Aussie Rules rookie stands between St Jarlath's and the Hogan Cup

By JIM CARNEY ONE of the most coveted prizes in Gaelic football awaits the winners of the All-Ireland Colleges S.F.C. final between Connacht champions St Jarlath's, Tuam and Ulster champions St Colman's, Newry at Croke Park next Saturday (throw-in at 1.45pm). [private]The Hogan Cup has a magnificent tradition; it carries huge honour and prestige, and â€â€ barring a draw â€â€ it will be going North to Co. Down for a second successive year or West across the Shannon to Tuam. Down to the last two left in the big race, it's all to play for now and it's a thrilling prospect. This famous Colleges G.A.A. Championship, a natural breeding ground for County Minor teams and a reliable bridge to senior potential, has a history back to 1946, with Corn Uí Ógáin named after Brother Thomas Hogan from Grangemockler near the legendary Sliabh na mBan in south-east Tipperary. Thomas Hogan's brother Michael (1896 - 1920) had the Hogan Stand at Croke Park named after him. On its famous podium next Saturday, at around 3.30, the Hogan Cup will be presented to the winning captain, and that'll be Ian Burke of St Jarlath's, from the Corofin club, or St Colman's captain Connor Gough, from the Newry Shamrocks club. Ian Burke's father, Oliver, and his uncle Gerry won All-Ireland Minor Football medals with Galway in 1976 and All-Ireland Club Championship medals with Corofin on St Patrick's Day 1998, while Connor Gough's grandfather John Gough, an Antrim man, was referee of the infamous 1983 All-Ireland S.F.C. final won by Dublin, finishing with 12 men, against Galway's 14. St Patrick's Grammar School, Armagh were first to receive the Hogan Cup, in the inaugural year, 1946, when they defeated St Jarlath's in the final at Croke Park by one point, 3-11 to 4-7. The gallant losers' star player that year was the then 16-year-old Seán Purcell who the following year was hailed as 'the Boy Wonder of Tuam' when he inspired St Jarlath's to the first of their 12 Hogan Cup victories, defeating the same opposition, St Patrick's, Armagh in the 1947 final by 4-10 to 3-8. The full list of St Jarlath's, Tuam All-Ireland (A grade) S.F.C. victories to date reads: 1947, 1958, 1960 and â€Ëœ61, 1964, 1966, 1974, 1978, 1982, 1984, 1994 and 2002. St Colman's, Newry are next in the Roll of Honour, champions seven times: 1967, 1975, 1986, 1988, 1993, 1998 and 2010. Newry are striving for back-to-back Hogan Cup victories for the first time, which St Jarlath's achieved in 1960/61. In the build-up to this final, two ex-St Jarlath's men (and Hogan Cup aficionados), Ollie Turner and Micheál Ó Loideáin, sat down one night last week in Dunmore and unearthed many very interesting facts, including the following: â€Â¢ St Jarlath's have appeared in 25 of the 57 Hogan Cup finals to date, winning 12 and losing 13. â€Â¢Ã‚ Â   St Colman's and St Jarlath's have met three times in Hogan Cup finals, with St Colman's holding a 2-1 advantage. â€Â¢Ã‚ Â   The St Jarlath's College 2002 Final victory was the biggest in Hogan Cup Final history: 16 points â€â€ St Jarlath's 3-13 St Michael's, Enniskillen 0-6. â€Â¢Ã‚ Â   Apart from the years when there was no All-Ireland tournament (1949 - 1956), this year's appearance by St Jarlath's marks the end of their longest spell without reaching a Hogan Cup final (eight years). â€Â¢Ã‚ Â   St Colman's have never failed to score a goal in a Hogan Cup final. THE All-Ireland semi-final victory by St Jarlath's (now amalgamated with Tuam CBS) over Coláiste Chríost Rí, Cork (1-14 to 0-14) was hugely impressive. Before that, the Tuam school had lacked experience of playing hard, top-class competitive football, for they had only two outings in the Connacht Championship, first eliminating St Gerald's, Castlebar without a true test and then reluctantly leapfrogging their way to the final â€â€ they were deprived of a semi-final match when St Muredach's, Ballina gave them a walk-over. In the final, they blitzed Summerhill College, Sligo in the first half and