A small school like ours with a varied intake does not often reach the final stage of their competitions. So the last nine days are almost unprecedented in more recent times when our First Year Boys competed in our fourth losing final against a strong Wesley side.
Of course, it is nice to win silverware, but it is also important to see a high skill level, competitiveness, effort, and player development on the pitch. Both teams produced all the above, and the losing St. Columba’s team showed they have plenty of potential.
The 4-1 loss score line did not indicate the game’s closeness. Wesley certainly shaded the first, leading 2-0, before Joshua Cron scored a top-quality reverse stick short corner before halftime.
St. Columba’s had plenty of possession in the second half, with three short corner attempts going too high and rebounds not quite falling to our attackers in the opposition circle. The Wesley goalkeeper also pulled off an excellent stick side save. On the other hand, Wesley snapped up their chances and consistently defended our line-to-goal penetrations.
To single out a few St. Columba’s players, but to preface that, I want to say that all tried their utmost to the final whistle; their performance being a real team one. Players at this age level rarely throw 40 metre overheads; Joshua Cron combined this skill with pace and timely tackling. Archie Moffett defended energetically and showed some excellent ball carrying and passing ability. Bruno Pujol was calm, displaying some adept three-dimensional stick work when the opposition pressed him hard at left back. Samuel Butler, Sebastian Jenner and Jonny Quinn looked sprightly up front and ran tirelessly.
Well done to both teams and their coaches on an excellent match. The photograph below of both teams together after the presentation exemplifies what sport should be and can be about; competition on the pitch and real camaraderie once the final whistle has gone. I am sure many will come up against each other at school and club level for many years.
(Daniel Brady, Fraser Carey, Jamie Crombie, Jacobo Gonzalez-Arnao Mut, Benjamin Graves, Sebastian Jenner, Joshua Cron, Geoffrey Dobbs, Archie Moffett, Thomas Monaghan, Maximilian Morrissey, Alex O’Herlihy, Bruno Pujol, Bosco Quesada Torrejon, Jonny Quinn)
