Gusserane gain final spot
Martin Fitzharris played a lovely pass to midfielder John Roche who had ghosted into the left corner, and his piledriver was parried by Jack Dunne into the path of Seán Ryan who had no difficulty in guiding the rebound home from close range.
Taghmon-Camross had plenty of the ball but repeatedly took the wrong option, either hitting hopeful kicks short into the arms of a grateful Micheál ‘Mouse’ Ryan, or missing the target.
They had struck five of their eight first-half wides before Ian Carty finally opened their account with a 20th-minute point, and this led to a much-improved period leading up to the interval.
Indeed, they had the margin down to a manageable 1-3 to 0-3 by half-time after Luke Sinnott pointed following good work by Shane Lacey who dispossessed Micheál Ryan, before Sinnott was fouled and Ian Carty converted.
Taghmon-Camross could have been on level terms by the break but a goalbound Darren Carty shot was well saved in the 23rd minute, while Sinnott then had a kick blocked after receiving a Lacey pass.
The visitors resumed on a real high when team captain Darren Carty cut in from the right wing and unleashed a stinging low drive to the far corner of the net for the equaliser.
However, they couldn’t build on that, with ten scoreless minutes following before Gusserane finally ended their drought. Taking additional time at the end of the first period into consideration, they had laboured for more than half an hour without adding to their tally before Mark Rossiter restored their lead from a free (1-4 to 1-3).
He quickly added another, but it was all to play for entering the last quarter and Ian Carty pulled one back from a free for Taghmon-Camross.
A swift but fruitful purple patch between the 50th and 53rd minutes ultimately won it for Gusserane. Seán O’Connor kicked a neat point with his left peg, and Seán Ryan set up Martin Fitzharris for another, before their second goal virtually came out of nothing.
Substitute Oisín Foran swung his boot at a loose ball just inside the 20-metre line and it flew into the bottom corner of Jack Dunne’s net for a 2-7 to 1-4 lead.
Ian Carty registered from another free before Gusserane made the game safe in the 58th minute. Seán O’Connor had a chance for a goal but opted for the safer choice of a fisted point, but it came back off a post and the alert Seán Ryan was on hand again to show his opportunism for a second time.
Taghmon-Camross did manage to add 1-1 in the three additional minutes but it was too late. Darren Carty cannoned home his second goal, with the ball coming back into play off a staunchion, before David O’Keeffe came forward to kick the last point.
Gusserane won the toss for home venue for the final, so they will be back in Tom Somers Park next Saturday at 5.30 p.m. to take on Rathgarogue-Cushinstown, hoping to avenge their defeat at the hands of the same opponents in the corresponding hurling final in August.
The O’Rahilly’s are the most recent county winners of this competition still left in contention for outright honours, having defeated Duffry Rovers to clinch the Under-21 Roinn 1 championship crown in 2013.