Odhran McHugh nets four as Deele College land FAI Schools Minor Boys National Cup

With the sun beaming down from the sky and the heat beating back up from the astroturf surface in Athlone Town FC, the students of Deele College produced a slick footballing masterclass that ultimately overwhelmed Gaelcholáiste Mhuire of Cork, securing FAI National Cup honours this afternoon. 

Odhran McHugh’s four-goal haul understandably marked out the Finn Harps and Northern Ireland underage star as the leading light on the day, but all across the pitch Deele College were slick, composed and cohesive in how they used the ball to create chances and keep their more powerful Cork opponents chasing the game in the heat. 

Alex Harkin, FAI Schools treasurer and Peadar Mogan, Deele College, present the match ball to Odhran McHugh

Yet still, with a minute left in the first half, the smash-and-grab win for the Gaelscoil students was on. 

Scott Ó Tuama, who only stepped into goals for the first time 12 minutes into Gaelcholáiste Mhuire’s semi-final win over Summerhill of Sligo on account of an injury to their regular keeper, was the man of the match in that 2-0 win and he went close to the same again today, producing a string of stunning first half saves. 

McHugh was a constant threat and he drew two top-drawer saves from Ó Tuama in particular, but Josh O’Donnell, Lewis Quinn and Odhran Kee also went close, as Deele College piled on the pressure. 

In contrast, Gaelcholáiste Mhuire had two chances; a 25-yard free that Lee Ó Cochláin curled around the wall and into the crossbar, and Cian Ó Rícín’s powerful drive from the edge of the area that rifled into the roof of the net. 

If there was a single key turning point, it was a corner from Ó Cochláin in the last minute of the first half. The delivery was inch-perfect, swinging inwards and somehow bouncing in the small square right in front of the middle of the goal, only to run narrowly wide of the far post without any player getting the faint touch that was needed. 

One long ball later McHugh was in behind the AG defence, his finish was immaculate into the bottom corner, and the Cork side now needed to come out and play again. 

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They didn’t have the wherewithal, as Deele College continued to produce a footballing masterclass. Three minutes into the second half Ronan Tinney slipped the ball across to Lewis Quinn and it looked as if Ó Tuama went charging through the back of the midfielder for a penalty, but the referee felt otherwise. 

Ó Tuama made two more saves in the next few minutes, but he could do nothing as McHugh stepped across his man to slam the ball into the net from close range, and from then on, the Raphoe school controlled the ball, controlled the game, and added two more goals – both from McHugh – while several more chances went abegging, most notably Odhran Kee’s powerful drive off the crossbar at the end of a dancing run that opened up a defence that simply couldn’t beat back the waging Raphoe tide any longer. 

Deele College: Evan McCarron; Ben Farrell, Luke O’Donnell, Senan Kavanagh, Ronan Tinney; Josh O’Donnell, Odhran Kee; Ronan McGranaghan, Jayme Lafferty, Lewis Quinn; Odhran McHugh. 

Subs: Ashton Crossan for Lafferty (46), Cody Hannigan for O’Donnell (60). 

Gaelcholaiste Mhuire: Scott Ó Tuama; Craig Ó Suilleabháin, Jamie Daltúin, Jamie Ó Meachair, Cody Ó Meachair; Lee Ó Cochláin, Eoin Ó hÓgáin, Seán Ó Croidheán, Alex Ó Maoldomhnaigh; Jamie Ó Murnáin; Cian Ó Ricín. 

Subs: Jamie Ó Donnabháin for Ó Murnáin (39), CJ Ó Crualaíoch for Daltúin (43), Callum Ó Healaithe for C Ó Meachair (50), Evan Mac Inneirí for Ó Cochláin (57), Kyle MacCárthaigh for Ó Croidheán (58). 

Referee: Damien Conlon.