U17B Football Final
St. John’s 1-12 All Saints 0-12
St. John’s completed a league and championship double when they defeated All Saints, Ballymena in the U17B Football Championship final in Portglenone on Saturday.
A rather fortuitous goal from Padraig Graham in the 12th minute would prove to be the difference between the sides in the end. St. John’s were awarded a free some 50 yards from goal and Graham’s lofted effort looked to be sailing over but dipped at the last second to deceive Finn Connon in the All Saints goal.
The Ballymena side recovered from that setback to trail by the minimum at half time and looked on their way to victory when they led by two, 10 minutes into the second half.
The young Johnnies had other ideas however and kicked five unanswered points to move three in front by the 17th minute and despite a sustained effort by All Saints they were never able to close the gap.
Odhran Quinn pointed St. John’s ahead from a 35 meter free with Ryan Laverty and Sean McDermott replying for the South West side to move them 0-2 to 0-1 ahead by the 10th minute.
Misfortune struck for All Saints when Padraig Graham’s long range effort sailed all the way to the net but they would respond with points from Sean McDermott and Jakub Kaczmarek to trail by one by the 18th minute, the St. John’s point coming from another Odhran Quinn free.
Points from Odhran Hitchen and Odhran Quinn for St. John’s in reply to two excellent scores from Conan McKeown kept the gap at one as both sides served up some excellent attacking football to the appreciation of the good crowd in attendance.
It would be just one that separated these two well matched sides as Declan McLarnon sounded his half time whistle with Quinn edging St. John’s two ahead from a free that was moved forward before Sean McDermott concluded the first half scoring with a pointed free for the Ballymena side.
Ballymena looked in for a goal on the restart but Fiontan Bradley settled for a fisted point to bring the sides level in the opening minute and a pointed Conan McKeown free and another from play by Paidin Mitchell had the Slemish Park side two ahead after 10 minutes and they looked to be taking control.
St. Johns rang the changes, introducing D’Angelo Ward and James McNary and it seemed to bring them to life.
Odhran Quinn began the comeback from another free and Padraig Graham and James Wilson added two from play to edge them ahead once more and a great effort from play by Quinn and another from Wilson saw them three to the good by the 17th minute.
The Ballymena side looked in serious trouble for the first time but they picked themselves up of the canvas again with points from Fiontan Bradley and a converted free from Sean McDermott to leave just one in it again.
Another pointed free from the sweet striking Odhran Quinn moved the Whiterock side two in front once more with ten minutes remaining and it was Quinn who concluded the scoring with a point in injury time.
A great game of football with both sides displaying a high level of skill and commitment and it would be Padraig Graham’s goal after 12 minutes that separate the sides in the end.
Saturday’s win completes the double for the Corrigan Park side as they have already collected the U17 Division 2 football league title with All Saints also finishing runners up in that competition.
St. John’s : 1 Fintan McIlroy, 2 Corey Darragh, 3 Caolan Wilson, 4 Briody Braniff, 5 Odhran McAuley, 6 Lorcan McCallin, 7 Fintan McKinney, 8 Enda McGurk, 9 Ronan Donnelly, 10 James Wilson, 11 Padraig Graham, 12 Odhran Hitchen13 Tomas Adams, 14 Odhran Quinn, 15 Finn Thompson
All Saints: 1 Finn Connon, 22 Matthew Watt, 3 Paddy Murphy, 4 Robert Crooks, 5 Ryan Laverty, 6 Corey McKillop, 7 Sean McDermott, 8 Lewis Devlin, 9 Jakub Kaczmarek, 10 Conan McKeown, 11 Paidin Mitchell, 12 Connor O’Hara, 13 Harry Connon, 14 Pearse Martin, 15 Fiontan Bradley
Referee: Declan McLarnon (St. Agnes)
