Kickhams keep their cool to land Leinster title
LEINSTER U-15 CLUB
PLAYING with the aid of a stiff breeze Cooley got the ideal start with the rampaging Callum O’Hanlon firing to the Moorefield net after less than a minute.
Building on the midfield dominance of Enda O’Neill and Cormac Malone, Cooley added further scores before Moorefield, whose senior side are Leinster club champions, came roaring back into the game with two quick points.
Cooley were under severe pressure at this point and, were it not for a sensational goal line block from Darrragh Brady, they surely would have gone behind.
Things remained finely balanced during the rest of the half which finished with Cooley holding a marginal lead of 1-04 to 0-06.
The second half was an epic affair with the teams swapping the lead regularly through the half. Well-organised at the back through Cian Murphy and Colm Keenan,and playing some excellent football on the break, Cooley added points through Cian Connor, Enda O’Neill and Cormac Malone.
A fine goal, again from Callun O’Hanlon, ten minutes from the end seemed to have sealed the victory for the Louth side, only for Moorefield to level matters once more with a series of excellent points.
As the game entered added time it seemed that extra time would be needed to separate the sides. However, Tommy McCarragher had other ideas. His movement and energy had tormented the Kildare side from the start, and it was another mazy run and fine point into the breeze that gave Cooley the last minute victory.
This was a great victory for a Cooley team that contained outstanding players from both Cooley Kickhams and Cuchulainn Gaels clubs. It was also appreciated that the Chairperson of each club, Sean Marks and Roddy McQuaid, was present to witness this historic event. Lastly, the hospitality of the Moorefield club and the noisy reception that greeted the arrival of the players home to Cooley certainly added to the occasion!
COOLEY KICKHAMS: Shane Quigley, Darragh Brady, Paul Brennan, Colm Keenan, Cathal Malone, Cian Murphy, Daire McDaid, Cormac Malone, Enda O’Neill, Cian Connor, Callum O’Hanlon, Eddie Kirwan, Aaron Shealan, Christopher McQuaid, Thomas McCarragher, John Digney, Cian reilly, Thomas Fearon, Ronan McMullen, Gerard Hanlon, Sean McCarragher, Caolan Haugh.