Duagh hang on for the double

NORTH KERRY NOVOCE FC FINAL Duagh C 1-14 Clounmacon B 4-2

PLAYED in perfect underfoot conditions at a cold, but dry Coolard pitch on Saturday last both Duagh ‘C’ and Clounmacon ‘B’ faced off.

Over the years these two clubs have indeed been to the forefront in Junior football competitions and in those years they have provided many a memorable encounter and indeed this clash was no exception. Under the rules of the competition clubs had the option of either playing a fifteen or thirteen a side game with both clubs opting for the latter in this clash.

On paper the Duagh line out seemed to hold most of the aces with a very strong defence and an even sharper attack compared to Clounmacon, who would have lost a good few players through their Junior Championship campaign and victory.

However, those on duty did not disappoint and, while Duagh had most of the advantage for two thirds of this game they began very impressive by racing into a 1-4 lead inside the first quarter without a reply from Clounmacon. These opening scores coming from points by North Kerry Development and Coaching Officer John Dillon (3), and Mike Carmody before Thomas Dillon added their goal after his effort, which looked to be destined for a point, suddenly dipped hitting the inside of the right hand corner of the net.

Even at this early stage it looked as if Duagh had put the issue out of reach for their opponents, but Clounmacon settled and while it took them ten minutes to register their opening score of a point through Tony Walsh. They were, however, playing a chasing game.

Duagh’s dominance in attack created two more unanswered points coming from the boot of John Dillon making it 1-6 to 0-1 after 28 minutes, but as the interval approached there was one last attack in Clounmacon, which yielded a well taken goal coming from Paudie Quinn, who latched on to a breaking ball as a result of a defensive error, which he billowed to the Duagh net to reduce the margin to six points and leave the half time score Duagh 1-7 Clounmacon 1-1.

The second half saw Duagh again dominate in most quarters during the early stages and with a further three points added from William Dennehy (2) and John Dillon inside the opening 10 minutes they had opened up a nine point cushion, which looked to be enough to see them through the remainder of the half.

But this quickly changed as a 20m free from Tony Walsh just a few yards in from the right sideline dropped in over the head of the goalkeeper resulting in a goal and once again narrowing the margin to six, an exchange of points with John Dillon firing over two and Paudie Quinn adding one saw Duagh’s lead restored to seven points entering the third quarter.

Then came the big heave from Clounmacon resulting in two goals inside two minutes in which Tony Walsh billowed low and hard from close range after a pass from Brendan Carey for their first and Kevin Murphy adding the second after a tussle in the square in which he somehow got a boot to a breaking ball ending up in the Duagh net to put the minimum between the sides with eleven minutes of normal time remaining.

A grand finale looked to be in store and as both sides engaged in a nail biting and tense affair with both fighting for that winning score, which was indeed very hard to come by before John Dillon who gave Duagh a life line after he converted a 20 m free after being fouled while in possession.

As time entered injury period an insurance point from team captain William Dennehy sealed victory for Duagh on the final score Duagh 1-14 Clounmacon 4-2.

A delighted Board Chairman Liam Dennehy, whose duty in presenting the cup to a fellow club man was all that more sweeter on this occasion as it was to his son William who was captain of the victorious Duagh team.

DUAGH: Mike Mckenna, Diarmuid Foley, Mike Buckley, Liam Stack, Mike Carmody (0-1), Tom Mccarthy, Thomas Dillon (1-2 1f), Kevin Quilter, Edward Stack, James Stack, Gerry O’carroll (0-1), John Dillon (07, 5f), William Dennehy ( 0- 3). Subs: Thomas Sugrue for L Stack, John Halpin for J O’carroll

CLOUNMACON: Lesley Grimes, Tom Barry, Mike Sheehy, Tarik Barry, Mike Shanahan, Des Daly, Keith Browne, Kenneth Leahy Tom Twoomey, Tony Walsh (2-1), Sean Stack, John Walsh, Paudie Quinn (1-1)

Subs: Kevin Murphy (1-0) for S Stack, Brendan Carey for T Twoomey, Edward Browne for M Sheehy, Mike Collins for J Walsh, David Murphy for D Daly

REFEREE: John Ross (Ballyduff)