Naas CBS edge in Bosco Cup

“That’s as big a win as we’ve had, and I know we’ve had a few big ones!” he said after the game.

“We gave out to them a little bit at half-time, saying that ‘we’re annoyed for ye, because ye are good footballers and ye’re not showcasing yourselves here’. We didn’t really give them an option, we said that they had to go out and play football, there was no corner in which to hide, and they did”.

Certainly in the first half, it looked as if the widely-held view that a team that had just two survivors from the 20 players that saw action in the corresponding fixture last year was unlikely to compete at the business end of things this winter, was coming through.

Rob Murray – the only starter from last year’s team – was a driving force at centre back, Oisín O’Neill and Conor Breen made a couple of big plays to keep St. Mel’s at bay from the corner back positions and players like Evan Cahill, Aidan McGrane and Cian McKevitt got through a lot of work in the middle third, but the St. Mel’s attack looked to have a lot more potency, and were full value for their 0-6 to 0-2 interval lead.

There was a bounce after half-time, kicked off when Murray found McGrane with a magnificent long-range pass and the wing forward added an equally accurate finish. Conor Breen’s turnover led to the next point for McKevitt, Rob Millham made an immediate impact off the bench with a score, and Euan Cowzer also got off the mark, after struggling to get the ball into his hands up to that point.

Then Breen was somehow unlucky to be pinged for what looked like a brave block on Paddy Mollaghan, and that kicked off a run of four points in a row for the home side.

Throughout the game, the quality of the St. Mel’s inside forward line was undeniable, and James Hagan’s kick under pressure to make it 0-12 to 0-7 suggested that even if Naas CBS did find a goal, it might not be enough.

But the first thing they needed was to raise that green flag to put on some pressure, and when that half-chance came, Euan Cowzer’s burst of pace, his bravery to take on two defenders and his impeccable finish to the top corner was exactly what the three-in-a-row champions needed.

It wasn’t just that the team was back within two points, it was that they had that moment to really inspire them, and even though Mel’s replied with the next score, the final ten minutes of action was all about this Naas group well and truly putting the demons from their first round defeat to Mullingar CBS to rest. Two Liam Kenny frees, a well-worked equalizer for Tom Boran and then Evan Lenihan’s winner, all engineered while four St. Mel’s possessions in a row ended in turnovers, felt like the start of yet another special chapter for this school.

Final score: St Mel's College 0-13 Naas CBS 1-11

“Everybody expected us to go close again, but at the start of the year I would have said that we weren’t even a top five team in Leinster. I think the results had shown that” said Hughes.

“I think Leinster is really strong this year, and I would have had Mel’s as one of the best teams. So I’ve probably elevated where I see our standard after this win here” he added. Others will have elevated them too.

MEL’S COLLEGE: Jack Finnegan; Ryan Keogh, Patrick Clancy, Paul Eivers; Alan Mimnagh, Mark Cooney, Daniel Carey; Jamie Dorr, Josh Marsh; Cormac P Flynn, Davin Donnelly (0-1), Enda Quinn; Paddy Mollahan (0-3, 0-2f), James Hagan (0-5, 0-2f), Cormac Flynn (0-4, 0-3f). Sub: James Shannon for Carey (49).

SCOIL MHUIRE (all Naas club, unless stated): Mark Halligan; Oisín O’Neill, Eli Dhlos, Conor Breen; Cillian Power (Sallins), Rob Murray, Evan Cahill (Eadestown); Dara Cooke (Raheens; 0-1f), Cian McKevitt (0-1); Aidan McGrane (0-2), Seán Tully (Raheens), Liam Kenny (0-2f); Evan Lenihan (0-1), Euan Cowzer (1-1), Tom Boran (Eadestown; 0-2).  Subs: Rob Millham (0-1) for Cooke (36), Niall McAndrew for Tully (36), Aran Martin for Cahill (42), Matthew O’[Connor for Breen (49), Dara O’Boyle (Twomilehouse) for Power (57).   

Referee: Enda Kelly (Westmeath).