Reporting by Bill Culliton and Cale Lynch
Date: 06/01/26
Venue: Mullingar
Coláiste Choilm lined out for the Senior B hurling clash against Maynooth knowing they were facing a strong side, having previously won the B competition themselves. Despite a spirited performance and a late comeback, Coláiste Choilm came up just short against a sharp Maynooth team.
Starting XV
1. Adam Martin (Tullamore)
2. Cormac Staunton (Na Fianna)
3. Conor Berry (Na Fianna)
4. Sean Finlay (Tullamore)
5. Daire Boland (Ballinamere/Durrow)
6. Jason Donoghue (Tullamore)
7. Darragh Stewart (Tullamore)
8. Sean Dunne (C) (Na Fianna)
9. Patrick Duffy (Tullamore)
10. Glenn Keaveney (Tullamore)
11. Eoin Rouse (Tullamore)
12. Tadhg Kelly (St. Vincents / Tullamore)
13. Robert Burns (Tullamore)
14. Donal Dooley (Shamrocks)
15. Adam Spollen (Ballinamere/Durrow)
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First Half
Maynooth won the throw-in and got the game underway. Coláiste Choilm started brightly, with Eoin Rouse having an early shot saved by the Maynooth goalkeeper. However, it was Maynooth who opened the scoring soon after and followed it up with a free from near the 45-metre line.
Coláiste Choilm responded well. Daire Boland raised the white flag, before Glenn Keaveney slotted over a free from just inside the 65. Despite this, Maynooth kept the scoreboard ticking over with a series of points.
A highlight of the half came when Jason Donoghue picked out Donal Dooley with a superb pass, and Dooley made no mistake, converting with a fine score. Glenn Keaveney continued his excellent free-taking, adding another point, while Jason Donoghue showed great determination to win a free well outside the halfway line and converted it himself.
Maynooth struck back with two more scores, and although Donal Dooley narrowly missed a chance, Coláiste Choilm kept battling. Darragh Stewart made his presence felt with a strong challenge near the sideline, and Glenn Keaveney added another excellent point from a tight angle.
Despite these efforts, Maynooth finished the half strongly and went in at the break with a commanding lead.
Half-time score:
Maynooth 0-12
Coláiste Choilm 0-6
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Second Half
The second half began with both teams trading possession, but scores were slow to come. Glenn Keaveney got Coláiste Choilm off the mark with a well-taken free.
Maynooth narrowly missed after a sloppy passage of play from Coláiste Choilm, and shortly after, fresh legs were introduced as Keith O’Rourke replaced Patrick Duffy. Jason Donoghue once again showed his accuracy, converting another long-range free from near the halfway line.
Maynooth responded quickly with a score from a fast sideline ball and followed it up with a simple free from the 21-metre line. Just when Coláiste Choilm needed a lift, Tadhg Kelly delivered in style, firing home a brilliant goal to swing momentum back in Coláiste Choilm’s favour.
At this stage, the score stood at:
Coláiste Choilm 1-9
Maynooth 0-14
—a one-score game.
Oisín O’Meara was introduced, replacing Adam Spollen, who left the field with what appeared to be an injury. After a tough period of battling, Maynooth edged ahead with two quick points to open a four-point gap.
Coláiste Choilm refused to give in. Keith O’Rourke popped over a vital score to keep hopes alive, but Maynooth replied with a free. In the dying moments, Keith O’Rourke won another free, which Glenn Keaveney calmly converted.
Coláiste Choilm needed a goal with the final play, but Maynooth won the puck-out, and the referee brought the game to an end.
⸻
Full-Time Score
Maynooth 0-17
Coláiste Choilm 1-11
⸻
Conclusion
While the result did not go Coláiste Choilm’s way, the performance showed great character, fight, and resilience, particularly in the second half. Standout performances from Glenn Keaveney, Jason Donoghue, and Tadhg Kelly ensured Coláiste Choilm stayed competitive right to the final whistle. With lessons learned and plenty of positives to take forward, this team will be confident heading into future fixtures.
By Bill Culliton and Cale Lynch