Goals prove pivotal as Annanough reclaim Junior 'A' football title over The Harps

The Junior ‘A’ football championship final saw the novel pairing of Annanough and The Harps meet each other. Annanough would be well versed in big games in the Junior ‘A’ football championship, having last claimed the title in 2018, whereas The Harps would not be used to this stage in football.

Goals proved pivotal in this clash that saw Annanough reclaim the Junior ‘A’ title and jump back up to the Intermediate grade. Killian Horgan and John Scully scored goals at the start of either half, while a fortuitous own goal from The Harps also helped Annanough on their way to the win.

Annanough 3-6

The Harps 1-3

Paul Lawlor’s Annanough outfit could not have dreamt of a better start to this Junior ‘A’ football championship final in MW Hire O’Moore Park. Damien McCaul was the orchestrator of Annanough’s first goal despite only returning from injury recently.

In the very first minute, McCaul spotted the run of Simon Shortall inside and played a sublime ball into his path. Shortall slipped just as he was about to pull the trigger, but credit to the Annanough man as he had the whereabouts to find Killian Horgan who slipped it home.

After that goal, there was a nine-minute period where both teams failed to score or even have any shots at all. Annanough seemed content enough that they were now ahead and drew The Harps on to them, where they bottled them up and turned over possession.

Eventually, Annanough added to their early goal to build on their positive start in Portlaoise. Damien McCaul knocked over two simple points from placed balls to put them five clear after ten minutes.

Then Annanough struck for goal number two and it looked like The Harps’ hopes of claiming Junior ‘A’ championship honours were well and truly over. It was somewhat unlucky though from their perspective.

Elliott Scully cut in from the left-hand sideline with a serious burst of pace. Scully opted to fist the ball into the square. The Harps full-back, Podge Delaney, managed to read the pass on the goal-line but Delaney’s momentum saw him carry the ball over for an own goal.

The Harps looked like they might have run out of ideas at this stage. Their attacks continued to be turned over by a rock solid Annanough rearguard and that meant they remained scoreless for twenty-three minutes.

The men wearing yellow and red were awarded a lifeline in the twenty-second minute of the match. Ciaran Comerford’s ball across to big Fionn Whelan saw him claim and find Jim O’Connor, with The Harps wing-forward tripped inside the square.

Ciaran Comerford stepped up to take the spot-kick and he made no mistake with it, sending Annanough goalkeeper Sean Hennessy the wrong way. The Harps, and the final itself, desperately needed that goal.

David Doheny drove over a placed ball then a few minutes later for The Harps first point. Suddenly, the men from Durrow and Cullohill only trailed by four points in Portlaoise.

Annanough broke their own scoring drought that lasted seventeen minutes before the interval. McCaul placed over his third free to put his team 2-3 to 1-1 ahead at half-time.

The second-half started just like the first did. Annanough scored a goal with their first attack of the half, with veteran John Scully sending a bullet into the back of the net for them.

The Harps probably needed goals realistically to get back into this one but all they could manage was a couple of points. Pat Walsh and Ciaran Comerford kicked points for them but they were cancelled out by Elliott Scully and Killian Horgan (free) scores for Annanough.

The Harps failed to break down the resolute Annanough defence for the remaining ten minutes as well. 

McCaul knocked over another free for the final score in this Junior ‘A’ football decider, as Annanough won their first piece of silverware since the same trophy in 2018.

Annanough did receive a mini-blow right at the end of the affair. Midfielder Jamie Fenlon received a straight red card along with The Harps Pat Walsh, which means Fenlon will be suspended for the first round of the Leinster Junior championship.