Colaiste Éanna crowned U16 'A' All-Ireland Schools League champions, beating St. Patrick's Castleisland 60-51

Colaiste Éanna narrowly overcame St. Patrick’s Castleisland 60-51 to win the U16 ‘A’ All-Ireland Schools League final, notching a ‘A’ level double for the school.

Adam Charles, with 22 points was awarded the MVP award.

Colaiste Éanna captain Adam Charles was a goliath for his team, scoring 22 points to go with some powerful defence when his team needed him most. Neither side deserved to lose a contest that featured four lead changes and during which the teams were tied on five occasions, but it was the Dublin school who held their nerve in the fourth quarter to eke out the win. 

In an even first quarter, both teams had periods of dominance. Killian Dennehy was the hot hand for St. Patrick’s Castleisland, hitting a pair of jumpers when called upon, but Adam Charles and Adam McCarthy duly responded for Colaiste Éanna, both amassing 6 points including a lovely three-point shot to leave his team with a small advantage, 18-12 through the first.

St. Patrick’s Castleisland’s shooters erupted in the second quarter. A 13-2 run in the first seven minutes, featuring an 8 point cameo from the lively Ruairi Brosnan and David Healy bucket from beyond the arc totally turned the game on its head to leave the Kerry school in front 33-26 at the break. 

The second half ebbed and flowed with regularity. Colaiste Éanna levelled the game at the midway point in the third, Ausgustine Farrell and that man Adam Charles combining to hit back-to-back lay ups, while Brosnan and Michael Griffin responded for Castleisland to set the game up for a thrilling finale.

The decisive scoring run came early in the fourth quarter. Colaiste Éanna scored the first eight points through Conor Chambers, Adam Charles and Harry Lynch. It was a blow St. Patrick’s Castleisland couldn’t recover from. They fought bravely, staying in touch through buckets from Josh Daly and Ruairi Brosnan, but some key blocks by Charles late in the piece sealed a famous win for Colaiste Éanna.

Quarter Scores:

Q1:12-18

Q2: 21-8 

Q3: 10-19 

Q4: 8-15

Top Scorers:

St. Patrick’s Castleisland: Ruariri Brosnan (17), Killian Dennehy (9), Michael Griffin (10).

Colaiste Éanna: Adam Charles (22), Harry Lynch (13), Conor Chambers (11).

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St. Patrick’s Castleisland:

David Healy, Ruairi Brosnan, Michael Griffin, Luke Toomy, Shane Kelliher, Killian Dennehy, Daniel McCarthy, Gearoid Donegan, Josh Daly, Eoin Walsh, Josh Ryan, Eugene Deniel, Mark Curtin, Cormac Walsh, Rory O’Connor.

Coach: Dinny Porter

Ass. Coach: N/A

Colaiste Éanna:

Patrick Walsh, Chisom Chime, Emmet Callan, Augustine Farrell, Josh Carroll, Adam Charles, Dylan Brennan, Samson McCarthy, Danny Hamill, Adam McCarthy, Conor Chambers, Charlie Grogan, Harry Lynch.

Coach: Hillary Netsiyanwa

Ass. Coach: Niall Berry