Ballycastle Gaels U-16s clinch title
Ballycastle Gaels 1-16 Sam Maguires 0-14
BALLYCASTLE Gaels captured this years Rebel Og County U-16 BHC (1) title after they defeated a resolute Sam Maguires outfit in the county final at Ballygarvan on Saturday.
The opening stages saw the evenly balanced and better equipped Ballycastle Gaels start in a very determined manner. Early pressure yielded some well taken scores by Dan Roche (3), Darragh Whelan and Colm Crowley that moved them 0-5 to 0-1 in front by the 13th minute. Sam Maguires who were denied an early goal scoring opportunity when the Ballycastle Gaels keeper Fionn Hess made a great save from Andrew McCarthy quickly settled.
Two points in quick succession by Jerry Collins and Sean Daly brought them right back into contention by the 18th minute. The remainder of the half was keenly contested. Gearoid Roche and Sean Daly traded a point before the Carbery side reduced the deficit to the narrowest of margins when Alan Brickley pointed from long range in the 24th minute 0-6 to 0-5.
Moments later the sides were level at 0-6 apiece when Peter Collins pointed a ‘65’.
In the run up to the break Ballycastle Gaels finished strongly. Dan Roche who was in superb form at corner forward for the winners reeled off two difficult frees before the half time whistle that helped them hold a two point cushion at the break.
On the changeover exchanges were again very close. Sam Maguire were back on parity at 0-8 each by the 32nd minute when Jerry and Peter Collins reeled off rapid points. Over the next couple of minutes they were tied again at 0-9 and 0-10 each with Sam Maguires denied a second goal scoring chance when Cal Nyhan’s attempt at goal struck the crossbar.
As the half went on Ballycastle Gaels who had some very good displays by Luke Burdett, Sean Sugrue, Dylan Collins, Eoin Twomey, Cathal Wilson, Darragh Whelan, Gearoid Roche, Patrick Sheehan and Dan Roche pushed on from here. In the 40th minute Darragh Whelan was denied by a fine save by the Sam Maguires keeper Brian O’Sullivan at the expense of a ‘65 that Dylan Collins pointed.
Two minutes later they put a bit of daylight between the teams when Robert Attwood set up Dan Roche for the only goal of the game 1-11 to 0-10. Further pressure saw Dylan Collins have another point from a ‘65’ at the three quarter stage that moved them 1-12 to 0-10 clear.
Sam Maguire who also had some good displays all through by Ellis O’Farrell, Jerry Collins, Sean Daly, Peter Collins and Padraigh O’Sullivan refused to give in and three points in as many minutes closed the gap to 1-12 to 0-13 by the 49th minute. Try as they might they were unable to breach the Ballycastle Gaels defence for a goal they so badly needed.
Instead it was the winners that outscored their opponents by four points to one in the last ten minutes when Colm Crowley, Dan Roche, Eoin Twomey and Darragh Whelan had points while Peter Collins was on target for Sam Maguires.
In the end it was Ballycastle Gaels that emerged deserving winners and after the game Donal Whooley Secretary of the Rebel Og Board presented the cup to the victorious captain Noah O’Brien. BALLYCASTLE GAELS: F Hess, J Gowen, L Burdett, N O’Brien, S Sugrue, D Collins 0-2 ‘65’, E Twomey 0-1, A O’Leary, C Wilson, D Whelan 0-2, P Sheehan 0-1, C Crowley 0-2, D Roche 1-7 (0-4f), R Attwood, G Roche 0-1. Sub: D Cooney for R Attwood.
SAM MAGUIRES: B O’Sullivan, F Browne, L Hurley, D Dullea, P Duggan, E O’Farrell, C O’Sullivan, J Collins 0-2, P Collins 0-6f, C Nyhan, A Brickley 0-2, M Cronin, Andrew McCarthy, S Daly 0-3f, P O’Sullivan 0-1.
Aidan McCarthy for Andrew McCarthy, D O’Donovan for F Browne,
Tony O’Brien (Ballygarvan)