Five-star combination cruise to U-16 glory
ST KEVIN’S/MATTOCK NAOMH MONINNE 5-18 1-7
HAVING suffered a defeat to the same opposition in the recent U14 Championship Final the hurlers of combination outfit St Kevins/Mattock Rangers recorded this emphatic victory over Naomh Moninne in an entertaining U16 Championship final played in good conditions at Kilkerly on Thursday night.
Top scorer and centre half Tom Mathews opened the scoring with a point from play inside 60 seconds with the Dundalk outfit responding with their opening point from a 20 metre free scored by Conor Murphy on three minutes.
The combination side took control of proceedings scoring six successive points before goals on 15 and 19 minutes from Mathews and Nathan Reynolds and a point from the hard working Cameron Maher had them leading by 2-8 to 0-1.
Moninne halted this run of scores with a point from play from Fionn Cumiskey only for their opponents to extend their lead with further points from Brandon Johnson and Tom Mathews (2).
A late point from midfielder Paddy Wehrly had Moninne trailing the combination side by 2-11 to 0-3 at the break.
Three minutes into the second half the eventual winners grabbed a fourth goal when keeper Jason McKeown misjudged a long delivery from midfielder Josh Finlay. The sides then shared the next two points before the black and amber outfit grabbed a goal of their own when Conor Murphy netted from a 20 metre free on 43 minutes.
A brace of pointed frees from the hard working Sean Magill was just reward for the efforts of a gallant Moninne side in this second half but it was the combination side who would seal a deserving victory with two late goals from Josh Finlay and Cameron Maher.
Afterwards the cup was presented by the Coiste Iomana Co Lu Chairman Ken Tobin to the joint captains of the St Kevin’s/Mattock Evan Maher and Seamus Birch.
ST KEVIN’S/MATTOCK RANGERS: Joe Durnin; Keelan Maher, Tommy Metcalfe, Conor Geraghty; Seamus Birch, Cameron Maher (1-3), Aaron Smith; Evan Maher (0-1), Josh Finlay (2-0); Brian Callaghan (0-1), Tom Mathews (1-7, 0-2 frees), Brandon Johnson (0-5, 0-1 free); Matthew Hodgins, Shawn Tobin, Nathan Reynolds (1-0). Subs used – Robert Mathews, Ronan McCreesh (0-1), Ross Fitzsimons.
NAOMH MONINNE: Jason McKeown; Ronan Reid, Aaron McGuinness, Luke Conlon; Jack McCaughey, Sean Magill (0-2 frees), Tadhg Kearney; Paddy Wehrly (0-1), Fionn Cumiskey; Sam Phelan, Conor Murphy (1-2, 1-1 frees), Daire Reilly; Cormac Brannigan, Robert McCaughey, Jack Mulvihill. Subs – Ciaran Walsh for L Conlon, Tadhg Dowdall for J Mulvihill, Diarmuid McEneaney for A McGuinness, Seamus Reid for C Brannigan.
REFEREE: Jim O Rourke (Monaghan).