De La Salle bridge 16-year gap to claim Lennon Cup against St.Olivers on a scoreline of 2-10 to 2-7 Brilliant De La Salle captured the Louth senior colleges title for the first time since 1986 when they staved off a late fightback from defending champions St Oliver's CC in a pulsating and high-scoring final at Ballybailie on Thursday May 9th. The final was a repeat of the 2001 decider and the Dundalk school had to be at their brilliant best to prevent their Drogheda counterparts from retaining their crown. If the 16-year gap since their last triumph on centrestage made them nervous, it didn't show. De La Salle were full value for their three-point victory and deserved to take the silverware home . . . even if they were given a late scare when their opponents drew within a point with twelve minutes remaining on the referee's watch. Seven tense and scoreless minutes ensued before De La Salle finally grabbed the points that put the result beyond doubt. After the match, Louth manager Paddy Carr a man who knows a thing or two about such occasions! - was on hand to present the much-sought Lennon Cup to a delighted De La Salle captain Paul Malone. And the celebrations began in earnest! The fact that 2002 was a Red Letter year for colleges football in the Wee County (what with the extraordinary success of the Dundalk Schools team in capturing the Leinster senior title) added to the significance of De La Salle's return to the winner's podium. Fielding several of those same players who had starred on the all-conquering Dundalk Schools selection, De La Salle were immense in the first half when making little of playing against a considerable wind. They amassed a sizeable lead but Olivers were reluctant to surrender their crown without a fight and had drawn back to within a point by the 48th minute. It was a time for calm heads amongst the chaos. And it was the De La Salle lads who demonstrated the greater composure. Wing back Conor Sheridan gave his team the insurance point five minutes from the end when he breached the Drogheda defence and popped up with a priceless score. But St Oliver's continued to pile forward in droves and it was all De La Salle could do to keep them at bay. They tackled tenaciously and refused to leave any holes in their rearguard, forcing their opponents into long-range 'Holy Mary' attempts. The tactic worked well and the Olivers onslaught was kept at bay, with four of their efforts dropping harmlessly into the grateful arms of De La Salle goalkeeper Kevin Moran. On the stroke of the full-time whistle, Derek Crilly landed his fourth free of the afternoon with virtually the last kick of the game, to edge the winners three points clear. The next meaningful act of the day was performed by Paddy Carr at the presentation ceremony. Evidently, the defeat at the same stage of the competition twelve months earlier had not gone down too well with the De La Salle lads, whose intent was crystal clear right from the throw-in. Amazingly, they had the ball in the back of the net inside 18 seconds! Inspirational midfielder Ronan Carroll stormed forward and gather possession before placing the ball delightfully past Cian Nolan in the St Oliver's goal to give his team a dream start with what would ultimately prove the winning goal. The importance of that early score cannot be over-estimated: when the final whistle sounded an hour of action later, there were still three points between the sides. Initially, the lead was short-lived. County minor Andrew Tinley gather possession for Olivers and fired a goal to bring the sides level. Game on! Big time! The scores continued to flow, like champagne at a Hollywood wedding. By the time eight minutes had elapsed, De La Salle had coasted five points clear, 2-2 to 1-0. Derek Crilly and Ronan Carroll registered a point apiece from placed balls before Thomas Campbell got his name on the scoresheet with his side's second goal. The corner forward evaded two markers to strike a rasping shot along the ground across the goalkeeper and into the corner of the net. Tinley pulled back two more points for the Drogheda school, and it would have been much worse but for the agility of De La Salle goalie Moran, who had to be at his brilliant best to divert the second effort over the bar when it looked certain to nestle in the goal. De La Salle were playing some excellent possession football against the wind and their running game was causing Olivers all sorts of trouble. Time and time again they got through for scores and points followed from Carroll, Crilly, Sean O'Connor and Campbell. They now led by a whopping seven points. Even though Paddy Murtagh pulled back a brace for the losers just before the short whistle, De La Salle took a commanding lead of 2-6 to 1-4 into the interval. And they still had wind advantage to come. The defending champions pulled back two further points upon the resumption but Crilly split the posts to give his side the breathing space of four points. When Tinley again struck for Olivers, it was this time left to wing forward Darragh Greene to respond. Twelve minutes from time, Moran could only parry a goalbound shot and the rebound was forced to the back of the De La Salle net. Suddenly, in a game that the Dundalk lads had dominated, the lead was down to a solitary point. The pressure was immense for the next seven minutes but De La Salle's defenders none more so than Richard Sweeney, Conor Sheridan and Colin Hoey - withstood everything St Oliver's could throw at them before raiding upfield for that all-important Sheridan score. The accurate boot of Crilly had the final say as De La Salle drew down the curtain in wonderful style on a glorious season for Louth colleges. De La Salle, 2002 Louth Senior Colleges Football Champions: Kevin Moran; Oliver Brennan, Richard Sweeney, Garret Meehan; Conor Sheridan (0-1), Oisin McCarthy, Colin Hoey; Paul Malone, Ronan Carroll (1-2); Darragh Greene (0-1), Patrick Keenan, Shaun O'Connor (0-1); Thomas Campbell (1-1), Colin Lynch, Derek Crilly (0-4). Subs: John Quigley, Padraig Callaghan. Tweet

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