U-19 B Football Championship Final
Con Magee Gaels 4-18-0-04 Lámh Dhearg
Kevin Herron reports from Dunsilly
Con Magee Gaels lifted the U-19 B Football Championship, running out emphatic winners over Lámh Dhearg in the decider at Dunsilly on Sunday morning.
Taking the lead through a converted Daire Higgins free after Peadar McDonald was fouled, they notched up a further three scores in succession.
McDonald hoisted over on the turn, Niall Hynds popped an effort between the posts and a fantastic score followed from Cormac McKeown.
Lámh Dhearg replied through an Adam Murray point, his initial effort appeared to have dropped short but bounced over Declan Carey and the bar.
Colla Ward opened his account for the afternoon with a stinging shot that clipped the bar on its way over and they spurned a glorious goal opportunity when Cormac McKeown drove forward and dragged his low shot wide.
Higgins doubled his account from the placed ball and midway through the half a converted mark from Eamon Ward moved his side 0-07-0-01 to the good.
The opening goal arrived on the 16th minute and fell to the dominant Gaels, Niall Hynds positioned himself and claimed a dropping ball before blasting past Rhys Camlin.
A third free from Higgins followed and although Colla Ward slipped at the vital moment when he appeared to be played through by Daire Higgins, a further point from Fergus Donaghy extended their advantage.
Fiachra Clenaghan produced a fine angled point in response, but Ward (free) and Higgins landed the final two points of the half to ensure their side were 1-11-0-02 ahead at the break and in an unassailable position.
Although it took seven minutes for the first score of the second period, Con Magee Gaels picked up where they left off the at the interval.
A patient move through the hands saw Colla Ward burst through on goal and produce a neat finish.
Niall Hynds doubled his points tally and Higgins added to his personal account with his fourth free of the contest.
On 42 minutes Hynds hooked a fantastic pass into the path of Colla Ward and despite Rhys Camlin getting a glove to his low effort, it squirmed underneath the goalkeeper and into the net to make it 3-13-0-02.
Ward added to his further points in the aftermath of his second half goal double and was denied a hat-trick after his palmed effort was ruled out for square-ball.
Daire Higgins added his second point from play with a dipping effort that Rhys Camlin was forced to push over.
Con Magee’s fourth and final goal arrived on the 51st minute when Cormac McKeown’s quickly taken free was flighted into the hands of Callagh Mooney- who took the ball in his stride and shot low into the far corner of the net.
Adam Murray doubled his tally from a converted free to get his sides first score of a one-sided half that had saw them concede 3-05 without resistance.
Murray would add another in-between an excellent Colla Ward point and a magnificent McKeown effort from range that ended the afternoons scoring as Con Magee Gaels lifted the honours at the conclusion.
Con Magee Gaels: D Carey, N Dixon, C McQuillan, C Laverty, E McNeill, E Carey, C Ward (2-04), N Hynds (1-02), C Mooney (1-00), F Donaghy (0-01), D Higgins (0-06, 0-04f), E Ward (0-02, 0-01f, 0-01 m), C McKeown (0-02), P McDonald (0-01), P Ward. Subs: F Hodgson for E McNeill (43), A Davies for F Donaghy (49), S O’Brien for P McDonald (50), J McKay for D Higgins (55), O McClintock for E Ward (55).
Lámh Dhearg: R Camlin, C McGarry, O Lee, C Camlin, S McCarthy, D Young, F Clenaghan (0-01), E Breen, E Stanley, C O’Neill, E Campbell, C McConville, A Murray (0-03, 0-01f), O Devlin, D Martin. Subs: D O’Connor for O Devlin (HT).
Referee: Eamonn Hamill (St Teresa’s)
