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The St Mary's (Edenderry) team which won last year's Hogan Cup. INPHO/Ryan Byrne
Schools GAA

Leinster Colleges SAFC: Reigning champions St Mary's set to defend title

The last sixteen ties in the colleges competition in the eastern province are down for decision this week.

REIGNING ALL-IRELAND SENIOR football colleges champions St Mary’s (Edenderry) face off against Portmarnock CS in the second round of this year’s Leinster competition tomorrow.

The game will serve as the 2013 seasonal bow for the Offaly school against their Dublin opponents in one of eight matches scheduled for this week.

Portmarnock CS, who will have home advantage tomorrow, will hope to fare better than fellow Dublin schools Malahide CS, St Benildus College and St Fintan’s HS (Sutton) who were all defeated in the first round.

That trio were defeated by Knockbeg College, Dundalk Colleges and Moate CS at the opening hurdle.

Dundalk Colleges enjoyed a 3-16 to 1-2 win in their opening round tie against Malahide CS with Daniel McKeown helping himself to 3-3 in a man-of-the-match display. The 2011 champions will face Good Counsel tomorrow in Hawkfield in Newbridge at 1pm.

Meanwhile, dual school Colaiste Eoin, who lost out to Edenderry in last year’s decider, will fancy their chances against Patrician Newbridge who scraped past St Mary’s CBS, Carlow the last day by 0-11 to 0-10.

Although a Kildare school, Salesian College (Celbridge) made it to the last four in the Dublin PP Schools and should not be taken lightly. The confidence gleaned from that run will be needed tomorrow in Celbridge as their opponents Athlone CC showed just how strong they are two weeks ago with a 0-12 to 0-1 success against  Athy’s Árdscoil na Trionoide.

In Stradbally the clash will take place of St Mel’s College (Longford) and St Peter’s (Wexford) with both sides making their seasonal debut. St Mel’s contested this season’s North Leinster league final while St Peter’s went one better by winning the South Leinster League with a three point win over fellow Model County outfit Good Counsel (New Ross).

The last game tomorrow is in Dr Cullen Park between Knockbeg College, who were 2-17 to 0-4 victors against St Fintan’s HS (Sutton) in the first round), and St Joseph’s (Rochfortbridge).

Meanwhile there are two matches pencilled in for Friday afternoon. There is a an all-Westmeath battle in Mullingar as Colaiste Mhuire host Marist Athlone.

While Moate CS, coached by Westmeath star Dessie Dolan and 2-13 to 1-5 winners over St Benildus College the last time out,  will travel to Navan to face a St Patrick’s outfit coached by former Meath attacking great Colm O’Rourke.

Leinster Colleges SAFC round two
Tomorrow
Knockbeg College v St Joseph’s Rochfortbridge, Dr Cullen Park, 12pm.
Dundalk Colleges v Good Counsel (New Ross), Hawkfield, 1pm.
Salesian College (Celbridge) v Athlone CC, Celbridge, 1pm.
Portmarnock CS v St Mary’s (Edenderry), Portmarnock CS, 1pm.
Coláiste Eoin (Stillorgan)  v Patrician College (Newbridge), Coláiste Eoin, 2pm.
St Mel’s (Longford) v St Peter’s (Wexford), Stradbally, 2pm.
Friday
Coláiste Mhuire (Mullingar) v Marist College (Athlone), Mullingar, 2pm.
St Patrick’s (Navan) v Moate CS, Navan, 2pm.