U-15 A Football Championship Final
St Pauls 1-07-1-05 Gort na Mona
Kevin Herron reports from Dunsilly
St Pauls survived the sending off of goalkeeper Shea Kearns after a quarter of an hour as they battled back under the Dunsilly lights to clinch the U-15 Football Championship with a 1-07-1-05 win over Gort na Mona in Thursday evenings decider.
It took a few minutes for the opening score to arrive, after misses at both ends of the field Daire Keenan swept over for the Gorts.
Midway through the low-scoring half, St Pauls were reduced to 14-men after referee Mark McDonald consulted with his umpires after a Gort na Mona player went down off the ball. The end result was goalkeeper Shea Kearns receiving his marching orders.
In the reshuffle that followed James McDonnell remained between the sticks until the interval and Gort na Mona made use of their numerical advantage as Paul Lawlor slipped a pass to Aodhan O’Hanlon- who bent a shot between the posts.
St Pauls were struggling to break down the organised and structured Gort na Mona rear-guard. They would finally open their account three minutes before the break, through a converted Dylan Rogers free.
Rogers would have the chance to tie things up after Kaiden Farrell had his run checked and he slotted over to ensure the sides were drawn level at 0-02 apiece at the interval.
Gort na Mona restored their two-point advantage within ten minutes of the restart. Aodhan O’Hanlon doubled his account after claiming an advanced mark and converting. Nathan McKenna then popped the ball over from close range.
Cormac Trainor would drop over an instant response and with little over a quarter of an hour remaining a converted Alfie Mitchell free drew the teams’ level for the second time.
A foul on Mitchell a few minutes later gave him the opportunity to edge his side in front for the first time and he wouldn’t pass up the chance, dropping his effort over to make it 0-05-0-04.
The Shaws Road outfit had the momentum and extended their lead through a point from marauding half back Brendan McMorrow.
McMorrow played a one-two with Dylan Rogers and bore down on goal, though opted for the safe option to taking a point and doubling the lead in the process.
A foul on Rogers gave Mitchell the opportunity to kick his third free of the half and he obliged.
St Pauls were 0-07-0-04 ahead and after getting to the hour mark with their three-point advantage had a further five to negotiate in order to see things out.
They took a huge step towards victory on the 60th minute when substitute Jude Gamble slipped a pass to Mitchell, his subsequent shot dropped short and as Gorts tried to clear- first half goalkeeping replacement James McDonnell bundled the ball over the line to surely secure the Championship.
With just over a minute of normal time reaming Nathan McKenna doubled his account for the evening with an angled point but the Turf Lodge outfit were required a goal to set up a grandstand finish.
It would arrive deep into added time when McKenna’s dipped an was deflected to the net via a St Pauls hand in inadvertently tying to steer away the danger.
McKenna’s strike was too little, too late though and St Pauls were able to hold to claim the U-15 Championship, which was presented by South Antrim Chairman Kevin Gamble.
St Pauls: S Kearns, T Kearney, B McMorrow (0-01), O Philips, K Farrell, J Gault, E Coyle, C Trainor (0-01), O Gamble, J Toal, E Kearney, J McDonnell (1-00), D Rogers (0-02f), A Mitchell (0-03f), J Murray. Subs: C O’Neill for J Murray (HT), J Gamble for D Rogers (56), R Leonard for J Toal (58), L Braniff for J McDonnell (60+5).
Gort na Mona: C Bradley, C Connolly, R Donnelly, L Brown, N Brown, C McCusker, C Seaton, R O’Scolain, N McKenna (1-02), P Lawlor, D Keenan (0-01), R Clarke, L Cordner, A O’Hanlon (0-02, 0-01m), K McCann. Subs: J Wisdom for P Lawlor (38), D Morgan for R Clarke (38), C McCabe for L Brown (60+5), B El Ouhata for K McCann (60+5), D Coogan for L Cordner (60+5).
Referee: Mark McDonald (St Galls)
