Duhallow Primary Schools football finals offer exciting fare
GAELIC football was on parade in the Duhallow Schools Finals hosted in Dromtariffe. Great team work and scores coupled with near misses from boys and girls enthralled parents and spectators.
Indeed the future of gaelic games on the national sporting stage looks secure on the evidence generated from these deciders. Amongst the highlights were a double for both Dromagh and Meelin in both boys and girls.
Elsewhere Boherbue stormed passed Millstreet in the feature 13-a-side while Knocknagree, Lismire, Derinagree, Rathcoole and Lyre recorded satisfying wins.
The attendance included former Duhallow and Cork senior great Danny Culloty.
Dromagh 9-4 Kiskeam 6-4
Open attacking football paved the way for Dromagh to better Kiskeam in the Boys 7-a-side final. Dromagh hit an offensive on goals from Grantas Buckensis, Tommy Walsh and Donagh Buckley to assume a comfortable advantage. Kiskeam rallied and gained a reward confirmed with a hat trick of goals from Eoghan Daly. Still, Dromagh drove forward with pace and precision, rewarded on excellent scores to secure a worthy win. DROMAGH: J Davidson, N Tarrant, N Permenis, G Buckensis, T Walsh, D Buckley, D O’Connell. KISKEAM: J Angland, D Murray, M Cronin, M Collins, M Cronin, E Daly, C Murray, C Lehane, D Brosnsan, P O’Callaghan.
Meelin 7-3 Derinagree 5-4
Meelin saw off the challenge of Derinagree in an exciting Boys 8-a-side decider. Victory was a triumph for hard work and self belief, Meelin carving out the scores in impressive fashion to Jack Twomey, Josh Brown and Darragh McCarthy. The spirits of the Derinagree boys were lifted on scores to Finn McKee, James O’Sullivan and Conor Kelly. However Meelin held the answers and finished strongly. MEELIN: J Kennedy, L O’Sullivan Collins, D Shine, D Dineen, J McAulliffe, J Kelly, J Twomey, J Brown, D McCarthy, R Curtin, A Curtin, J Doody, J Walsh, P McCarthy, D Lehane.
DERINAGREE: M O’Keeffe, Dylan Murphy, Dara Murphy, E Murphy, F McKee, J O’Sullivan, C Kelly, M Thornton, J Kelleher, A Kenoucle.
Lismire 3-7 Ballydesmond 2-3
Lismire produced a dominant display to deny Ballydesmond in the 10-a-side Boys A final. The sharper side, Lismire got the job done in convincing fashion. Going forward, Lismire took their chances with a display of enterprise that yielded goals to Oisín O’Connor, Conor Sheehan and Jack Sheahan. Ballydesmond asked serious questions from goals to Brendan O’Leary and Barry Collins to leave the game open yet Lismire kept ahead to the finish. LISMIRE: C O’Sullivan, A Burke Ott, J Finn, E Walsh, R Sheehan, O O’Connor, C Sheehan, J Sheahan, J O’Connor, D O’Keeffe, D O’Connor, S Bourke, L Burke Ott, D O’Callaghan, A Keane, K Murphy.
BALLYDESMOND: K Quilter, H Alsane, D Murphy, B O’Leary, B Linehan, C Dunlea, B Collins, D O’Leary, G O’Sullivan, J Vaughan, K Murphy, D O’Keeffe, R Casey,
Knocknagree 4-8 Kilbrin 2-4
A polished performance ensured victory for Knocknagree over Kilbrin in the Boys 10-a-side B decider. Over the course of contest, Knocknagree took a grip on the proceedings from an early stage with goals netted by Michael McSweeney, Cian Sheehan, Jim Brosnan and Richard O’Connor. In fairness, Kilbrin chased the contest with Ronan Heffernan raising a pair of green flags. Crucially Knocknagree stemmed the flow to land the spoils. KNOCKNAGREE: B Parsons, C O’Connor, B Murphy, N O’Connor, M McSweeney, C Sheehan, J Brosnan, J Devitt, R O’Connor, J Hogan, D Smyth, D Bradley, S O’Keeffe, R Nolan, D Murphy, S Parsons.
KILBRIN: M O’Brien, R McCrory, S O’Sullivan, D King, R Heffernan, B O’Sullivan, J Drumn, J Harrington, J Healy, R O’Brien, K O’Leary, J Harrington, V Aspell, N Cullinane Duggan, A O’Sullivan.
Boherbue 4-9 Millstreet 1-7
Boherbue emerged full value for a win against Millstreet in 13-a-side Boys final. At key stages, Boherbue offered a powerfully structured display with a pair of goals netted by Cathal Ducey, matched by Shane O’Riordan and Darragh Ducey. Millstreet answered on a Patrick Kelleher strike but their comeback was stalled by a more balanced Boherbue. BOHERBUE: C Hartnett, P Aherne, F O’Hanlon, D Kenny, C Ducey, D Moynihan, D Lucey, D Sheahan, E Enright, S O’Riordan, D Murphy, N Fitzpatrick, A Patterson Evans, P Ochlak. MILLSTREET: D Hartnett, J O’Riordan, A Ceznauk, E Nwa, P Kelleher, D O’Brien, J Carroll, K Smardz, E Sheehan, S Murphy.
