Danske Bank U16 Arthurs Cup final: Colaiste na Carraige v Breifne College, Cavan (today, Healy Park, 1pm)
IN the last year of the Post-Primary Arthurs Cup, a new name will be etched on the trophy this afternoon when Colaiste na Carraige and Breifne College, Cavan square up in what has all the ingredients of a cracking encounter.
Colaiste na Carraige will hope to go one better than last year, when they lost in the final to St Mary’s, Clady, and become the first school from Donegal to take the title.
They will be hoping that experience will stand to them here and in fact their joint-captain Brian O’Donnell will be playing in his third Arthurs Cup final today.
They produced a superb second half display into the wind to account for St Colm’s, Draperstown in the quarter-final before securing an emphatic victory over Ballybay Community School last time out.
Aaron Doherty is a real lynchpin for them at centre half-back and is a player who loves to get forward, as his 1-4 in the win over St Colm’s demonstrates. Dylan Kelly, Garry Molloy, Lanty Molloy and O’Donnell are other key players.
Breifne will be looking to emulate the achievements of Virginia College from four years ago and become only the second Cavan side to win the Arthurs Cup. They beat St Malachy’s, Castlewellan in the last eight before having to pull out all the stops to get the measure of Dean Maguirc, Carrickmore in the semi-final by 2-12 to 1-11.
Brian Foley, Ryan Coyle, and Jake McGovern will give little away in defence while Daniel Cusack and Luke Molloy will strive to at least break even in midfield.
The return from injury on the 40 of Cormac Wall is a boost for them and, along with Callum Lynch and Sean Martin, they are capable of availing of any opportunities that come their way, the latter hitting 1-7 in the semi-final.
