Congratulations to our U16 Ladies Basketball Team who beat Castletroy College in the All Ireland Final
Here is a match report as reported in the Limerick Leader recently
Also in the National Basketball Arena, Tallaght, Hazelwood College, Dromcollogher had too much for Castletroy College in the final of the U16 B Girls League final.
In this all Limerick affair, both teams got off to a fast start. Kiera Shyne opened the scoring for Castletroy before Saoirse McCarthy hit two free throws to get Hazelwood off the mark. Sorcha Cronin had five points with Shyne getting another elbow jumper to bring Castletroy to eleven points for the quarter.
Hannah Cremin made her free throws when on the line before the Fahy sisters, Keelan and Niamh contributed as well to give Hazelwood a one-point lead 11-12 going into the second.
Castletroy started the brighter with Emma O’Sullivan finding her range on the way to 6 points in this quarter. Shyne was a threat the whole time in transition with Azeezat Muniru getting on the scoreboard. Limiting the second attempts held Hazelwood to just eight points with Cremin, McCarthy and Niamh Fahy the scorers. Castletroy lead 23-20 at the half.
The third quarter saw Hazelwood flip the script, Niamh Fahy had seven points with Cremin and Meabh Magner scoring in the lane as well to erase the deficit and push Hazelwood in front. O’Sullivan and Cronin kept the scoreboard ticking but the writing was on the wall for Castletroy.
It was 33-37 going into the last quarter. Hazelwood came out as they finished the third, Cremin was unstoppable on her way to a game high of twenty-one points and Castletroy had no answer to her. Shyne and Nofeesat Muniru did find they basket but it was not enough to stop Hazelwood College taking the win 38-52.
Hazelwood College Hannah Cremin 21, Laura Sexton, Maebh Magner 4, Katie Burke 2, Saorise McCarthy 10, Keelan Fahy 6, Katie Coughlan, Grace Noonan, Orla Bennis, Sarah Kate O’Connor, Niamh Fahy 11, Keelin O’Brien.
Castletroy College Kiera Shyne 11, Emma, O’Sullivan 11, Sorcha Cronin 8, Gandy Malou Mamel 1, Nofeesat Muniru 5, Azeezat Muniru 2, Tawaklit Musa, Julia Cuneen.
Congratulations to Brian Ahern, sixth year, who recently represented Hazelwood College in the Ireland U18 v Australia U18 Schools match. On the day Brian scored both of Irelands goals and was awarded Man of the Match
Here is a match report from the day as first published in the Limerick Leader.
Reporter: Jerome O’Connell 20 Jan 2020
LIMERICK teenager Brian Ahern scored both goals as the Republic of Ireland were 2-0 winners over Australia. Hazelwood College star Ahern was the match winner with two brilliant second half goals as the Republic of Ireland U18 boys came from a goal down to edge out the Austrialia Schools for a 2-1 win in a friendly international at Home Farm FC.
Ahern was one of several players that Ireland head coach William O’Connor introduced at the break as he juggled his squad in an effort to break the deadlock after a scoreless opening half.
The Limerick United forward a pupil at Hazelwood College in Dromcollogher made his mark in fine style on the hour by powering home the equaliser with a 30 yard screamer that sailed past a helpless Thomas Rozman in the visitors goal.
A deserved win that delighted head coach William O’Connor. “Brian (Ahern) did really well to get us back on top with two great goals. The first one in particular was some strike,” said the Irish manager.
“Overall all the squad did brilliantly and there were some fine individual performances too which bodes well for our bid to regain the Centenary Shield with the first of our four games a home fixture against Scotland coming up on March 19”.
O’Connor added: “Games against Australia are always difficult as our side are all U18 while they are U19 but we responded well after conceding the early second half penalty.” @faischools Both goals by Brian Ahern from yesterday’s 2-1 win V Australia in @Homefarm_FC . pic.twitter.com/yIPk23ajrU — William O Connor (@willyoc21) January 19, 2020
The Irish students will have a trial game against Colin O’Brien’s U17 select in a few weeks time as O’Connor attempts to whittle the squad down to 16 players for the Centenary Shield fixture at the end of March.
Ahern’s goal got Ireland right back into a game that looked to be slipping away from them after Sasha Kuzevski had earlier put Australia in front beating goalkeeper Patrick McGarvey from the penalty spot after he was taken down in the box by Mark Hanratty.
Ahern wasn’t finished and minutes after he struck the equaliser he went on to crown a top class show by climbing above the Australia defenders to head home what proved to be the winner.
The goal was created by Lucan CBS scholar Kyle Robinson’s precise pass that gave Hanratty the chance to whip in a high cross from the left and Ahern managed to get his head on the ball and guide it home for a superb double. The penalty coolly converted by Kuzevski on 56 minutes put Australia in the driving seat although a fantastic double save from goalkeeper Rozman who kept out close range efforts from Robinson and Ahern might have seen Ireland get back on terms.
