Cooney clinches the title for Glynn
A FIONN Cooney double helped Glynn Barntown to collect the Division 2 crown as they overcame title-rivals Ferns United in a high-octane encounter in Barntown on Sunday.
The hosts were crowned Division 4A champions just 12 months ago, but given the ease of their title win it was deemed prudent to move them up to Division 2.
They quickly showed they were more than capable of succesfully navigating a far higher rung of the ladder and on Sunday they could celebrate bringing further silverware to the club.
Ferns contributed greatly to a full-blooded encounter, and they actually took the lead through Conor Jordan, before Cooney’s match-winning double, either side of a David Clarke goal.
The visitors knew a win would hand them the initiative in the title race, and they began the game with high intensity and made the breakthrough with just eight minutes on the clock.
Robert Vickers sent in a super cross from the left wing and Conor Jordan directed a downward header out of the reach of goalkeeper Adam O’Leary.
Glynn Barntown tried to respond and goalkeeper Ivan Meegan got an outstretched leg to a powerful Seán Carmody free-kick in the 20th minute, although Jordan fizzed an effort wide at the other end moments later.
Jonny Dwyer had a sight of goal for Ferns in the 28th minute when he pounced on a lose clearance, but his shot was always rising over the crossbar.
The home side threatened seconds later when Rioghán Crosbie played the ball to the feet of Robert Dempsey, whose clever pass put Fionn Cooney through on goal.
His shot was blocked and the inrushing Allen Colegate couldn’t force the follow-up to the net after a free-flowing move.
However, when the equaliser did come in the 34th minute there was little in the way of beautiful football.
Colegate pumped a hopeful ball forward, and when Meegan came and failed to gather under pressure, Cooney did the needful and finished to the net, with the Ferns faithful appealing vehemently for a free-kick to go their way.
Glynn Barntown then came close to finishing the half on a high, when the impressive John Leacy burst forward with real purpose and drilled a stinging shot from outside the area wide of the left upright.
Ferns probably shaded it in the first-half, but whatever was said to the Glynn Barntown players during the break worked a treat as they resumed with more purpose and got their noses in front just five minutes after the restart.
Rioghán Crosbie whipped in a corner-kick with his sweet left foot and David Clarke did the rest, thumping a towering header out of the reach of Meegan.
The hosts were determined to strike while the iron was hot and Robert Dempsey turned well and fired a shot wide of the right post in the 53rd minute.
The all-important third goal came six minutes later and Ferns were the architects of their own downfall.
An attempted clearance from Meegan was blocked down by Dempsey and when the ball fell to Michael Andrews his pocket was picked by Cooney, who finished to an empty net.
Ferns brought in Anthony Dwyer between the posts and sent Meegan up the field for the final half an hour and he did come close to giving his side a lifeline when he got his head to a Robert Vickers free-kick, but saw his effort come back off the underside of the crossbar.
Derek Thorpe then forced O’Leary to tip over with a fine long-range effort before the final whistle kick-started the Glynn Barntown celebrations.
It’s not all doom and gloom for Ferns, as they will also be plying their trade in Division 1 next season, while they also have a Neil O’Sullivan Cup final meeting with Cloughbawn to look forward to. GLYNN BARNTOWN: Adam O’Leary, Shaun Hore, Seán Carmody, David Clarke, Kevin Carmody, Allen Colegate, Rioghán Crosbie, John Leacy, Nigel Usher, Fionn Cooney, Robert Dempsey. Subs. - Eoin O’Shea for K. Carmody (HT), Dan Murphy for Usher (72), Dylan Lyne for Dempsey (90).
FERNS UNITED: Ivan Meegan, Patrick Skelton, Martin Redmond, Michael Andrews, Keith Breen, Robert Vickers, Derek Thorpe, Tommy Dwyer, Shane Breen, Jonny Dwyer, Conor Jordan. Subs. - John Breen for Redmond (51), James Tonks for S. Breen (54), Anthony Dwyer for Skelton (62).
REFEREE: Derek Campion.