Gaels have too much power in U-19 ‘B’ decider
James Foley scores 2-7 and Barlow brothers star for Shamrock Gaels in defeat of Tubbercurry-Cloonacool
Sligo U-19 ‘B’ C’ship Final
Shamrock Gaels Tubbercurry-C’cool
I4-12 3-3
N THIS historic year for Shamrock Gaels – the club was founded 50 years ago – this was another piece of history for the unit of the GAA that came about when the Sooey and Knockalassa clubs combined in 1972. The club’s first Sligo U-19 Football Championship was won on Wednesday last, with Shamrock Gaels taking the inaugural competition’s ‘B’ grade with an eventually comfortable 12-point defeat of Tubbercurry-Cloonacool, 4-12 to 3-3, at Markievicz Park. Against opponents that only scored once in the second-half – a scrambled 48th minute goal – and who finished with 14 players because of a second yellow card for wing-back Eoin O’Donnell, Shamrock Gaels were deserving winners.
It took a near flawless second-half display to confirm their status, however, as they overturned a two-point interval deficit, 2-3 to 1-4, to outscore Tubbercurry-Cloonacool by 3-8 to 1-0. Eight scores without reply in the first 12 minutes of the second period, including a brace of goals from James Foley, put Shamrock Gaels on course for victory.
Inside forward James Foley, who scored 2-7, led the way for Shamrock Gaels, with the Barlow brothers, David and George, outstanding at midfield. Also influential for the winners were Conor McMorrow, Dylan McKenna, Conor Sheridan, Daniel King and the excellent Oisin Conlon. Tubbercurry-Cloonacool, who simply didn’t have enough game-changers, relied so much on full-forward Joshua Flynn, who has already been playing well in this year’s Homeland Senior Football Championship, with Diarmuid Henry, Eoin O’Donnell and TJ O’Hara working hard.
Shamrock Gaels had heroes aplenty, none more so than corner-forward James Foley. He followed a subdued first-half, in which he scored only one point, by shooting 2-6 in the second period. One for the future.
Shamrock Gaels’ second goal. Somehow trailing at half-time, 2-3 to 1-4, after a dominant first-half, the eventual winners regained the lead – and were never behind again – when James Foley netted within 11 seconds of the restart.
Given the sheer volume of possession that Shamrock Gaels enjoyed in the first-half and the overbundance of scoring chances created, the scoreboard appeared to be playing tricks when Conor McMorrow’s pointed free – after a foul on James Foley – left
Shamrock Gaels two points, 1-4 to 1-2, with 27 minutes played. Shamrock Gaels hadn’t built on their intense start when midfielder David Barlow powered through to find the net for the first of this game’s seven goals with two minutes played. Conor McMorrow’s point extended the margin to four points, 1-1 to 0-0, but Tubbercurry-Cloonacool replied with 1-1 of their own, both scores from TJ O’Hara, with Joshua Flynn involved in O’Hara’s wellstruck goal after four minutes. Tubbercurry-Cloonacool were ahead in the 15th minute when Diarmuid Henry converted a ‘45’. This prompted Shamrock Gaels to get moving and they did by scoring three unanswered points, including wingback Dylan McKenna’s polished point from a George Barlow pass.
A sign of Tubbercurry-Cloonacool’s struggles was that Joshua Flynn was roaming outfield in order to get moves going.
It was Flynn who scored 1-1 in first-half stoppage time to give Tubbercurry-Cloonacool the interval edge.
His goal was an almost impossible outside of the foot dabbed shot – following work by James King and Oisin Hunt – that went past Shamrock Gaels goalkeeper Jack Duignan.
The Shamrock Gaels players remained on the pitch during the interval, digesting the scoreline and the fact that they shot eight wides in that first-half.
Managers Keith McMorrow and Frank Quinn knew there was more of their team than this and the second-half had only begun when, from the throw-in, possession was won and quickly transferred inside to James Foley, whose zinger put Shamrock
The number of scores (2-7) from Shamrock Gaels attacker James Foley in last week’s final.
Gaels back in front, 2-4 to 2-3.
This goal transformed Shamrock Gaels and they began to turn chances into scores, with James Foley and Conor McMorrow shooting fine points. Foley was especially relentless with his finishing and he added his second goal with a lobbed finish after 42 minutes.
There was a hint of a comeback for Tubbercurry-Cloonacool – just a hint, mind – when they were awarded a 47th minute penalty.
But Joshua Flynn’s effort was saved by Jack Duignan, who had conceded the penalty, and TubbercurryCloonacool were deflated.
A heavily deflected goal with 12 minutes of normal time to go – from a right-wing delivery that somehow found its way into the Shamrock Gaels net – proved TubbercurryCloonacool’s sole second-half score. Shamrock Gaels wrapped up matters in style – Adam Kearins goaled from a Ciaran Kenny pass and Kenny pointed with a superb finish late on,