s Bessbrook created history by qualifying for the Senior B Colleges All-Ireland Final.

The large crowd that followed St Paul’s got value for their money with the Bessbrook lads putting St Colman’s, Fermoy to the sword on a scoreline of 1-11 to 2-4.

The match started at a brisk pace with Ciaron O’Hanlon opening the scoring for St Paul’s with a free out on the edge of the D. Caolan Mc Cullough was unfortunate not to be awarded a penalty in the 4th minute when he was pulled to the ground. Ciaron O’ Hanlon then pointed from play after a great pass from Gregory McCabe. Fermoy playing with the breeze couldn’t get a score as the tight marking by the St Paul’s defense kept them scoreless for the first twenty minutes. Aaron McKay pointed in the eighth minute with a great pass from Ciaron O Hanlon. Blaine Hughes took off a superb save to deny the Cork team a definite goal in the thirteenth minute. Anthony Spillane pointed for St Colman’s in the nineteenth minute to open the scoring for the Cork men but straight away O’Hanlon pointed after a pass from Conor Sloan. Spillane had another chance from distance but pulled it wide. McCullough had a goal chance blocked on the line. At the end of the half Conor Moley blocked a goal shot to be put out for a 45 which was kicked wide, leaving the half time score St Paul’s four points to St Colman’s one point.

St Paul’s were looking good, playing attractive football but things turned immediately at the start of the second half. Mark Brennan pointed for St Colman’s. The Fermoy men started to drive forward with Daniel Murphy hammering the back of the net after a great save by Blaine Hughes. Panic in the Armagh rear guard with the Cork men being rewarded a penalty and Spillane stepped up to hammer the ball pass Hughes in the St Paul’s goals.

But St Paul’s stuck to their task and a superb free from Conor Sloan and another one from Ciaron O’Hanlon kept the St Paul’s boys in the game. Conor Sloan then hit a magic point from 50 metres out aided by the wind to leave the minimum between the teams. Eoghan Burns powered through the middle to level the game in the eighteenth minute of the second half. Pádraig de Róiste replied for St Colman’s to put them one up. Conor Nugent struck a wonder goal from the left hand side in the 22nd minute to put St Paul’s 1-8 to 2-3 ahead. Michael Murphy with one of his power house runs clipped one over the bar to put St Paul’s three ahead. St Colman’s tried valiantly, but another great save from Hughes in the St Paul’s goal denied them the goal they needed. It was nip and tuck with every ball fought for, with bodies put on the line by both teams but O’Hanlon came to the fore after stealing the ball off corner back Micheál O Cinneide to put St Paul’s closer to the final. A point by Anthony Spillane was to be there only reply and Jemar Hall had the final say to leave the final score 1-11 to 2-4. This was an all round team performance with every player playing their part including the large support that followed the maroon and white army to Offaly.

Indeed St Paul’s where at one stage in Ireland’s Top 10 trending hashtag on Twitter with #naomhpolabu. St Paul’s ‘thundering young herd’ are one game away from glory and on the last two performances you could not bet against them on lifting the All-Ireland.

Scorers:  Conor Nugent 1-0, Michael Murphy 0-1, Jemar Hall 0-1, Conor Sloan 0-2, Eoghan Burns 0-1, Ciaran O’Hanlon. 0-5.