Gorey boys rejoice
Naomh Eanna will face Sarsfields
NAOMH EANNA will face Sarsfields in the New Ross Standard Under-14 Football Championship Division 1 final after they overcame a battling Starlights in St Patrick’s Park on Thursday evening last.
This game had to be re-arranged after a nasty injury to Stars forward Jamie Donnelly brought a premature end to the original semi-final encounter four weeks prior. Gorey were winning that game and they deserved their victory here too.
However, it was a very similar game to the previous encounter in many ways. The Bellefield side employed the same tactic of quickly going long and had they got a little more luck it could have been a different outcome altogether.
Shane Flood scored a lovely goal, after good work by Kyle Kenny and Tom Wheatley, in the third minute. Yet Oisin Pepper raced through on goal twice soon after and smashed his shot, on both occasions, narrowly wide of the far post.
Strong running by J.J. Twamley opened up the defence for Lee Cushe to rattled in goal number two in the 15th minute before the provider of that goal, plus Rian Fitzpatrick, knocked over points to make it 2-2 to nil.
Stefan San Augustin was next to break through on two separate occasion at the other end. With his first shot he thumped the upright, just above the crossbar and moments later he flashed over. Bill Peare narrowly missed the metalwork too as his minor left two goals between the sides at the break.
The game’s third goal was always going to prove vital. It clearly wasn’t going to be Starlights night when Peare lashed just over and, minutes later, Matt Kinnard cracked the post. It was no surprise when Gorey took their chance in the 45th minute when substitute Ruadhan Redmond crept one past Adam Shiggins.
After nice scores by Cormac Doyle and Cian Ó Tuama put Gorey 3-9 to 0-6 up, Starlights did at least find a consolation goal from the boot of Brian Cronin in injury time but it was too little to late to deny Naomh Eanna a final place.
NAOMH EANNA: Ruairi Tubritt; Conor Kelly, Sean Egan, Darragh Fitzpatrick; Cian Ó Tuama (0-1), Brian Cushe (capt.), Enda McCrea; Cormac Doyle (0-1), Rian Fitzpatrick (0-4, 3 frees); Kyle Kenny, J.J. Twamley (0-1), Shane Mahon; Tom Wheatley, Lee Cushe (1-1), Shane Flood (1-1). Subs. - Luke Darley for Mahon (36), Ruadhan Redmond (1-0) for Wheatley (44), also, Tomás Mythen, Niall O’Dwyer, Harry McGuckin, Jack Curley, Dylan Cooke Leonard, Daniel Ennis, Scott Murphy, Ryan Callaghan, Ruari Sheil, Jamie McGrainer, Ross Kavanagh, Ruadhan Comerford, Tiarnan Black, Eoin Murphy, Mark Kinch, Stephen Smith, Mylie Connors, Michael Dineen.
STARLIGHTS: Adam Shiggins; Shaun Leacy, Jack Kehoe, Tommy McVeigh; Mikey Webster, Ronan Kervick (capt.), Shane Farrell; Matt Kinnard, Stefan San Augustin (0-1); Kian Murphy, Christopher O’Leary, Danny Breen (0-2 frees); Jamie Donnelly, Bill Peare (0-3), Oisin Pepper. Subs. - Brian Cronin (1-0) for Farrell, inj (19), Regan Treacy for Leacy (32), Jeff Buckley for Breen (50), Riley Doran for Donnelly (50), Jordan Sharlott for O’Leary (50), Jake McCarthy for Webster (50+1), also, Billy Redmond, Bill Collins, Callum Murphy.
REF: Mick Lanigan (Shelmaliers).