Superiority after break
CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL IN ST. PATRICK’S PARK and ambers take spoils in local derby
14 men when Conor Hearne, who had been booked midway through the half, collected a black card for hauling down Foley, and this forced his colleagues to work even harder.
Paddy Devereux caught the free which followed from Glen Murphy but saw his shot cannon off an opponent around a heavily-populated square.
Tony Smith was the last player to fall victim to the curse of the woodwork, from a free, but he made no mistake from his next attempt after Eoghan Nolan caught the kick-out and was fouled.
Crossabeg-Ballymurn needed to strike 1-1 in the three and a half added minutes that remained, but they didn’t threaten apart from one half-hit Cormac O’Rourke shot.
It left Shelmaliers the most worthy of winners at the finish, with the victory especially sweet for this particular crew as they lost the Premier Minor final to Starlights by one point in 2013.
Shelmaliers: Aodhán Foley (capt.); Cian Manley, James Cash, Joe Redmond; Jody Donohoe, Simon Donohoe (0-2), Chris Cowman; Aaron Murphy (0-1), Glen Malone; Liam Rockett, Conor Hearne (0-1), Craig Parker (0-1 free); Colin Cleary (0-1), Eoghan Nolan, Graham Staples. Subs. - Seán Keane-Carroll for Cowman (23), Tony Smith (0-2 frees) for Parker (36), Michael Feeney for Rockett (50), also Adam Howlin, Paul McCleane, Kyle Roche, Stephen Rossiter, Mark Power, Stephen McGuire, Dan Campbell, James Doyle, Adam Hearne.
Crossabeg-Ballymurn: Ben Turner; Martin Redmond, Oisín Foley, Conor Gormley; Eoin O’Connor, David Kehoe, Conor Barlow; Paddy Devereux, Pádraig Foley; Cormac O’Rourke (capt.), Conor Maddock, Ronan Devereux; Glen Murphy (0-4 frees), Robert Byrne, Oran Maddock. Subs. - Shane Whelan for Gormley (42), Luke Redmond for Kehoe (50), also James White, Cathal Devereux, Lorcan Leacy, Evan Kinlough, Lorcan Cummins, Robert Murphy, Bill Eviston, Sam Kelly.
Referee: James Mullally (Gusserane).