Kearns on fire
Adamstown secure shield
ADAMSTOWN CLONGEEN 2-12 0-8
ADAMSTOWN PUT in a powerful second-half performance against a spirited Clongeen side to snag the New Ross Standard Under-13 football Division 4 shield in Gusserane.
The underdogs in yellow and green hoops held a surprise 0-7 to 0-4 lead at the half-time having played with the breeze.
However, Adamstown turned the game on its head, racking up a 1-8 tally with the inspirational Philip Kearns leading the way after the resumption.
It’s always tough for a team coming up from the 13-a-side competition to compete at knockout time. They are used to playing a certain way, using their limited numbers as best they can, but Clongeen did a fantastic job of managing their resources in the first period.
Three points from Kearns and one from Donny McDonald bettered scores from Eamonn Bennett and Conor Burke as Adamstown edged the opening quarter (0-4 to 0-2).
However, Clongeen dominated the remainder of the half and five straight Martin Donovan frees gave his side a three-point interval lead.
A shell-shocked Adamstown came out for the second-half as a completely different proposition. It didn’t take long for them to regain the lead, thanks in the main to a goal from impactful substitute Josh Power.
The longer the half wore on, the more confident the eventual champions became.
Daniel O’Gorman, Charlie Purcell, Jake Cadogan and Donny McDonald all raised white flags but it was the star man, Philip Kearns, who did the bulk of the damage, scoring 1-4, including a late goal, to secure a hard-earned success.
The win left Adamstown with a chance to complete a memorable double, as they faced neighbours Taghmon-Camross in the New Ross Standard Under-13 hurling Division 5 shield decider.
Adamstown: Philip Wickham; Conor Curtis, Liam Furlong, Michael Aherne; Ben Sinnott, Matthew Dunleavy, David McCall; Daniel O’Gorman (capt., 0-1), Charlie Purcell (0-1); Donny McDonald (0-2), Philip Kearns (1-7), Philip Conway; Jake Cadogan (0-1), Alex Roche, Jamie Murray. Subs. (rolling) - Josh Power (1-0), Jake Furlong, Oisín McManus, Tom Heffernan, Conall Doyle, Richard Whelan, Jack Carthy, Taylor Power, Mark Ryan, Sam O’Shea.
Clongeen: Paul Kiely; Layon Purcell, Paul Murphy, William Bennett; Francois Rooney, Martin Donovan (0-6 frees), Seán Eustace; Luke Murphy (capt.), Darragh Donnelly; Josh Donnelly, Eamonn Bennett (0-1 free), Conor Burke (0-1); Fionn Daly, Darragh Mythen, Liam Dooley. Subs. (rolling) - Seán Óg Murphy, Jack Quigley, Cathal Curtis.
Referee: James Mullally (Gusserane).