Familiar face thwarts F.C.J.
Browne steers Carlow home
A MAN centrally involved in one of the big success stories on the domestic sports scene in 2016 was on the other side of the fence so to speak in Netwatch Cullen Park on Friday when the quest of F.C.J. (Bunclody) to become Top Oil Leinster Post-Primary Schools Senior football ‘B’ champions was thwarted by St. Mary’s C.B.S. (Carlow).
The victors - All-Ireland champions at this level two years ago - were managed by Maurice Browne who was also a key mentor with Gusserane when they claimed a first county Senior crown since 1975 last October.
Their knowledge of the schools scene prompted Kevin Kehoe and Mick Caulfield to seek assistance from the Kerryman for that triumphant campaign, and it was the best move they ever made.
Ironically, Browne was helped in preparing the victorious Carlow C.B.S. side two years ago by Conor Kinsella, a past pupil of F.C.J., while he was joined on the sideline for this latest win by former inter-county hurling referee Pat Aherne.
The Bunclody boys must be credited with maintaining the fight until the bitter end, holding their rivals scoreless in the last twelve minutes and significantly cutting the deficit with 1-3 in that spell.
However, on the whole they could have no complaints as the Carlow side were superior for the most part, and only a magnificent save from Jack Quinn early in the second-half kept the margin down to manageable proportions.
The F.C.J. cause wasn’t helped by the absence of regular midfielder Cillian Redmond from the starting line-up. His high fielding and ball-winning had been a feature of the semi-final win over Enniscorthy C.B.S. and, while he did enter the fray after 23 minutes, it came at a stage when Carlow had already established a foothold and led by 0-6 to 0-2.
Jordan Morrissey and Lee Dunne had given the locals the early initiative before an off-theball tug on Cathal Doyle led to the F.C.J. opener in the seventh minute, scored by Eddie Black whose signing for the Waterford F.C. Under-19 squad along with Mikey Carroll of Enniscorthy’s Shamrock Rovers had been announced earlier in the week.
F.C.J. drew level with a neat score in the tenth minute as wingback Ciarán Murphy latched on to the break from a kick-out and soloed for goal, playing a one-two with Josh Martin before making it 0-2 each.
Unfortunately, it was the sole piece of attacking promise shown by the Wexford side in that firsthalf, as they failed to register again whereas Carlow added five points on the trot from captain Ross Dunphy, Evan Lowry (two frees) and Gavin Healy (two, one free).
F.C.J. did step it up on the re-start as two Eddie Black frees narrowed the gap to 7-4 by the 39th minute. However, in between they had relied on goalkeeper Jack Quinn to keep them in the game, as he made an unbelievable save from Lee Dunne who had been put clean through by a super pass over the last defender by Gavin Healy.
A half-chance for a goal at the other end came to nothing when full-forward Edward Dunbar fisted past advancing netminder Ger Kirwan but the ball went wide.
Carlow then made an inspired substitution, with new arrival Cathal O’Neill claiming two points within three minutes.
Sandwiched in between was their decisive goal, and this time the roles were reversed and with a different result. Lee Dunne turned provider as it was his pinpoint pass inside the defensive cover which released Gavin Healy, and the corner-forward made no mistake (1-8 to 0-4).
After O’Neill’s second point, and an Evan Lowry free, F.C.J. were staring at a nine-point gap and a potential rout, but they stuck gamely to the task and made the champions sweat before the finish.
Substitutes James Lawlor and Maurice Ging had goal attempts blocked, with a ’45 arising which Lawlor fisted over from Eddie Black’s delivery.
A Black free and a second from the hard-to-manage Lawlor made it 1-10 to 0-7, with their consolation goal arriving more than three minutes into added time.
Black floated another delivery into the square, and when it broke out Cillian Redmond was on hand to drill it to the net seconds before the finish.
F.C.J.: Jack Quinn (St. Patrick’s); Liam McGuill (Kildavin-Clonegal), Adam Hogan (HWH-Bunclody), Ciarán Kavanagh (HWH-Bunclody); Niall Murphy (Ferns St. Aidan’s), John Dunne (Duffry Rovers), Ciarán Murphy (St. Patrick’s, 0-1); Martin O’Connor (HWH-Bunclody, capt.), Peadair Cowman (HWH-Bunclody); Liam Pender (Duffry Rovers), Josh Martin (HWH-Bunclody), Eddie Black (HWH-Bunclody, 0-4 frees); Brian Lambert (Tinahely), Edward Dunbar (HWH-Bunclody), Cathal Doyle (HWH-Bunclody). Subs. - Cillian Redmond (Kildavin-Clonegal, 1-0) for N. Murphy (23), Maurice Ging (Tinahely) for Lambert (38), James Lawlor (Ferns St. Aidan’s, 0-2) for Pender (38), Seán Bookey (Kilrush) for McGuill (54), Cian Fitzhenry (Duffry Rovers) for Dunbar (56), also Byron Byrne (HWH-Bunclody), Barry Hickey (Kildavin-Clonegal), Daniel Ging (Tinahely), John McCormack (HWH-Bunclody), Sebastian Pim (Davidstown-Courtnacuddy), Robert Murphy (Ferns St. Aidan’s), Robert St. Ledger (Kildavin-Clonegal), John Kavanagh (Kilrush), Peter Kelly (Ballyhogue), J.P. Farrell (Starlights), Kevin Mulhall (Tinahely), Jamie Roban (Duffry Rovers), Seán McLoughlin (Marshalstown-Castledockrell).
St. Mary’s C.B.S.: Ger Kirwan; Callum Hennessy, Conor Ryan, Martin Doyle; Daniel Crotty, Brian Coady, Cathal Myers; Jordan Morrissey (01), Robert Browne; Lee Dunne (01), Ross Dunphy (capt., 0-1), Jack O’Neill; Gavin Healy (1-2, 0-1 free), Jody Murphy, Evan Lowry (0-3 frees). Subs. - Cathal O’Neill (0-2) for O’Neill (44), Seán Doyle for Dunne (51), Kian Carroll for Healy (58).
Referee: David Sweeney ( Dublin).