Colaiste Phobal Ros Cre aim to revive hurling glory years in All-Ireland Final

GAA: Masita All-Ireland Post Primary Schools Senior ‘D’ Hurling Final Preview

By Liam Hogan

Colaiste Phobal Ros Cré v Grennan College, Thomastown

SETU Carlow

Friday, 14th March

Throw-in @ 1.00pm

Referee: Eamonn Furlong (Wexford)

The Niall McInerney Cup is up for grabs next Friday afternoon when Colaiste Phobal Ros Cre play Grennan College from Thomastown in Kilkenny in the All-Ireland Post Primary Schools Senior ‘D’ Hurling final.

This competition was won last year by another Tipperary school in St Mary’s from Newport and Colaiste Phobal Ros Cre will be hoping for a title which would be a huge boost to hurling in the school who have fallen back from the heady days when the school was towards the top of the Vocational school tree before it merged with the colleges scene for one competition.

Their last big win was in 2014 when they defeated Cross & Passion College from Ballycastle, in the All-Ireland ‘B’ final. This was the first year that of the new merged schools competition when the Paddy Buggy Cup rested in the school. Next Saturday sees Ballycastle back in the ‘B’ final when they play Calasanctius College from Oranmore in the final.

The team had the likes of Donal Doughan and Adrian Cleary who hurled with Offaly while both players plus Kieran Cleary helped Shinrone to their first ever County senior Hurling title in 2023. Even Fitzpatrick has played prominent roles with Roscrea senior hurlers.

“It’s been up and down since 2014,” admitted hurling stalwart in the school Willie Smith.

“In 2018 we had a good team. We led Doon CBS by twelve points at half time in the Munster quarter final. However, Adam English took over in the second half and pegged it all back. Killian Sampson was one of our leading lights at the time. Thats the way hurling goes.”

Willie Smith is joined on the management team by Roscrea senior hurler Conor Sheedy in a bid to bring back the silverware. So far, they cannot but be very happy with the progress they have made this year.

They began their Munster campaign with a major first round win over Gaelcholaiste Luimnigh. In the second round they defeated St Anne’s Community College, Killaloe 2-12 to 1-13, followed by a 3-18 to 1-10 win over Colaiste Dun Iascaigh of Cahir in the Munster semi-final.

UL was the venue for the Munster decider against St Munchin’s of Limerick which resulted in a 4-12 to 2-13 victory before heading to Kingspan Breffni for the All-Ireland semi-final clash with St Patrick’s College Dungiven with Colaiste Phobal winning 0-26 to 1-6.

“We have players mainly thirteen or fourteen players from Roscrea, along with players from Shinrone, Ballyskenagh/Killavilla and Moneygall that make up the panel. Normally we have players from Coolderry, Camross, and Clonakenny but not this time.

“Some of the players are well known such and have experienced adult hurling such as joint captains Sam Dooley from Roscrea and Gearoid Maher from Shinrone. He is on the Offaly under 20 panel, but Aaron O’Donoghue may miss the game due to an ankle injury.”

“Look, we continue to prepare our hurlers each year. There are lots of people willing to assist like Thomas Pollard (Ballingarry). We have Craig Delaney of Camross, Thomas Slattery of Holycross/Ballycahill. Damien McCormack does a lot with the footballers, and we have Liam O’Brien and William Mackey also helping out.”

Colaiste Phobal Ros Cre panel

Sam Carey (Moneygall)

Seán Carr (Roscrea)

Charlie Carroll (Roscrea)

Tim Cleary (Moneygall)

Seamie Cleere (Ballyskenagh/Killavilla)

Michael Dooley (Roscrea)

Paul Dooley (Roscrea)

Sam Dooley (Roscrea)

Killian Fitzpatrick (Ballyskenagh/Killavilla)

Seán Fitzpatrick (Ballyskenagh/Killavilla)

Jimmy Keeshan (Moneygall)

Josh Loughnane (Moneygall)

Michael Loughnane (Roscrea)

Gearoid Maher (Shinrone)

Sean Maher (Moneygall)

Cathal McDonnell (Roscrea)

Eoghan McLoughlin (Shinrone)

Killian Meagher (Ballyskenagh/Killavilla)

Calum Mitchell (Roscrea)

Jack Moloney (Roscrea)

Eoin Moore (Roscrea)

Brian Oakley (Shinrone)

Ryan O’Callaghan (Roscrea)

Aaron O’Donoghue (Roscrea)

Aaron O’Toole (Ballyskenagh/Killavilla)

Miko Pasalic (Roscrea)

Connor Phelan (Ballyskenagh/Knockavilla)

Darragh Phelan (Ballyskenagh/Killavilla)

Jack Ryan (Roscrea)

Kaylum Ryan (Roscrea)

James Sampson (Shinrone)

Eoghan Sheedy (Moneygall)

Abdulmatin Shodiya (Roscrea)

Paul Simpson (Shinrone)

Aaron Tooher (Roscrea)

Jack Walsh (Roscrea)

Matt Watkins (Ballyskenagh/Killavilla)