Final Score: St Peters Dunboyne College 1:11 Roscommon CBS 2:14

St Peters College Dunboyne's great run in the Senior B Schools Football came to an end this afternoon in Abbottstown, where they came out second best to Roscommon CBS. Having captured the Leinster Trophy against Enniscorthy CBS a fortnight earlier there was a strong belief in the group that progressing to a very first All Ireland final was certainly in their reach.

Luke Faherty opened the scoring for the Meath men in the opening minute, a tidy finish off his right boot. Roscommon responded well and notched the next 2 scores. The response from the Dunboyne team was immediate and 2 points from team captain John Harkin pushed them one ahead, both from 45 yards out with one a peach from the outside of the right foot and the other a monster free from the left. The Rossies countered with an equaliser in the 7th minute. Cian Tobin brilliantly dispossessed his direct opponent deep in St Peters territory and started an attack which led to Harkin pushing his school one ahead again. Unfortunately, CBS dominated the posession for the next 14 minutes and out scored Dunboyne by 6 points to 1, with the single Dunboyne score coming from the boot of Charlie Gallagher from all of 40 yards. Young 'Gally' stopped the rot in the 27^th minute again with an exact replica of his earlier point, which left his team trailing by 3 points, at 0:6 to 0:9. But CBS finished the half stronger and put another 1:01 on the scoreboard. Score at Half Time: St Peters College 0:06 Roscommon CBS 1:10.

Dunboyne needed a quick start to the second half, and it never came. In fact, the Roscommon outfit got the opening score of the half straight out of the traps. Harkin responded with a pointed free in the 6^th minute and this was followed up with Luke Faherty getting his second point in off the post before another from play from Harkin. Dunboyne's hopes were raised when a high ball into the square was spilled by the CBS keeper and landed into the arms of the waiting James Lonergan, who may never get an easier goal - leaving the game at 1:09 to 1:12. CBS got the next score to put them 4 up before Conor Murphy made an immediate impact for Dunboyne when taking on his man and slotting over a well taken point from the edge of the D. The St Peters outfit certainly had the momentum at this stage and the large support on the sideline felt that the win was within their grasp. But they were playing a very good footballing side and 2 minutes later they were rewarded with their second goal to put 6 back between the sides, with 8 minutes to play. This was a major hammer blow to the Dunboyne School and the difference was pushed further out to 7 in the 26^th minute, before Lonergan scored a close-range point which proved to be the last score of the game. There was time no more action and the ref blew the final whistle on a scoreline of Dunboyne 1:11 Roscommon CBS 2:14.

On reflection it was a fantastic run all the way to an All Ireland semi final. Credit to the teachers for all the effort they have put in with the team throughout the last few months. This group can certainly hold their head high and on another day they certainly had it in them to beat this opposition. Best of luck to Roscommon CBS in the All Ireland final where they will play Patrician Carrickmacross. Back to the study now lads!!

Team: Stephen Kiely; Cian Tobin; Briain Comiskey; Paul Dempsey; Ciaran McCormack; Michael Padden; Cian Rohan; Luke Faherty (0:02); John Harkin (Capt) (0:05, 2F); Eoin McCrudden; Cian Duggan; Charlie Gallagher (0:02); Harry Healy; James Lonergan (1:01); Sean Delaney; Bench: Jack Doyle for Cian Rohan; Conor Murphy (0:01) for Sean Delaney; Cathal Farrelly for Paul Dempsey;

St. Peters Dunboyne