Boys in blue’s famous first!
Big win in Enniscorthy final
OYLEGATE-GLENBRIEN claimed an historic first title in Under-21 football when they comprehensively defeated Cloughbawn in the Enniscorthy District Roinn 1 championship final in St. Patrick’s Park on Saturday.
The eventual victors opened the scoring in the first minute with a point from Conor Heffernan before Cloughbawn’s Darragh O’Connor put his side in front with two monstrous placed balls.
But from there on Oylegate-Glenbrien took over proceedings for the remainder of the half, with points coming from Pa Cullen, Ciarán Hourihane, Barry Dunne and Heffernan.
After threatening a goal on a number of occasions, the boys in blue inevitably hit the net after Shane Reck finished off a wellworked move with ten minutes remaining in the half.
Cloughbawn tried in vain for scores and when they did manage a point from Micheál Kavanagh, it was outdone by Heffernan and Tom White to give Oylegate-Glenbrien a seven-point lead (1-7 to 0-3).
Cloughbawn needed a good start to the new half to have any chance of turning things around but their opponents resumed the scoring with points from Jack Reck, Conor Doyle and Hourihane, before O’Connor converted another fine free for his side.
Even though proceedings were a lot more keenly-contested at this stage of the game, Oylegate-Glenbrien as good as finished off the game midway through the half with two goals in the space of a minute.
The first came from Barry Dunne after a pass from Shane Reck and then, less than 60 seconds later, after Dunne’s shot hit the post, Reck was in the right place to kick the rebound to the net, putting his side well clear.
Cloughbawn, to their credit, kept battling and were rewarded with two late goals, both coming from the impressive O’Connor.
But they were never going to trouble their opponents who now look forward to a semi-final meeting with the Gorey District winners, Réalt na Mara, on Saturday.
Connal Flood and Bob Whitty were considerable absentees for the losers who lacked the cutting edge that both normally provide.
Oylegate-Glenbrien: Eddie Mer- nagh; Lee Kehoe, Kieran Lambert, Conor Hill; Ciarán O’Brien (0-1), Damien Reck, Pa Cullen (0-1); Ciarán Hourihane (0-3), Shane Reck (2-0); Jack Reck (0-1), Conor Heffernan (capt., 0-4), Conor Doyle (0-1); Barry Dunne (1-1), Tom White (0-1), Pierce Murphy. Subs. - Evan Kelly for Hill, Brian Doran for D. Reck, Ryan Hill for O’Brien.
Cloughbawn: David Casserly; Jack Wickham, Gareth Murphy, Micheál Kavanagh (0-1); James Dempsey, Cian O’Connor, Stephen Greene; Darragh O’Connor (2-3, 0-3 frees), Robert Kinsella; Billy Wickham, Dean Murphy, Stephen Casserly; Daniel Dempsey, Lee Keeley, Seán Keating. Subs. - Kyle Murphy for D. Dempsey, James Flood for Kavanagh.
Referee: John O’Loughlin (Monageer-Boolavogue).