Brian Cronin Memorial Blitz titles for Glenville and Dromtariffe
Glenville 6-8 Thomas Russells 4-5
GLENVILLE summoned up a spectacular comeback to secure a deserved victory over Thomas Russells in a highly entertaining decider to the Dromtariffe promoted U-10 Football Blitz for the Brian Cronin Memorial Cup.
Sixteen teams drawn from Avondhu, Imokilly, Muskerry and Duhallow competed with the preliminary rounds operating in a round robin league played on four pitches. All through a marvellous campaign, young boys and girls involved returned the maximum in the commitment stakes as the action ebbed and flowed left and right.
Ultimately, teams from Glenville and host club Dromtariffe had reason to feel satisfied to land the spoils on offer. Open and attacking paved the way for Glenville in the premier decider and on doing so, they recovered from a nervous start to enjoy productive passages of play in a cracking tussle.
Russells received an early fillip boost on goals netted by Dylan Spillane and Liam Sheehan that helped command a key advantage. As the game developed, Glenville came into the picture from goals netted by Jack Counihan and Tadgh McCarthy to secure a 3-4 to 2-3 advantage at the break.
Again the Glenville boys resumed with a purpose with a David Barry goal. Credit Thomas Russells on cranking up the intensity and a rewarding spell yielded goals from Dylan O’Connell and Dylan Spillane to leave just three points between the sides.
Glenville recovered from the jolt to regain their composure with snappy enterprising moves earned goals for McCarthy and Donnacha O’Leary. Late on, the Kishannig side chased the game to the finish yet they failed to gain further inroads on a sharper Glenville combination.
A delighted Glenville captain Jack Counihan accepted the Brian Cronin Memorial Trophy from Peter Cronin.
GLENVILLE: L Guichard, D O’Neill, A O’Reilly, C Webb Duggan, J Counihan, D Barry, T McCarthy, J Hennigan, J Long, D O’Leary, C O’Connor, E Thornhill, D O’Connor, D McCarthy, AS Casey.
THOMAS RUSSELLS: D Lehane, L Savage, J O’Callaghan, M Blake, K Harkin, D O’Connell, D Spillane, J O’Keeffe, D Harrington, D Cogan, C Davis, L Sheehan, D Morgan.
REFEREE: V Browne (Dromtariffe)
Dromtariffe 2-4 Kilmurry 1-4
DROMTARIFFE hit winning ways to better Kilmurry in a cracking Brian Cronin Memorial Shield Final. From another terrific tussle, the victors just about shaded the proceedings at key stages to gather a deserved triumph from battling opponents.
From the throw in, Kilmurry enjoyed the best of starts and their game was boosted from a Fionn O’Keeffe goal. The hosts answered for a RonanMurphy goal to cut the leeway 1-2 to 1-0 at the break.
And Dromtariffe resumed in a positive style and their cause was boosted on a deflected effort by Murphy found the net.
Kilmurry mounted a response on applying the fiercest of pressure to come close to scores only to be denied by brilliant Dromtariffe ‘keeper Charlie Hanover. Near misses, great defending added to the end to end fare and amidst tremendous excitement, Dromtariffe weren’t prepared to relent and they held on for a popular win. DROMTARIFFE: C Hanover, P O’Keeffe, S O’Flynn, E O’Connor, D O’Riordan, C Murphy, G Zuber, C Carver, R Murphy, S O’Flynn, J Buckley, D Keane, A Dineen, K Gardiner, J Murphy, F Murphy, H Linehan, D Buckley, D Fogarty, C O’Shea, N O’Mahony, H O’Neill.
KILMURRY: R O’Connell, D Browne, C Lane, N Westhuizen, R Murphy, A Quinlivan, C McDonald, L Buckley, F O’Keeffe, A Long, C Bateman, F Yore, U Keane, R McIlroy, C Twohig, B O’Leary, P Dineen, S Roche, T Murphy, E Wesrhuizen, B Gore, R Keane, D Murphy, A Quinlivan.
REFEREE: M J O’Keeffe (Dromtariffe)
* The competition commemorates the late Brian Cronin who died at a young age from leukaemia yet his name lives on as demonstrated by a wealth of underage talent in the popular competition co-ordinated by Dromtariffe Juvenile GAA club. Proceeds go towards the Mercy Hospital leukaemia fund.