However minutes later Ahern got another opportunity to make amends and this time he made no mistake with his superb finish from distance.
That equaliser shook the visitors and when Ahern quickly headed home his second there was no way back as the Irish grew in confidence with Eoin Farrell and Adam Verdon dominating the midfield and Kyle Robinson and Brian Ahern always lively up front.
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND: Eoghan O’Sullivan (Coláiste Cois Life, Lucan); Cillian Heaney (Rice College, Westport), Adam McCarron (Scoil Mhuire, Buncrana), Andrew Quinn (Dunshaughlin Community College), Rob Walsh (Glanmire Community College); Eoin Farrell (Ardscoil na Tríonóide, Athy) Adam Vernon (Gaelcholáiste Reachrann, Donaghmede); Adam Lennon (Athlone Community School), Daniel Cox (St. Joseph’s College, Galway), Charlie Concannon (Yeats College, Galway); Kyle Robinson (Coláiste Phadráig, Lucan CBS). Subs: Patrick Ferry (Pobalscoil Ghaoth Dobhair) for Walsh h-t, Brian Ahern (Hazelwood College, Dromcollogher) for Cox h-t, Patrick McGarvey (Rosses Community School, Dungloe) for O’Sullivan h-t, Joe Power (Presentation College, Bray) for Heaney h-t, Mark Hanratty (Lusk Community College) for Concannon h-t, Luke Rudden (Carndonagh Community School) for Lennon 86.
AUSTRALIA: Luke Genua (Edmund Rice College); Sasha Kuzevski (St. Edward’s College), Nathan Grimaldi (The Hills Sports High School), William Pearce (William Clarke College), Jack McLoughlin (Cranbrook School); Dimitri Kostopoulos (Westfields Sports High School), Alexander Bonetig (Edmund Rice College); Connor Rose (St. Leo’s Catholic College), Lachlan Sepping (Emmaus Catholic College), Jordan Metcalfe (Epping Boys High School); Rhys Osmond (Westfields Sports High School). Subs: Thomas Rozman (Champagnat Catholic College) for Genua h-t, Jack Berte (St. Pius Cross College) for Osmond h-t, Caleb Jackson Brown (Westfields Sports High School) for Pearce h-t, Jay McGowan (Sylvania High School) for Metcalfe h-t, Will Hodgson (St Aloysius College) for Kostopoulos 62, Bailey Ratcliff (Matthew Flinders Anglican College) for McLoughlin 62.
Two second half goals from TJ Kelly sent Hazelwood through to the third round of the Munster U19 Soccer Shield. On January 7th, Hazelwood played Mercy Mounthawk, Tralee in Cove Park, Broadford. Conditions weren’t the best with a very strong wind blowing. Hazelwood played with the elements in the first half and put pressure on the Mounthawk defence, forcing the goal keeper to make some very good saves. On the stroke of half-time Hazelwood could have gone 1-0 up when a great ball from Brian Aherne put Darragh Ryan through but the shot went just wide.
In the second half Hazelwood knew it would be tough and a slow start allowed Mounthawk to score just after the break. Hazelwood regrouped and within ten minutes the sides were level, thanks to a great goal by TJ Kelly. Tempers were starting to rise and Mounthawk lost three players to red cards. With five minutes to go Kelly scored again. An exceptional cross from Kenny Lynch into the danger area landed at Kelly’s feet and he put it in the net. Substitute Ronan O Connor got on the score sheet with a well taken goal to make it 3-1. A lack of concentration allowed Mounthawk to get one back to make it 3-2 but that was as close as it got as the referee blew the final whistle. Best of luck to Hazelwood in the Munster Quarter Final.
What a day for the Basketball team who not only successfully hosted the All Ireland playoffs but also won their two games comfortably seeing them through to the final stages of the All Ireland competition ! Their second game saw them really get into their stride with a 67-33 win over Lucan. All roads lead to Dublin for this incredibly hard working group of girls. Congratulations to the team , their management and helpers
They did it !!!! U19 Munster Champions after a hard fought extra time battle against Colaiste an Trocaire, Rathkeale 3-8 to 1-11. Congratulations to the team and their management on a fantastic achievement
Congratulations to the Hazelwood U19 hurling team that beat Middleton 3-13 to 0-12 in the D Munster Semi Final. They will be playing Colaiste Na Trocaire, Rathkeale in the Munster final
Hazelwood 1st and 2nd year Camogie teams who competed in a blitz in Rathkeale yesterday. 3 teams competed in group’s A, B and C. Each of the 3 teams reached the finals in their respective group’s with team A defeating Laurel Hill in penalties after extra time could not separate the sides. Team B defeated Scoil Mhuire agus Ide in their final. Great performances all round. The future is certainly bright for sport at Hazelwood.
