First half goals prove decisive for Newmarket
A STORMING first half display guided Trinity Gaels to a worthy win over Croke Rovers in the Shreelawn Oil Rebel Óg North Cork U-16 FC Final played Knocknagree.
Delivering a power surge during the opening 30 minutes was more that Rovers could live with, the Newmarket based Trinity Gaels creating a gap that their opponents seldom looked like closing.
In fairness, Crokes remained game in a committed second half showing yet they simply came up in against a superior Trinity force. A clearly determined Trinity Gaels began at a pace to show that they meant business.
Driven on by towering performances from Seán Murphy, Rory Lynn, Michael Browne, David Cottrell and Jamie Finn, the vim and vigour collected a sequence of scores with Hugh O’Connor leading the charge. Though Crokes answered thanks to the outstanding Danny Linehan, Trinity held the initiative climaxed on goals from O’Connor and a Browne penalty to gather a 2-13 to 0-7 grip at the interval.
The outcome appeared done and dusted upon the resumption, Finn, Padraig O’Sullivan and O’Connor. However Crokes mounted a laudable recovery under the direction of Linehan, Cillian O’Sullivan, Geary, Tadgh O’Riordan and Ruairí O’Sullivan. A run of points from Linehan confirmed the Rovers mprovement and it took a brilliant save by Trinity ‘keeper Daniel O’Leary to deny the concession of a goal.
Ultimately, the deficit was all too much for Crokes,Trinity Gaels always had enough in hand to gather the accolades.
TRINITY GAELS: D O’Leary; S Murphy, C O’Donovan; R Lynn, M Browne 1-0p, K Browne; D Cottrell 0-2, J Finn 0-8; H O’Connor 1-6, P O’Sullivan, 0-1, A Murphy 0-1; A Birtley 0-1, P Goggin 0-1. Subs: E Hourigan, M Lane, G Walsh, R O’Driscoll, S Murphy, T O’Donoughue.
CROKE ROVERS: D Vaughan; D Heffernan, R Heffernan; L Fitzmaurice, C O’Sullivan, M O’Brien; D Linehan 0-11, A O’Keeffe; R O’Sullivan 0-1, S McMahon, T O’Riordan 0-1; J Harrington, S O’Sullivan.
Subs: B O’Sullivan, T O’Riordan, L O’Riordan.
REFEREE: J Kenneally (Kanturk)