Counsel crew come up short
Narrow loss in topsy-turvy tie
IN ONE of the most topsy-turvy games in recent memory, Good Counsel came up just short in their bid to claim the Top Oil Leinster Post Primary Schools Juvenile football ‘A’ championship title in Stradbally, Co. Laois, on Friday.
The New Ross boys looked far superior and on their way to a comfortable victory when they breezed into a 0-6 to nil lead in the opening quarter. However, their Athlone opponents hit back with 3-5 without reply to move eight clear at the other end.
Despite a gallant, relentless battle in the last 20 minutes, in which Good Counsel clawed their way back to within a point, it was not to be their day and Marist held on for a hard-earned provincial title.
Good Counsel played some superb football in the opening 13 minutes to build a lead. Cian Byrne, in particular, was on fire. The Fethard clubman kicked four of the scores, while Emmet Cullen and Killian Griffin also registered as their side burst clear.
Full-back Griffin’s point, the sixth of the spell, really summed up the game at that stage.
Able to drift off his man to win back possession in the Marist half, he kicked a stunning score to emphasise the Good Counsel dominance.
Having barely escaped their own half in the opening quarter against a light breeze, Marist began to grow in confidence after Tom Shine kicked their opening score in the 17th minute. Others followed before Daniel McManus won a throw-ball and fed Dylan Gavin who raced away to net in the 30th minute.
Down by 1-4 to 0-6, it could have been even worse for Counsel had Senan Baker’s long-range effort went in off the top of the post in added-time, rather than bounced away. The County Wexford school also started the second-half slowly.
Gavin broke through to net his second goal in the 32nd minute. No sooner had Good Counsel come to terms with that blow than Baker played Neale Kenny into the clear to make it 3-4 to 0-6.
Despite the eight-point deficit when Ben O’Carroll pointed in the 37th minute, it didn’t really seem like Good Counsel were under the cosh.
They were enjoying as much of the ball as their opponents but simply didn’t take their chances. Marist would end with just two wides.
New Ross started to rally after Cathal Cummins popped over his first point. Counsel were given real hope in the 41st minute when the diminutive Rory O’Brien was fouled close to goal and Cian Byrne coolly slotted away the resulting penalty (3-5 to 1-7).
A couple of points from Byrne and Cummins cut the gap down to two with five minutes left. A frantic finish ensued with Gary Porter poking a shot narrowly wide and Emmet Cullen flashing an injury-time free just over the crossbar.
With just one point between the sides, the referee indicated that there was still just over a minute remaining. However, despite Good Counsel’s best efforts, it was Marist who broke and sealed the trophy when Michael Kirwan tipped Dylan Gavin’s blistering shot over four minutes into overtime.
Good Counsel: Michael Kirwan; Alan Kehoe, Killian Griffin (0-1), Luke Burke-Doyle; Owen Lennon, Jason Murphy, Kevin Wall; Emmet Cullen (0-2, 1 free), Colman O’Sullivan; Cian Byrne (1-5, 1-0 pen., 0-2 frees), Daniel Nash, Jamie Power; Matthew Foley, Cathal Cummins (0-2), Eoin O’Brien. Subs. - Gary Porter for Nash (48), also Ryan Walsh-Rowe, Donal Buckley, Conor Foley, Darragh McPhillips, Diarmuid Murphy, Josh Shannon, Michael Dunden, Jamie O’Rourke, Cian Carroll, Kevin Dunleavy, James Rossiter, Harry Nunan, James Dillon, James Murphy, Ewan Russell, Rory Flanagan, Adam Harris, Colm Fitzgerald, Alex Molloy, Cormac Lyons, Michael Foley.
Marist: Eric Rogers; Brian Nestor, Eamon Martin, Olan Healy; Tom Kelleher, Tom Shine (0-1), Philip Temple; Daniel McManus, Rory Fallon; Senan Baker, Dylan Gavin (2-2), Neale Kenny (1-0); Ben O’Carroll (0-3, 2 frees), Martin O’Grady, Luke O’Rourke. Sub. - Conor Hand for McManus, inj. (49).
Referee: Ronan Devaney (Laois).