Harps are in tune to claim Junior

Connacht Gold

Junior ‘B’ C’ship Final Eastern Harps Tubbercurry 1-14 0-10

EVERY Gaelic footballer at club level wants his day in the sun or, in this case, an afternoon in the rain, surrounded by the delightfully rolling hills of Bunninadden.

Welcome to the Connacht Gold Junior ‘B’ Football Championship, an arena where young players cut their teeth (and hopefully don’t lose any) and where ageing players can proudly walk/hobble off into the sunset.

This grade also brings together sporting stars from different spheres – last Saturday’s final at Bunninadden Community Park saw Eastern Harps’ icon Ross Donovan, for years a defensive warrior for Sligo, share a pitch with Tubbercurry’s Raffaele Cretaro, a League of Ireland legend with Sligo Rovers.

It was Donovan and Harps who were celebrating – a seven-point victory, 1-14 to 0-10, was the reward for a performance brimming with purpose, with Marcus Meehan’s 35th minute goal – from a gorgeous pass by Player of the Match Ciaran Hannon – the score that sparked Harps’ commanding second-half.

Crucially, five of Harps’ six starting forwards got scores, with Ciaran Hannon (0-4), David Sheppard (0-3) and Niall McGill (0-3) the most productive members of their attack,

Within eight minutes of the restart Harps had extended their advantage to seven points, 1-8 to 0-4, with that goal from Marcus Meehan proving a key score indeed.

Tubbercurry needed more from certain players and Steven Kilcoyne, who finished with 0-4 in total, was busier and the threat of Gerard Perry, now switched to attack, was a reminder of the players that Tubbercurry fans would love to see performing for them in next year’s Owen B Hunt Cup competition. Ciaran Hannon almost created a second goal – his floated shot for a point was slightly underhit and Thomas Cryan tried to turn it into a goal chance but his fisted effort came off the upright.

Harps added further points that were noteworthy, especially those

efforts from Matthew Mulholland,

Ronan Niland and Ross Clifford. He denied Mulholland on three occasions. O’Brien’s brilliance continued in the second-half – he thwarted Eli Rooney, Ross Clifford again and Patrick Brady.

Not to be outdone, St Mary’s goalkeeper James Cronin got involved, too, but not to the same extent as his counterpart O’Brien, who was exceptionally busy. Cronin’s finest moment was his blocking of Joe Campbell’s goal shot after seven minutes. Twice in the second-half Sean McCabe had chances that didn’t require the St Mary’s custodian to make a save.

TROPHY: St Mary’s captain Ronan Niland is presented with the U-17 ‘A’ Football Championship Cup by Deirdre Gethins (chairperson, Cóiste na Óg Shligigh).

Player of the Match: Donnchadh O’Brien

St Mary’s: James Cronin, Clyde Regan, Stefan Roche, Conor Golden, Connor Flynn (2-0), Ronan O’Hehir, Shea O’Neill, Eli Rooney (0-2, 2f), Robert O’Kelly-Lynch (0-1), Ashraf Tumuheirwe, Ronan Niland (c) (0-3, 3f), Alex Dee, Matthew Mulholland, Dylan Streete (0-1), Ross Clifford (0-1)

Subs used: Patrick Brady, Patrick Murphy Drumcliffe-Rosses Point: Donnchadh O’Brien,

Dylan McGee, Finn Campbell, Jake Chambers, Ronan O’Connor, Rian O’Callaghan (0-2), Daire Scanlon (c), Joe Campbell, Eamon Keane, Diarmuid Dunleavy, Michael Carroll (0-2, 1f), Dara O’Flaherty, Matthew Percy, Conor Gillen (0-1), Sean McCabe (0-1)

Subs used: Daniel Oates, Shane McDonagh

Referee: Keith Henry

SKILLS: Eli Rooney in action for St Mary’s in last Sunday’s U-17 ‘A’ Football Championship final against Drumcliffe-Rosses Point.

HONOUR: Easkey’s Andrew Kilcullen,

has been named on the GAA Christy Ring, Nickey Rackard & Lory Meagher Team of the Year for 2022.