Hogan Cup: In a class of their own

Omagh CBS are back in the Hogan Cup final and Niall Gartland takes a look at the Ulster schools that have featured on All-Ireland final day in the competition since 2010

2023 OMAGH CBS

OMAGH CBS claimed the Hogan Cup in style last St Patrick’s Day as they lay waste to a shell-shocked Summerhill College at Croke Park. From early on it was evident that there was a massive chasm between the two teams and Omagh CBS ran out 6-16 to 3-8 victors with captain Eoin McElholm contributing 2-5 of their overall tally, while his Loughmacrory clubmate Ruairi McCullagh scored 2-2. In truth it could’ve been even worse only they hit the woodwork a number of times.

2019 ST MICHAEL’S ENNISKILLEN

THE day of days for St Michael’s as they won their first-ever Hogan Cup title with a 1-12 to 1-11 victory over Naas CBS. Having endured two defeats in the previous appearances in Hogan Cup finals, the boys from Enniskillen finally tasted victory though they didn’t make it easy for themselves, conceding a few late points in a nail-biting finale. Michael Glynn finished as the game’s top scorer with 0-7 to his name.

2018 ST RONAN’S COLLEGE LURGAN

LURGAN-BASED school St Ronan’s had a fairytale year in the 2017/8 season culminating in a thrilling victory over Rice College, Westport on a scoreline of 1-10 to 1-9 at Croke Park. Oisin Smyth slotted over a late point worthy of winning any game, sending their supporters into dreamland. The school was less than three years up and running at the time of their success so it really was a stunning season by any metric.

2016 ST PATRICK’S MAGHERA

ST PATRICK’S, Maghera have an illustrious history but they came out second best for the third time in three years with a 2-13 to 2-6 defeat to St Brendan’s College, Killarney. A young David Clifford was in imperious form in front of the posts but the game is remembered most for the controversial dismissal of another high-profile name, Conor Glass. At that point Maghera were four points up but they immediately began to labour with their talisman sent to the line.

2014 ST PATRICK’S MAGHERA

ANOTHER defeat to a Kerry school as St Patrick’s, Maghera fell short on this occasion to Pobalscoil Chorca Dhuibhne in a low-scoring encounter that they lost by 1-8 to 1-6. Holders St Patrick’s led by 1-4 to 0-2 at the interval but could muster only two points after the break as the Kerry side took control of the game. Conor Glass was the game’s top-scorer with his tally of 1-1 but the Dingle school were men on a mission in the second half and landed the trophy.

2013 ST PATRICK’S MAGHERA

A HAPPIER occasion on this occasion for the boys from St Patrick’s as they hammered St Patrick’s Classical School, Navan on a scoreline of 1-20 to 1-10. Maghera were in classy form throughout and had eight different scorers on the day with Gerald Bradley (0-5) and Danny Tallon (1-2) showing the way in that respect. Colm O’Rourke’s Navan were no bad team but Maghera were simply outstanding in front of the posts and the game was long over as a contest by the time the final whistle came.

2012 ST MICHAEL’S ENNISKILLEN

HEARTBREAK for the boys from St Michael’s, Enniskillen as they fell well short on the big day against Offaly side St Mary’s Secondary School, Edenderry. The Enniskillen team had an early goal chance after 19 seconds when Che Cullen dragged his shot wide from close range, and Edenderry certainly weren’t in forgiving mood and ran up a 1-10 to 0-3 at the half-time whistle. There was simply no way back for an Enniskillen team that could call upon some really good players like Trillick duo Lee and Rory Brennan.

2011 ST COLMAN’S NEWRY

TWO-IN-A-ROW for St Colman’s, Newry as for the second year running they got the better of St Jarlath’s, Tuam on a scoreline of 2-10 to 0-15. This match was a great advertisement for schools football and it looked like St Colman’s were going to cruise to victory when they scored two goals in the opening 11 minutes. St Jarlath’s, who could call upon Shane Walsh who was unerring from frees, worked their way back into the contest but St Colman’s finished with a flourish to claim their eighth ever title.

2010 ST COLMAN’S NEWRY

THE Newry school won their seventh ever Hogan Cup title back at the turn of 2010 with a 1-18 to 3-5 win over St Brendan’s College, Killarney. Chris Clarke top scored with five points for St Colman’s while Colm Stevenson (0-2), Caolan Mooney (0-3) and Jerome Johnston (0-4) were among other players to stand out in an impressive team performance by the winners.