Knockbeg College 0-13 Good Counsel (Wexford) 0-4
Leinster Colleges SFC ‘A’ Preliminary Round
Knockbeg College have a Leinster Colleges SFC ‘A’ quarter-final to look forward to next week after they got the better of Wexford side Good Counsel in tough conditions this afternoon.
Played in the Good Counsel school grounds in New Ross in wet and windy conditions, Knockbeg showed their traditional battling qualities to record a nine-point win.
This game was due to be played in Graiguecullen last week but was postponed because of an unplayable pitch, meaning Knockbeg had to forfeit home advantage and make the trip to Wexford instead.
But they got off to a good start thanks to three early frees from Ennea Byrne and led throughout the first half.
Michael Kent pulled back a free for the home side but Knockbeg got two fine points from play in quick succession from Callum McElroy from Arles before another Byrne free had them 0-7 to 0-1 after 20 minutes.
Darren Rossiter landed a two-point free for Good Counsel to bring the gap back to four but another Byrne free meant Knockbeg went in at the break leading by 0-8 to 0-3.
Conditions deteriorated even further in the second half but two more frees from Byrne had Knockbeg seven clear and in command entering the final quarter.
Kent did respond with a free but the sending off of a Good Counsel defender on a second yellow card banished any outside chance of a comeback.
Knockbeg duly kicked for home with fine points from play from Dylan O’Dwyer from Kildare club St Laurence’s and sub Ronan Dooley from Eire Og as well as Byrne’s eighth free meant a comfortable win in the end.
Knockbeg now have Louth side Ardee CS in the quarter-final next week before the school Christmas holidays with the semi-final and final scheduled for early 2026.
SCORERS – Knockbeg College: Ennae Byrne 0-8 (all frees), Callum McElroy and Ronan Dooley 0-2 each Dylan O’Dwyer 0-1 each
KNOCKBEG COLLEGE: Cody Tucker (Graiguecullen); Sam McHugh (Palatine), Ross Moran (Tinryland), Senan Gallagher (St Laurence’s); Pa Fitzgerald (Killeshin), Jack Julian (Ballylinan), Jack Doyle (Crettyard); Mikey Byrne (Tinryland), Donnacha Lawlor (St Laurence’s); Jack O’Gorman (Castledermot), Ruaidhri Lawlor (St Laurence’s), Callum McElroy (Arles-Kilcruise); Adam Farrell (Killeshin), Ennae Byrne (Arles-Killeen), Dylan O’Dwyer (St Laurence’s). Subs: Fionn Lawlor (St Laurence’s), Ronan Dooley (Eire Og), Blake Rice (Killeshin), Mark Buggy (Palatine)
Leinster Colleges SFC ‘A’ Quarter-finals
- Terenure College v Marist College, Athlone
- Knockbeg College v Ardee CS
- St. Patrick’s Navan v Coláiste Mhuire, Mullingar
- Naas CBS v Meath Schools
SEE ALSO – South Leinster Colleges SFC ‘B’: Missed chances prove costly as Portlaoise CBS knocked out
