GLORY FOR GREYSTONES!
Éire Óg follow up Minor title with U-20 crown
ÉIRE ÓG GREYSTONES brought the curtain down on a fantastic season when their under-20 footballers claimed the ‘B’ championship title by defeating Rathnew last weekend in Dunbur Park in Wicklow town.
A close first half saw the Greystones side go in leading by a single point but a superb second half showing from the Éire Óg lads saw them power ahead and hold the Village side scoreless for the majority of the second half.
‘I’m delighted for the lads, they’re after putting it in. They started late and they really got involved in it. They all pulled together, and they got what they deserved today. I’m absolutely delighted for them because they’ve put it in, great training sessions, winter’s evenings, 20 or 22 of them out, so we’re absolutely thrilled and we hope they can go forward from here now,’ said Éire Óg’s Fergus O’Carroll.
The Éire Óg management team had special praise for the under-20 competition that has been embraced by the vast majority of clubs.
‘It’s been brilliant, really enjoyable, and everybody has bought into it and I really hope the county keep it going because it was sadly lacking. They were a group of Minor players who finished up two years ago and didn’t have anything, and off to college, and this has brought them back into the club as I’m sure it has done for every club in the county and we need to keep it going next year,’ they added.
Corner-forward Shaun Cranley bagged eight points from frees to help the Greystones side to victory but it was the performance of midfielders Fintan O’Shea and Conal Deeney that really caught the eye as they led the charge throughout.
The Rathnew goal threat was only realised once when Sean Coffey tapped home from a high ball but apart from that Conor Nolan, Brian Lawless and Andy Clarke proved to be defenders at the top of their game.
The team were led gallantly by captain Eoghan McTague who starred from centre half back.
This under-20 championship crown comes hot on the heels of the club winning the 2018 Minor ‘A’ Football Championship crown and suggests a bright future ahead of the north Wicklow side.