Dromagh 5-7 Rockchapel 3-4
Dromagh held out for a thrilling win over Rockchapel in the 7-a-side girls final. A clever mix of short and long game paid dividends for the victors with goals from Ciara Buckley, Niamh Ferns and Áine O’Keeffe. For long stages, Rockchapel kept in touch thanks to Michelle O’Neill and Aoife Carroll netting. However Dromagh closed out the game with neat scores. DROMAGH: N Dineen, L Coffey, D Murphy, C Buckley, N Ferns, K Ferns, S Tarrant, A O’Keeffe, C Angland, A Sheehan, E Sheehan. ROCKCHAPEL: S Stack, N Curtin, S O’Neill, M O’Neill, M O’Neill, N Carroll, A Carroll, E Carroll, E O’Keeffe.
Derinagree 7-6 Lisgriffin 3-5
Derinagree delivered a high class performance to deny a gallant Lisgriffin in the 7-a-side B Girls final. The skills of Sadhbh O’Connor, Caoimhe O’Sullivan and Brianna G Murphy surfaced to get in on the goalscoring act. Lismire fought bravely and contributed to an exciting tussle with neatly taken scores.
Meelin 4-10 Kanturk 0-8
Meelin put together a convincing effort to overcome a lively Kanturk in the 9-a-side girls final. The winners capacity to maximise attacking effort yielded goals for Nancy Lehane, Ashley Ferris and Sarah McAulliffe. Kanturk worked hard to remain in the game but remained goal shy that allowed Meelin savour glory. MEELIN: L Doody, H O’Callaghan, N Lehane, A Ferris, C Shine, SMcAullife, S Ryan, M Twomey, S O’Sullivan, M Richardson, A O’Sullivan.
KANTURK: H Soliman, M Lehane, S O’Keeffe, S Jordan, A Murphy, C O’Connor, K Savage, E Moore, E O’Connor, C Linehan, C Hogan, A Hogan, C Collins, B Thornton, J Harrington.
Rathcoole 9-4 Knocknagree 3-7
A strong showing allowed Rathcoole claim an impressive win over Knocknagree in the 12-a-side girls. The sheer intensity of Rathcoole’s game was underlined on the goaltaking ability of Tara Casey and Una Healy. Credit Knocknagree for bringing passion to a great game, their play helped on goals from Maura O’Keeffe and Cliona Cotter. Still, Rathcoole remained focused to pull away and land the accolades. RATHCOOLE: R O’Leary, J O’Callaghan, S Murray, A Ducey, C Buckley, C Byrnes, U Healy, J Kelleher, E Ducey, P Twomey, T Casey, K Linehan, E Cronin, O Carter, L Lyons, C McMullen, G Singleton, C McGreavy, A Murray, G Finn.
KNOCKNAGREE: M Herlihy, N Collins, E O’Connor, E O’Connor, N Twomey, M O’Keeffe, E Wills, S Twomey, C Cotter, G Collins, E Ring, J Smyth, M Cremin.
Lyre 5-7 Ballydesmond 1-4
Superior attacking power helped Lyre secure the Girls 12-a-side B title from a brave Ballydesmond.At key stages, Lyre controlled the game with Ciara Philpott, Shannon O’Shaughnessy and Aoife O’Neill on the goal trail. Ballydesmond never gave up without a serious effort though Lyre remained in a focused mind S Og Buckley, J O’Connor, D McHale, J Fleming, C Brosnan, K Grubiak, O Buckley. Ladies wins for Dromagh, Derinagree, Meelin, Rathcoole, Lyre
DERINAGREE: G O’Connor, L O’Flynn, C Murphy, S O’Connor, C O’Sullivan, G O’Sullivan, B G Murphy, T Carver, M G Murphy, D O’Riordan, E McCarthy. LISGRIFFIN: R McCarthy, S Whelan, V O’Connor, R Linehan, A Whelan, D Cronin, G Cronin, E Vowles, A Tobin. to the full time whistle. LYRE: S Obrezane, A Jiembo, K Obrezane, K O’Connor, C Brennan, M O’Keeffe, S O’Shaughnessy, A O’Neill, E McSweeney, H O’Sullivan, C Philpott, R Sheehan. BALLYDESMOND: S Keane, A Doody, N Doody, G O’Connell, L Moynihan, L O’Riordan, E O’Riordan, C Spillane, A Myers, A Hanlon, S Kerrisk, H Keane, A O’Sullivan.