Ashton waiting in the long grass for Wallace

Ashton will go into tomorrow’s All-Ireland Schoolboys semi-final clash with Wallace High in confident mood, after they advanced from their pool with three wins from three at Campbell College.

Though drawn in arguably the easiest of the groups, David Hobbs’ side barely put a foot wrong in their three games. Gary Wilkinson’s double set them on their way to a 4-0, opening-day thrashing of Kilkeel, with Nathan Gokul anfd Peter Catchpole also on target.

Strikes from Richard Lynch and Richard Sweetnam gave them a 2-1 win over Kilkenny College this morning, before Peter Daunt hit the only goal of the game in a 1-0 defeat of Friends School in their final outing.

Bandon Grammar's Fionn O'Leary and Peter Catchpole of Ashton were both among the goals for their sides. Picture: Dan Linehan/Irish Examiner

The Blackrock Road nursery will now face Wallace in the last four, following a day of high drama that saw them emerge as the surprise victors in Group B, in which holders St Andrew’s seemingly imploded.

The Dubliners fell to a shock 3-1 defeat to Midleton College in the morning – a brilliant result for the east Cork school, for whom Nick Burns was on target twice, with Greg Chambers getting the other.

Any lingering hopes Andrews had faded when they fell 4-0 to Wallace, who had earlier hammered Cookstown and Midleton by the same scoreline to secure their progress.

Midleton ended their champaign on a losing note, but were unfortunate not to come away with more than a 2-1 loss to Cookstown, with Chambers again on target, and finished second in their pool on goal difference.

Munster’s top seeds Bandon Grammar knew their hopes of progression were likely to rest on their final pool game with tournament favourites Banbridge Academy, but two late goals from the northerners helped them edge out Darren Platts’ side 4-2.

Darren Sweetnam and Fionn O’Leary had BGS level until the last ten minutes, but as they pressed for the winner they needed to advance, Bann made hay at the other end.

Both sides had been largely untroubled en route to that vital showdown; Bandon cruised to a 4-1 win over hosts Campbell College on day one, before Sweetnam’s double and strike from O’Leary, Malcolm Coombes and Aidan Walsh gave them a 5-1 win over Mount Temple.

Bann were even more impressive, putting 11 past Mount Temple without reply before nailing Campbell 7-3, and that goal difference boon meant they went into their clash with the Grammar knowing a draw was good enough to advance.

They will now face Wesley in what many had expected to be the finals pairing. The Dubliners hardly broke sweat in winning three games from three – Kyle Good’s quartet of strikes in their 8-0 demolition of Sutton Park was just one of many highlights.

All-Ireland Schoolboys, Campbell College, Belfast

Semi-final draw (9.30am, Friday): Ashton vs Wallace High; Banbridge vs Wesley.

Group A: Ashton 4 Kilkeel 0; Kilkenny 0 Friends 2; Ashton 2 Kilkenny 1; Kilkeel 0 Friends 5; Ashton 1 Friends 0; Kilkenny 4 Kilkeel 2;

Final standings: 1. Ashton 9pts (+6) 2. Friends 6pts (+6) 3. Kilkenny 3pts (-1) 4. Kilkeel 0pts (-11)

Group B: Midleton 0 Wallace 4; St Andrew’s 2 Cookstown 0; St Andrew’s 0 Wallace 4; St Andrew’s 1 Midleton 3; Cookstown 0 Wallace 4; Midleton 1 Cookstown 2;

Final standings: 1. Wallace 9pts (+12) 2. Midleton 3 pts (-3) 3. St Andrew’s 3 pts (-4) 4. Cookstown 3 pts (-5).;

Group C: Mount Temple 0 Banbridge Academy 11; Bandon 4 Campbell College 1; Banbridge 7 Campbell 3; Bandon 5 Mount Temple 1; Banbridge 4 Bandon GS 2;

Final standings: 1. Banbridge 9 pts (+17) 2. Bandon Grammar 6 pts (+7) 3 + 4 TBC

Group D: Wesley 5 Royal & Prior, Raphoe 1; Sullivan Upper 3 Sutton Park 0; Wesley 8 Sutton Park 0; Sullivan Upper 1 Raphoe 0; Raphoe 1 Sutton Park 0; Wesley 5 Sullivan Upper 1;

Final standings: 1. Wesley 9pts (+16) 2. Sullivan Upper 6pts (0) 3. Raphoe 3pts (-3) 4. Sutton Park 0pts (-13);