Ice-cool Kickhams top dogs in U-21 final

COOLEY Kickhams arrived in Darver as the underdogs, but they left as the undisputed top dogs and with their first U-21 title for over 30 years in tow.

It was a richly deserved triumph over a fancied Geraldines side who pulled off some impressive results en route to the decider.

But Cooley proved their semi-final win over the formidable Mattock Rangers/Hunterstown Rovers/Glen Emmets axis was no fluke with a disciplined and composed performance, peppered with a few timely moments of magic.

Two goals in 30 frantic seconds shortly before half-time turned a tight and tense contest on its head, and with their welldrilled defence in superb form all evening, Cooley kept their opponents at arms length.

From the off Geraldines just couldn’t tap into a meaningful rhythm and while they no doubt missed senior star Josh Arrowsmith, their main downfall was failing to match Cooley’s hunger and intensity.

It took Eamon McEneaney’s side almost half an hour to score from open play and they only managed four over the hour.

And yet they were ahead as half-time approached as three Paddy Geoghegan frees and another from Dara Hamill carved out a 0-4 to 0-3 cushion.

Cooley’s tricky corner forwards Michael Carron and Emmet Rogan converted a free apiece, but Rogan was the first man to register from open play.

Cooley suffered a major blow when Dylan McGarrity was forced to retire with an injury, but five minutes later they were celebrating a decisive double strike.

It was an unfortunate spell for Gers’ ‘keeper Paul McArdle, who failed to hold a Carron ‘45’ and with the rebound dropping kindly to Fearghal Malone, the wing forward fired home from close range.

The same player then intercepted McArdle’s ensuing kick-out. He fisted into space, releasing Rogan, who showed his marker a clean pair of heels with a smart turn, before firing ‘soccer-style to the far corner.

In the blink of an eye there was five points between the sides, and while Hamill broke Geraldines duck from play before the half-time whistle, they had it all to do after the break.

Hamill did reduce the gap with another free and Geraldines started to gain the upperhand in midfield, but Cooley were content to absorb the pressure and break when they could and Eoin McDaid popped up on the end of one such move and then McCarron converted his third free of the match, making it 2-5 to 0-6.

Geraldines continued to press, but they were pushed back by a red and gold wave.

Neil Jones and Hamill managed to pick off scores to put a goal between the sides, but again Cooley conjured a goal just when they needed one with the pacey Thomas McGuinness profiting from a switch into the full forward line.

After turning on the after-burners the diminutive attacker was cool as ice over his finish.

He added a point five minutes later and when Malone followed up to make it 3-7 to 0-8, it was all over for Geraldines.

Ryan Trainor fired over the from the deck as Gers committed more and more men to attack in the closing stages, but a miraculous comeback was never on the cards, despite Peadar Gallagher’s side being reduced to 14 men following a black card for Jake McShane. The full forward had already been booked and so couldn’t be replaced.

But Cooley’s heroic defensive display continued into injury-time and they were full value for a seven-point success.