Geevagh/St Michael’s win Shield final

ON Friday evening, in glorious sunshine, Scarden played host to the Minor Football League Division 2 Shield Final where Geevagh/St Michael’s were victorious over St Mary’s by the narrowest margin 4-10 2-15.

The programme showed a starting team of 13 players for Geevagh/ St Michael’s and 15 for St Mary’s. This caused a little confusion before throw-in as Geevagh/St Michael’s then fielded 15 while St Mary’s fielded 13. With the agreement of the referee to continue with 13-aside the game got underway.

Playing against the breeze Geevagh got the game off to a great start with a goal. Jay Cox for Mary’s steadied the ship a little with a converted free but Geevagh responded with a point and a second goal.

However, that was to be their last score of the first half as Mary’s got into their stride with 9 unanswered points from Jay, Luke Walsh and Hubert Gilvary, 4 of which were frees by Jay.

Geevagh got on the score board first in the second half with a point which was cancelled by a J Cox free. Then Geevagh caught up with and passed out Mary’s with 4 points in a row.

Geevagh then scored 2 goals in a row to go 7 points ahead. Mary’s got the next 2 points and an Eamon Flynn goal got them back to within 2. Geevagh got the next point and with little time remaining Mary’s needed a goal.

Up stepped Jimmy Monaghan to deny Geevagh/St Michael’s victory as he slotted a goal into the bottom righthand corner.

The referee thought that meant a replay as he hadn’t got any instructions but word arrived that 10 minutes extra time each way was to be played.

Geevagh got the first extra-time point.

Mary’s took the lead with a point from back Darragh Feehily but 2 further points from Geevagh/St Michael’s meant they went home with the shield on a final score of 4-10 to 2 -15 after a cracking game.

Albeit that there were 6 goals scored both keepers, Ayrton Gleeson (Geevagh) and Jack Teape (St Mary’s) deserve praise for some fine shot stopping.