Creagh College Footballers Make History
The juvenile footballers of Creagh College made history last Wednesday by winning the South Leinster ‘Roinn D’ 11 a side Final. This is Creagh College’s first year entering competitive football and they brought home the college’s first GAA silverware after a comprehensive win over Kilkenny Vocational School. The squad qualified top of the 
Wexford group after victories over Meanscoil Garman, Colaiste Abhain and Bunclody Vocational School. In the South Leinster Semi-Final Creagh College were pitted against near neighbours Arklow Community College and this proved to be a classic encounter with Creagh edging past a gallant Arklow outfit courtesy of two second half goals by Full Forward Ross Pedoe.
Wednesday’s Final which took place on the outside pitch at Dr. Cullen Park Carlow was played in extremely windy conditions which made matters difficult for both sides. Kilkenny won the toss and elected to play against the wind in the first half and they must have been quite happy going in at half time only four points down. It took eighteen minutes for either team to register a score but it was a score worth the wait. Michael Whelan fielded magnificently in midfield and played a clever one two with wing forward Robert Murphy before soloing through the heart of the Kilkenny defense and unleashing an unstoppable shot to the roof of the net. This score saw the Creagh boys settle to their task and points from Bill Woodbyrne and Jake Rushe stretched the lead to five points. However Kilkenny were not going to lie down without a fight and they lay siege on the Creagh goal. This period of sustained Kilkenny pressure saw Creagh goalkeeper Garvan Finn make three spectacular saves to thwart certain goals however he could do nothing about the Kilkenny goal that followed. A dangerous high ball was contested by five or six players just outside the Creagh square and the ball broke kindly to the Kilkenny corner forward who without hesitation volleyed the ball past the hapless Finn.
At half time the Creagh coaches Ruairi O’Broin and Declan O’Toole made a few tactical changes, one of which was to bring wing forward Robert Murphy back as a sweeper to help cut out the supply to the dangerous Kilkenny full forward line. Murphy went on to a give a man of the match performance in the second half as time and time again he broke up Kilkenny attacks and drove forward from the half back line taking the fight to Kilkenny. The second half was dominated by Creagh College and the inspiring Ross Pedoe sprung to life scoring three goals without reply.
This victory is a credit to the players of Creagh College who have trained every week without fail since September 1st. They played two hugely competitive practise games prior to the competition against Colaiste Cill Mhantain and FCJ Bunclody which were of great benefit to the players and coaches. Ruari O’Broin also paid tribute to the entire squad of thirty two players for their dedication, Mr O Broin said “ The lads have been a joy to work with and with over thirty players at training every week we were able to make great progress in a short period of time. Many of these players are underage again next year so the future is bright for gaelic games in Creagh College”. It is hoped that this trophy will be the first of many sporting trophies to adorn the Creagh College trophy cabinet.
Creagh College:
Garvan Finn(Ballinastraw Gaels), Darragh Kennedy, Tiernan Fealey(Ballinastraw Gaels), Dylan Sawyer(Ballinastraw Gaels), Darragh Byrne(St. Pats), Michael Whelan(St. Pats), John Higgins(Realt na Mara), Bill Woodbyrne(Castletown), Robert Murphy(Ballinastraw Gaels), Ross Pedoe, Jake Rushe(Castletown), Mathew Lacey, Ryan Earle, Michael Higgins, Ryan Somers, Fintan Staunton, Michael Fortune, William Higgins, Lee Byrne, Ben Dowie, Vincent Sheehan Burke, Stephen Barry,
James Doran, Mark Doyle, Kevin Stafford, Kyle Kavannagh, Niall Morris, David Byrne, Sam Cody,
