U15B Football Championship (Final)
Erin’s Own Cargin 1-11 Gort na Mona 3-04
Cargin staged a remarkable second half comeback when they came from thirteen points in arrears at the break to overcome the challenge of a Gort na Mona side who had dominated completely in the opening half to lead 3-04 to 0-00 at the break.
The West Belfast side, who had beaten All Saint’s in their semi-final, looked different class to the Toome lads in the first thirty minutes and with Nathan McKenna and Keelan McCann ruling the roost in the central zone they looked on their way to the title.
Gort na Mona got off to the best possible start when they found the net in the 3rd minute after a swift approach on the left hand side saw Thomas Blayney fire to the net.
The Enright Park side continued to dominate the opening exchanges and as the Cargin lads struggled they ran amok and a second goal from corner forward, Lorcan Gardiner was followed by a long range point from Keelan McCann to move his side 2-01 to 0-00 ahead at the end of the opening quarter.
Gort na Mona were playing with great confidence and added a point through the impressive Ciaran Mc Giolla Cheara.
Cargin needed a score to settle the jangling nerves but Lady Luck really turned her back when a strong advance and a crisp shot by Fiontan Hardy saw his rasping effort come back of the crossbar.
Gort na Mona replied from the resultant clearance and Nathan Mc Kenna collect in the middle of the field and in a slick approach combined with Lorcan Gardner before finishing to the net for his side’s third goal.
As the South West side struggled to contain their opponents, the Enright Park side finished on a positive note and back to back points from Lorcan Gardiner and Nathan McKenna gave them a well-deserved 3-04 to 0-00 advantage at the half way stage.
Cargin looked a beaten docket as they trudged off to take respite at the break
but Gerard O’ Boyle’s charges emerged as a team transformed as they set about reducing the Gort na Mona lead.
Patrick O’ Neill had started at mid-field but was now at full forward and his early point followed by another from Fiontan Hardy was to light the fuse as the Toome lads grabbed a firm hold on the bit.
The dominance enjoyed by Gort na Mona in the opening half was gone as Erin’s Own set about the task of reducing the deficit they faced.
Seannie Hazard nipped up the left side to add a 4th minute point and Fiontan Hardy despatched a 30 metre free between the posts, after Darragh O’ Boyle was upended and when the former received from Jack O’ Neill to add another the tide had certainly turned.
Gort na Mona had lost the dominance they held at mid-field in the first half while the Cargin rear guard, in which Darragh Mc Auley and Eoin Scullion were particularly impressive, stood firm in defiance.
The Cargin forward department were having more joy in attack and when Carl Mc Cann, Fiontan Hardy, Jack 0’ Neill and Patrick O’ Neill (2) added unanswered points they were within touching distance with the Gorts still clinging to a 3-04 to 0-09 lead.
The city lads were fighting to open their second half account but continued to be thwarted and an Eoin Scullion interception saw him combine with Darragh O’ Boyle who placed Patrick O’ Neill for another point.
It was all Cargin at this stage as Sean Og Bovill added another and the substantial lead enjoyed by Gort Na Mona at the break was reduced to just a couple of points.
Cargin were now in total control but time was not on their side but with just a couple minutes remaining the Toome side struck a decisive blow and a Fiontan Hardy goal saw them take the lead for the first time in the game.
The hard working Hardy, who was named player of the match, had been denied by the cross bar earlier in the game, had sown the seeds of victory at the 11th hour.
To their credit Gort na Mona kept going in a frantic last few minutes as the rain poured down but the Cargin defence stood strong and following five minutes of injury time the trophy was on its way Toome.
Cargin: Conleth Hamill, Sean Mc Peake, Eoin Scullion, Darragh Mc Auley, Ewan Mc Laverty, Niall O’ Donnell, Niall Quinn, Jack O’ Neill (0-01), Patrick O’ Neill (0-03), Seannie Hazard (0-01), Carl Mc Cann (0-01), Darragh O’ Boyle, Cillian Scullion, Fiontan Hardy (1-04), Ryan McPeake
Subs
Sean Og Bovill (0-01) for R Mc Peake
Gort na Mona: Callum Bradley, Tiarnan Smyth, Ryan Donnelly, Liam Brown, Caomhinn Connelly, Niall Brown, Thomas Blayney (1-00), Ciaran Mc Giolla Cheara (0-01), Nathan Mc Kenna (1-02), Keelan Mc Cann (0-01), Odhran Conlon, Anthony O’ Hanlon, Lorcan Gardner (1-00), Paul Lawler, Daire Finn
Referee: John Hasson (All Saint’s)
