Cooley win U16 championship to complete perfect season

Cooley Kickhams completed the perfect season with a superb team display in the under 16 Louth football championship final played in glorious conditions before the intermediate final in Castlebellingham.

Following hot on the heels of their division 2 success a week earlier, but missing their Louth star Aaron Carolan, Cooley took to the field as underdogs against a St. Joephs/St. Mochtas combination team who were the reigning U16 Division 1 league champions.

The game started at a hectic pace with the combination side dominating possession and, but for the tenacity and organisation of the Cooley full back line of Conor McAvinney, Paul Brennan and Aaron Rafferty, and the consistency of goalkeeper Finn Hanlon, the mid Louth side would have accumulated far more than the single point that separated the sides after 10 minutes.

Cooley gradually got into their rhythm, and with Ronan McBride and captain, Michael John Hanlon, effectively blunting the twin threats of Ben Collier and Conal McCaul, they settled and were rewarded with a great opening point from the marauding half back Ian Arnold. Despite a pair of points from the mid louth side Cooley responded with two frees from the assured Pearse Hulme to level matters and then surged ahead with a superbly taken goal from full forward Callum O’Hanlon.

An excellent Thomas McCarragher point for Cooley was matched by a Josephs/Mochtas white flag to bring the half to a close with Cooley ahead by three points on a score of 1-4 to 0-4.

The second half followed the pattern of the first with Cathal Malone and Cian Murphy expertly marshalling the defensive effort and Cooley dominating on their own kick outs through excellent fielding by the wide men, Enda O’Neill and Niall Brady.

Following two points for each side, with Cian Connor and Pearse Hulme on the mark for the green and golds, the game burst into life with two quick Cooley goals. The first was a clever turn and instinctive finish from the incisive Thomas McCarragher and the second a striker’s goal from the powerful Callum O’Hanlon.

Despite an opportunistic goal from the mid Louth side, Cooley were now on top all over the field and with substitutes Eunan McMullan and Gerard Hanlon maintaining the impressive work rate, it was no surprise that they surged ahead with further white flags from O’Hanlon(2), McCarragher and Arnold as well as opening points for Niall Brady and the defensive lynch pin Cormac Malone. A final consolation point for the combination side brought the game to a close with an 11 point win for the Cooley men.

The final whistle was greeted with wild celebrations by players, mentors and supporters alike for what was a fantastic team performance which capped an amazing year in which this dedicated and talented squad of players made history by winning every single league and championship game they played.

This dedication was exemplified by man of the match Conor McAvinney who, despite being injured and in obvious pain, stubbornly played the entire game.

In accepting the cup Cooley captain Michael John Hanlon thanked players, mentors, supporters and opposition alike and acknowledged that this was a victory built on hard work and organisation and delivered by a superb squad made up of players from the clubs of Cooley Kickhams and Cuchulainn Gaels with notable contributions through the season from Colm Keenan, Aaron Sheelan, Christopher McQuaid, John Digney, Darragh Brady, Caolan Haugh, Ethan Murphy and Shane Quigley as well as younger players such as Ronan McMullan, Sean McCarragher, Thomas Fearon, Eddie Kirwan, Daire McDaid and Sean Quinn.

The Cooley panel Finn O’Hanlon, Aaron Rafferty, Conor McAviney, Paul Brennan, Cathal Malone, Ronan McBride, Ian Arnold 0-2, M. J. Hanlon, Cormac Malone 0-1, Enda O’Neill, Pearse Hulme 0-3, Niall Brady 0-1, Thomas McCarragher 1-2, Calum O’Hanlon 2-2, Cian Murphy. Subs; Eunan McMullin, Cian Connor 0-1, Colm Keenan, Darragh Brady, Eddie Kirwan, Gerard Hanlon, Caolan Haugh, Aaron Sheelan, Daire McDaid, Ethan Murphy, Christopher McQuaid, John Digney, Thomas Fearon, Sean McCarragher, Ronan McMullin, Aaron Carolan, Shane Quigley.