had enough in the tank when the Sligo lads fought back in the second half; it finished 3-10 to 1-12, after leading early on by 3-6 to 0-1, which might appear to have cast doubts about the winners' ability to keep a big game tight and safe, but against the highly rated Munster champions next time out there were no doubts. St Jarlath's gave an outstanding display; they were superbly fit, highly motivated and well prepared; it was a performance that had skill written all over it and Coláiste Chríost Rí simply couldn't cope with the speed and movement of their opponents who looked, that day, so fresh and eager that their lack of big matches in Connacht was not an issue. The Violet Hill, Newry team had targeted a second successive Hogan Cup final appearance from the moment they won last year's title at the expense of St Brendan's, Killarney. This year, with their star forward Caolan Mooney on fire, they got through the Ulster Championship (MacRory Cup) reportedly without being all that convincing until they pipped St Patrick's Academy, Dungannon 2-9 to 2-8 in the final, which was considered a classic. Caolan Mooney hit 2-2 in that game and 2-3 next time out, against Dundalk Colleges in the All-Ireland semi-final, a match Newry won by 3-14 to 1-9. It was said, though, that Dundalk were not as strong as at least two of the teams beaten by Newry earlier on, and indeed the Newry team management were quoted as saying their All-Ireland semi-final performance was disappointing. As for the elevated status of their 'boy wonder,' Mooney, described in one Northern newspaper as 'electric-heeled,' it is undoubtedly significant that he was signed up by the Australian club Collingwood, to play AFL, as far back as last Autumn. From a month-long trial last summer, he's got a two-year rookie contract which will start after he completes this school year. If there is a weakness in his game, it may be inconsistency, as a member of the Newry team management was quoted in one interview as saying Mooney 'drifts in and out of games.' Also, while he is a proven goal-scorer, he can hardly be expected to get two goals in every big game he plays. It could also be argued that proven points-scorers are just as important. For example, in a tense, fiercely contested second half of the All-Ireland semi-final in Cloughaun, Limerick a few weeks ago the Tuam school had forwards such as Shane Walsh, Ian Burke and Michael McWalters who responded magnificently to the pressure of the occasion by splitting the posts for a string of brilliant points from play. On the other hand, I felt the last day that the Cork man-marking was very loose, and it's bound to be tighter, and more physical, the next day. Much could also depend on the weather, and how the two teams react to playing at Croke Park, the big stage certainly when it's a full house, with an 82,000 crowd, but I don't think it will have real atmosphere next Saturday, as many people are turning away from big sports events because of the cost of the day-out, not least the rising cost of petrol. And there's another warning that should be issued on this occasion: Croke Park on a Saturday can be a car-clampers' bonanza. Be careful where, and how, you park on Saturday. None of that, of course, will be of any concern to the young footballers of St Jarlath's and St Colman's, Newry. Finals in all sport have one thing in common: a final takes on a life of its own. By its very nature a final is the ultimate level playing field. All that's gone before, and all the personal reputations built up, sometimes sky-high, give way to a clean slate. At the first whistle, the ball is thrown in. After that it's up to players on the field, inside the four white lines. The St Jarlath's team who defeated Coláiste Chríost Rí was: James Healy (Annaghdown); Cathal Mulryan (Cortoon Shamrocks), Conor Cunningham (Corofin), Daniel Collins (Corofin); Patrick Glynn (Dunmore MacHales), Adrian Nolan (Killererin), Paul Varley (Cortoon Shamrocks); Gearóid Armstrong (Salthill-Knocknacarra), Liam Silke (Corofin); Shane Walsh (Kilkerrin-Clonberne), Ian Burke, captain (Corofin), Conor McNamara (Corofin); Seán Silke (Corofin), Adrian Varley (Cortoon Shamrocks), Michael McWalters (Milltown). Also in the panel: Mark Mulligan (Claremorris), Conor Langan (Corofin), Colin Treacy (Monivea-Abbey), Martin Farragher (Corofin), Seán Glynn (Milltown), Ryan Rooney (Cortoon Shamrocks), Cathal Slattery (Kinvara), Éanna Bane (Caherlistrane), James Moran (Kilconly), Fergal Tierney (Cortoon Shamrocks), Cathal Coen (Annaghdown), Alan O'Connell (Tuam Stars), Diarmuid Browne (Tuam Stars), Liam Higgins (Caherlistrane), Shane Fahy (Killererin), Joey Hughes (Killererin), Seán O'Boyle (Corofin), Jason Leonard (Corofin), Ben Carty (Corofin), Mark Goldrick (Annaghdown). Team management: Joe Burke (manager), Clive Monahan, Liam Quinn, Tommy Newell and Cathal Furey. St Colman's team management: Cathal Murray (manager), Declan Mussen, Barry Kelly and Eamon McEvoy. So, all is set for the big day: Hogan Cup final at 1.45, with the curtain-raiser at 12.00 noon the All-Ireland Vocational Schools senior football final between Clonakilty (Cork) Community College and Gallen Community School, Ferbane (Offaly). Next Saturday, April 9th 2011 will be a very special day in the young lives of the St Jarlath's starting XV and all in the panel. Every player who puts on a jersey, from No. 1 to No. 35, is equally important, for they have all helped in a common and great cause. We hope they rise to the big occasion, and we wish them the best of luck. St. Jarlath's College, Tuam previous Hogan Cup Final appearances 1946     St Patrick's, Armagh 3-11     St Jarlath's, Tuam 4-7 1947     St Jarlath's, Tuam 4-10     St Patrick's, Armagh 3-8 1958     St Jarlath's, Tuam 0-9     Franciscan College, Gormanston 1-4 1960     St Jarlath's, Tuam 3-10     St Finian's, Mullingar 3-7 1961     St Jarlath's, Tuam 2-8     St Mel's, Longford 1-8 1962     St Mel's, Longford 3-11     St Jarlath's, Tuam 2-12 1964     St Jarlath's, Tuam 0-11     St Mel's, Longford 1-8 Replay: St Jarlath's, Tuam 1-10     St Mel's, Longford 0-4 1966    St Jarlath's, Tuam 1-10     St Finian's, Mullingar 1-9 1967    St Colman's, Newry 1-8     St Jarlath's, Tuam 1-7 1973     Franciscan College, Gormanston 1-7     St Jarlath's, Tuam 0-8 1974     St Jarlath's, Tuam 4-11     Franciscan College, Gormanston 2-11 1976     Carmelite College, Moate 1-10     St Jarlath's, Tuam 0-11 1978     St Jarlath's, Tuam 2-11     St Colman's, Newry 2-4 1979     ÃÂrd Scoil Rís, Dublin 0-10     St Jarlath's, Tuam 0-10 Replay: ÃÂrd Scoil Rís 2-9     St Jarlath's, Tuam 1-10 1982    St Jarlath's, Tuam 1-7     St Fachtna's, Skiberreen 1-7 Replay: St Jarlath's College Tuam 1-8     St Fachtna's, Skiberreen 0-8 1983     Coláiste Chríost Rí 3-6     St Jarlath's, Tuam 2-5 1984     St Jarlath's, Tuam 0-10     St Patrick's, Maghera 2-3 1990     St Patrick's, Maghera 1-4     St Jarlath's, Tuam 0-7 Replay: St Patrick's, Maghera 1-11     St Jarlath's, Tuam 0-13 1992     St Brendan's, Killarney 0-9     St Jarlath's, Tuam 0-5 1993     St Colman's, Newry 2-10     St Jarlath's, Tuam 1-9 1994     St Jarlath's, Tuam 3-11     St Patrick's, Maghera 0-9 1999     Good Counsel, New Ross 1-11     St Jarlath's, Tuam 1-7 2001     St Patrick's, Navan 2-10     St Jarlath's, Tuam 2-8 2002    St Jarlath's, Tuam 3-13     St Michael's, Enniskillen 0-6 2003     St Patrick's, Maghera 1-9     St Jarlath's, Tuam 2-4 St. Colman's College, Newry previous Hogan Cup Final appearances 1957    St Nathy's, Ballaghaderreen 1-7    St Colman's, Newry 0-4 1967     St Colman's, Newry 1-8    St Jarlath's, Tuam 1-7 1975    St Colman's, Newry 1-7    Carmelite College, Moate 2-3 1978    St Jarlath's, Tuam 2-11    St Colman's, Newry 2-4 1986    St Colman's, Newry 3-10    St David's, Artane 1-7 1988    St Colman's, Newry 1-11    St Mel's, Longford 1-7 1993    St Colman's, Newry 2-10    St Jarlath's, Tuam 1-9 1998     St Colman's, Newry 2-14    Coláiste Eoin, Dublin 1-7 2010    St Colman's, Newry 1-18    St Brendan's, Killarney 3-5[/private]