All-Ireland Intermediate Football Championship Final Gutsy show from AbbVie is unrewarded in national final
GAA Inter-Firms All-Ireland Intermediate Football Final AbbVie 0-8 Regeneron (Limerick) 2-6
ABBVIE fell agonisingly short in their bid for national glory – but only just – in last Friday’s GAA Inter-Firms All-Ireland Intermediate Football Championship final that took place at Kent Park, Ballydoogan.
The local finalists, comprising of players from AbbVie’s Westport and Sligo town facilities, were beaten by four points, 2-6 to 0-8, by Limerick outfit Regeneron.
Regeneron netted twice in the firsthalf and these goals not only helped them lead by five points at half-time, 2-4 to 0-5, they would ultimately catapult them to a first-ever All-Ireland inter-firms title.
Curry’s Liam Reilly was AbbVie’s best player and there were several Sligo GAA clubs represented in the matchday squad. In the AbbVie panel were Sligo GAA senior goalkeeper Daniel Lyons (Shamrock Gaels), Michael
Regan (Curry), Enda Roche
(St John’s), David McGovern (St Mary’s), Paul Flynn (Castleconnor), Darragh Kelly (St Molaise Gaels), Adrian McCann (Shamrock Gaels), Ian Barrett (Easkey), James Kenna (St Mary’s) and Dermot Caffrey (Ballymote).
But the Glenn Young-managed
AbbVie were without three of their Mayo contingent – Brian Reape, who was a key player in their All-Ireland semi-final win, Stephen Duffy and Cathal Carolan (a former Mayo senior player). Regeneron’s rapid start yielded an unanswered 1-1 and their first goal, which was the game’s opening score from Fergal Keane after two minutes, was a hammer blow for AbbVie.
Despite AbbVie responding with a point from Alan Kennedy – the first of his four scores – two more points from Regeneron, including a score from ex-Limerick player Adrian Enright, left the gap at five points, 1-3 to 0-1, by the ninth minute.
Liam Reilly then provided the pass for Killian Kilkelly to notch his first score of this contest for AbbVie.
Within minutes AbbVie were in further trouble, however, when Fergal Keane, who sent wide with a goal shot, then set up Conor Herlihy for Regeneron’s second goal.
AbbVie needed some stabilisation and this came when Alan Kennedy pointed a free and then Killian Kilkelly pointed with aplomb from a move that involved Enda Roche.
Another point by Adrian Enright kept the Regeneron pot on the boil as they needed this cushion as AbbVie threatened a major comeback just before the break.
There were goal chances for
Alan Kennedy and Darren McDonnell, both of which were off target, and Liam Reilly scored a fine point from a pass by Kevin Keane, another former Mayo player in the AbbVie ranks.
With the breeze to face as well as a five-point deficit, 2-4 to 0-5, AbbVie had their work cut out for them in the second-half. A fifth point from Regeneron extended their advantage to six points, 2-5 to 0-5, but it was AbbVie who would dominate much of the second-half and, indeed, they outscored their opponents 0-3 to 0-2 in the second period.
Points from Alan Kennedy, who converted a free, and Liam Reilly brought AbbVie to within four points of Renegeron. But three wides inside the first 10 minutes of the second period undermined AbbVie’s cause.
Regeneron captain Conor Herlihy kicked a point after 47 minutes to make it a five-point game once more, 2-6 to 0-7, and this would prove to be the eventual champions’ final score of the game.
The Limerick side were grateful for goalkeeper Conor Ranahan’s saves that denied Alan Kennedy two certain goals in the last 10 minutes – the second of these opportunities was created by David McGovern. In between these goal chances Alan Kennedy pointed a free to bring AbbVie’s tally up to eight points.
Best for AbbVie: Liam Reilly
AbbVie: Daniel Lyons, Stephen Corrigan, Declan McDermott (c), Pat Kelly, Michael Regan, Kevin Keane, Enda Roche, Liam Reilly (0-2), David McGovern, Kenneth Keane, Killian Kilkelly (0-2), Paul Flynn, Ian Barrett, Darren McDonnell, Alan Kennedy (0-4, 3f)
Sub used: Fiachra Henry
Subs not used: Aaron Carey, Darragh Kelly, Steven Duffy, Adrian McCann, John Cullen, Ian Barrett, Pat Lynch, James Kenna, Dermot Caffrey, Barry Moran, Shane O’Grady
Regeneron (Limerick): Conor Ranahan, Brian Treacy, Fiachra O’Grady (0-1), Denis Kennelly, Shane Cusack, Cormac Flanagan, Padraig Quinn, Jonathan Fitzgerald, Adrian Enright (0-2), Todd Donovan, Conor Herlihy (1-1) (c), James Pomeroy, Fergal Keane (10), Paul O’Shea, Niall Flynn (0-2)
Subs used: James Kelly, Patrick Reidy, Kevin O’Connell, Cormac Mann
Referee: John Glavey (Mayo)