Holy Trinity Are All Ireland Vocational Schools Champions.

Saturday 07.04.2012

60 minutes on the clock and Kieran Mc Geary makes it 2-18 to 0-7. Time is up and Ferbane miss the chance of a goal with the last kick of the game. Holy Trinity are the All Ireland champions.

Three minutes to go and The Cookstown management team still look focused and concerned. Free in to Ferbane on the 13m line which comes off the post and is cleared by Conor Mc Aleer.

Ferbane earn the first 45 of the day which Anthony Devlin plucks from the sky. Loughran again with another fine point makes it 2-17 to 0-7.

We are inside the last 8 minutes and Ferbane’s discipline is costing them with a hoard of bookings. Midfielder Leon Fox receives a second yellow and the Offaly lads are down to 14 men. Barry Potter converts a free to make it 2-16 to 0-7.

48 minutes in and a free from Mc Gahan extends the lead to 2-15 to 0-7. Barry Potter and Micky Mills replace Declan Mc clure and Niall Mc Williams.

Another speculative effort this time from sub Frank Burns and it is goal number two for HT as the Cookstown lads lead 2-14 to 0-7 with 47 minutes played.

A brave stop from keeper Anthony Mc Kenna denies the Offaly lads a chance of getting back into the game.

A poor sideline kick intercepted by Armstrong and finished by Mc Gahan and it is 1-14 to 0-7 for HT with 42 minutes played.

Kieran Mc Geary with a fine strike and it is now 1-13 to 0-7 with 37 minutes played.

Mc Gahan with 36 minutes played makes it 1-12 to 0-7 for HT.

A free kick 25 metres out is scored by Maher.

Frank Burns with a fine finish 33 minutes in and it is now 1-11 to 0-6

13:47 and the second half is underway.

The sun continues to shine and Gallen CS Ferbane are first out onto the field for the start of the second half. HT need to maintain the intensity and get the ball inside to their forwards who look to have the beating of the Ferbane defence.

One minute of additional time and Mc Geary punches it over to put HT 1-9 to 0-6 in front. Danny Mc Nulty outstanding in centrefield. Declan Mc Clure points on the stroke of half time to make it 1-10 to 0-6 after a very good opening thirty minutes. 1-9 of that score coming from play.

Speculative effort from Mc Geary hits the net and HT lead 1-8 to 0-6 28 mins played.

Great response from Ferbane as Brian Grehan narrows the gap to two.

Mc Nulty again this time with the left foot and HT move 0-8 to 0-5 ahead 26 played.

Two subs from Holy Trinity as Frank Burns and Mattie Hughes replace Coney and Magee and midfielder Mc Nulty powers through for a fine score 0-7 to 0-5 with 24 mins gone.

Great run and finish from Mc Geary and HT move 0-6 to 0-5 ahead twenty mins gone.

A silly free and a yellow card and Ferbane are level with Joe Maher the scorer.

0-4 each with 16 minutes on the clock and John Loughran with a fine strike puts Holy Trinity ahead again..

Ferbane move ahead again with a fine score from Mc Donagh but john Loughran levels the game almost immediately.

A free 40 metres out for Ferbane from Eoghan Lowry levels the scores 14 mins played.

Kieran Mc Geary strikes the post as Holy Trinity enjoy a bit of decent possession.

James Mc Gahan is fouled as he closes in on goal. A 20 m free from Mc Gahan puts Holy Trinity ahead for the first time 0-3 to 0-2 ten mins played.

Yellow card Danny Mc Nulty and Michael Cassidy brings the sides level with a captain’s score in the 8th minute.

Both sides enjoying the wide open spaces of Croke Park and with 4 mins gone it is still a point apiece. Aaron Mc donagh with a fine strike puts Ferbane 0-2 to 0-1 ahead.

Ferbane win the throw in but are wide with their first attack. Midfielder fox then sends over the opening score as Ferbane lead 0-1 to no score. cookstown respond immediately with the equalising point from Anthony Devlin. 2 mins gone.
The breeze could well play a significant role today as it blows across the field towards the Cusack Stand. The flags are flying in the breeze and the sides are taking their places on the field with Holy Trinity shooting into the old Canal End.

As the countdown to the throw in continues we can report that the Holy Trinity team will line out as follows: Anthony Mc Kenna, Caolan Coney, Ruairi Mullan, Niall Mc Williams, Eoin Coyle, Conor Mc Aleer, Michael Cassidy, Anthony Devlin, Danny Mc Nulty, Declan Mc Clure, John Loughran, Aidan Armstrong, Kieran Mc Geary, James Mc Gahan, Daryl Magee.

Teamtalkmag.com will be LIVE in Croke Park this afternoon to bring you updates in both of the Schools’ finals as Holy Trinity Cookstown and St Michael’s Enniskillen go in search of glory. The Cookstown lads will be facing reigning champions Gallen of Ferbane in Offaly in a repeat of last year’s semi final. Adrian O’Donnell’s side will be hoping to make up for the disappointment of losing that one. Holy Trinity have looked very impressive in their run to the final but know that they will have to produce a big hour’s football if they are to overcome a very experienced and highly rated Offaly outfit.

Following that game Trillick teenager Rory Brennan will lead out his school mates as St Michael’s Enniskillen also face Offaly opposition in the final of The Hogan Cup. Neither side has won this title before but the Fermanagh lads have faced the more difficult route to the final. They seem to play best when facing adversary and Saturday’s challenge will be the biggest challenge they have faced so far. Hopefully young Brennan will continue to lead by example and climb the steps of the Hogan Stand to accept the Hogan Cup on behalf of his colleagues.