Limerick's Ardscoil Rís surrender Dean Ryan title following quarter-final loss to St Flannan's

ARDSCOIL Rís are out of the Dean Ryan Cup following a 0-22 to 1-14 defeat to St Flannan's in today's quarter-final clash in Sixmilebridge.

The Limerick school held a one-point half time lead but Flannan's superb start to the second half helped them reach the last four of the competition.

Patrick Kearney scored 1-5 of Ardscoil's total, however, they were unable to get a greater spread of scores and surrender the title they won last November as a result.

It was an even first half with both sides picking off excellent scores but it was Kearney that put Ardscoil in control with a superb goal on five minutes.

Darragh Kennedy responded with a long range free for Flannan's but Cillian Murphy's score had Ardscoil leading 1-2 to 0-3. However, efforts from Donnacha Mahon and Harry Doherty squared the game up with 12 on the clock.

Kearney and Doherty were the stars on show in the opening half hour. The Adare youngster fired over three in the space of five minutes to keep his side three to the good in the run up to half time.

It was Flannan's that finished the half stronger though with two from Darragh McNamara and one from Doherty levelling the game for a second time. However, John O'Keeffe gave Ardscoil the half time lead on a 1-9 to 0-11 scoreline.

Flannan's, aided by a freshening breeze, stormed into the second half with Kennedy and two Doherty frees putting them ahead. Kearney responded for Adare but it was one-way traffic for most of the second half.

Conor Ralph, Mahon and Doherty saw Flannan's into a four-point advantage and they held onto that margin heading into the closing stages.

Marc O'Brien was moved from centre back to centre forward for Ardscoil and looked destined to force extra time with a powerful shot from close range but a sensational block from Flannan's defender Sean McNamara ensured the Clare school advance to the semi-final.

SCORERS - ARDSCOIL RÍS: Patrick Kearney 1-5, Cillian Murphy and Marc O'Brien (0-1 free) 0-2 each, Dylan Keogh, Conor Ryan (Ahane), John O'Keeffe, Ian O'Brien and Alex Kearns 0-1 each. 

SCORERS - ST FLANNAN'S: Harry Doherty 0-9 (0-7 frees), Donnacha Mahon 0-4, Darragh Kennedy 0-3 (0-2 frees), Darragh McNamara and Darragh Ball 0-2 each, James Murphy and Conor Ralph (0-1 free) 0-1 each.

ARDSCOIL RÍS: Zach Dillon; (Smith O'Brien's); Sean Fitzgerald (Murroe-Boher), Conor Ryan (Adare), Leo Connolly (Na Piarsaigh); Jack O'Halloran (Sixmilebridge), Marc O'Brien (Cratloe), Adam Fitzsimons (Na Piarsaigh); David O'Keeffe (Na Piarsaigh), John O'Keeffe (Murroe-Boher); John O'Connor (Ahane), Conor Ryan (Ahane), Dylan Keogh (Sixmilebridge); Malachy McKenna (Pallasgreen), Cillian Murphy (Sixmilebridge), Patrick Kearney (Adare).

SUBS: Ian O'Brien (Cratloe) for D O'Keeffe (h-t), Alex Kearns (Na Piarsaigh) for C Ryan (Ahane) (42 mins), Eoin Hennessy (Patrickswell) for Fitzsimons (48 mins),

ST FLANNAN'S: Michael Collins; Sean McNamara, Conor Hill, Bernard Keating; Patrick Finneran, Conor Ralph, James Cullinan; Darragh Kennedy, Darragh McNamara; Jason Keane-Hayes, Darragh Ball, Donnacha Mahon; Graham Ball, James Murphy, Harry Doherty.

SUBS: Jamie Ryan for Hill (20 mins), Rory Ralph for Murphy (45 mins), Michael Cotter for Hayes (51 mins), Stephen Gavin for G Ball (62 mins).

REFEREE: Johnny Healy (Clare)