SCHOOLS' GAA: A remarkable achievement for St Ronan's Lurgan in lifting Hogan Cup

St Ronan's College, Lurgan, completed a remarkable season by lifting the Hogan All Ireland Schools' Cup on Saturday afternoon.

The Co Armagh school - in only its third year of existence - had won their first Ulster MacRory Cup last month - now they are also All Ireland champions.

The final at Croke Park turned out to be a thriller with the Lurgan bouys coming from 1-5 to 0-6 down at the break to hold out to take the spoils by a single point in the end.

A 13-yard free and the final kick of the game from Rice’s captain Pat Lambert swung the wrong side of the posts in the final five minutes and Lurgan were able to hold on and collect their first-ever Hogan Cup.

A point from Oisin Smyth in the 52nd minute, which he hit off the outside of his boot from in front of the Hogan Stand, proved to be the winner in a game of tight margins.

Rice College: 1. Cian Kennedy (Westport) 2. Luke Dawson (Westport) 3. Rory Brickenden (Westport) 4. Ray Walsh (Westport) 5. Jack Carney (Kilmeena) 6. Eoghan McLaughlin (Westport) 7. Michael Brady (Westport) 17. Fintan McManamon (Burrishoole) 9. Patrick Chambers (Burrishoole) 10. Keith Joyce (Kilmeena) (1-1) 11. Mark Moran (Westport) (0-2) 12. Luke Tunney (Westport) 13. Stephen Loftus (Westport) (0-4f) 14. Patrick Lambert (Westport) (0-2,1f)15. Cillian Heaney (Westport)

Subs Used: 19. Conor Calvey (Westport) 20. John McGlynn (Kilmeena)

St. Ronan’s: 1. Luke Mulholland (St. Mary’s Aghagallen) 2. Eoin McCluskey (Eire Og) 3. Aidan Mulholland (St. Mary’s Aghagallen) 4. Jack Haddock (Clann Eireann) 5. Aaron McCreanor (Clan na Gael) 6. Jamie Lamont (St. Mary’s Aghagallen) 7. Jamie Haughey (Wolfe Tone) 8. Jack Lenehan (St. Mary’s Aghagallen), 9. Tiernan Kelly (Clann Eireann) (1-0) 10. Oisin Smyth (Sarsfields) (0-4) 11. Adam Loughran (St. Mary’s Aghagallen) (0-2) Rioghan Meehan (Clann Eireann) (0-1) 13. Ruairi McConville (Clann Eireann) 14. Leo Monteiro (Tir na nOg) 15. Eoin McConville (St. Paul’s Lurgan) (0-3,2 45, 1f)

Subs Used: 21. Marc McAfee (St. Mary’s Aghagallen) 17. Josh Megoran (Wolfe Tone)

Referee: Brendan Cawley (Kildare)