Arravale withstand Treacys comeback to claim West Junior A Football title

Maria Marron Palmers Hill Stud West Junior A Football Championship Final

Arravale Rovers 2-8

Sean Treacys 0-13

By Francis Coughlan 

Arravale Rovers are Maria Marron Palmers Hill Stud West Junior A Football champions for 2023 following a single-point victory over Sean Treacys in Dundrum on Sunday afternoon.

Captain of the team Fergal McNamara’s late point ensured the Rev A. Tobin Cup would head to Tipperary town for the first time since 1997.

The sides were meeting in the final for only the second time having last clashed in the 2012 decider. The weather was a direct contrast to a cold and wet Cappawhite eleven years ago.

Conditions were superb for football with the sunshine and dry conditions helping to produce a good game. The old adage that goals win games will certainly ring through for Arravale Rovers when they analyse this victory.

Goals at key times when it looked as if defending champions Sean Treacys were about to take control of the game proved key in what turned out to be a very tense finish where certainly the possibility of extra-time loomed large.

Similar to their last success in 1997, Arravale Rovers trailed Emly by three points late, butwest tipperar an Eamon O’Dwyer goal and a great save by Tommy Toomey eventually swung the tie in their favour. Today Arravale needed a late Brian Jones goal to get them back on level terms and a great save from goalkeeper Marcus Kinane before McNamara did the neat full at the dressing room end.

Paddy Dalton turned back the years and he was the one who certainly helped orchestrate this victory having a hand in both goals and the late winning score while running himself into the ground to keep the Arravale challenge alive.

Sean Treacys on the other hand will feel that maybe they left this slip having dominated possession for large stages of the game but fail to pull more than three ahead when definitely they had the scoring chances to do so.

Patrick Deegan was one of the main ball carriers and his work rate up and down the field coupled with some great scores from Padraic O’Leary had Sean Treacys in a strong position late on but they will be left to rue the concession of the two goals in what were rare chances on Cathal Kennedy’s goal.

The game's first score arrived in the third minute when Evan Hawkins pointed a free. James Deegan though cancelled this out within a minute at the dressing room end. Both sides cancelled each other out as the game continued with Roger O’Connor leading at centre-back for Arravale while Sean Hickey was in charge from full-back at the opposite end.

Padraigh O’Leary gave Sean Treacys a brief lead from a placed ball before Jack Hogan cancelled this out at the other end. The scoring was low with just two points apiece after eleven minutes. Sean Treacys were gradually getting more of a foothold on the game with Sean and Pat Deegan continually going forward. Michael Nolan and Michael Feehan kicked Sean Treacys two points clear entering the second quarter.

They could have had a goal but for Marcus Kinane in the Arravale goal. Arravale were defending well in numbers and forced Sean Treacys to kick a number of wides. Rovers found themselves right back in the game five minutes before the break. A Sean Treacys attack was turned over and on the halfway line right at the sideline on the stand side Paddy Dalton gained possession.

Dalton jinked this way and that to get away from his marker before playing the ball into corner forward David Kelly. Kelly headed goalward before passing again to Dalton who had made the diagonal run and was through on goal but unselfishly the veteran Rovers player handpassed to Micheal Sharpe who fisted to the net.

Dalton was getting on a lot of ball and dictating Arravale’s challenge. Declan Hickey drew the sides level but Jack Hogan’s second of the game gave Arravale a one-point lead at the half-time whistle, 1-3 to 0-5.

Arravale started the second half on the front foot and looked as if they could take control but they failed to take two chances presented to them. Padraigh O’Leary and Paddy Dalton swapped points but by the eight-minute Padraigh O’Leary was making his mark on the game with two superb points to put the defending champions back in front.

Treacys were now in control and points from Declan Hickey and another from O’Leary pushed Sean Treacys three in from with just less than twelve minutes of ordinary time to play. Rovers though found themselves on level terms in the 21st minute after a patient move which saw them recycle possession a number of times at the stand side of the field before Paddy Dalton put in the inrushing Brian Jones through on goal making no mistake sending his shot past the goalkeeper’s right.

The sides were level for a seventh time when Evan Hawkins cancelled out Patrick Dawson’s earlier effort. Then it looked as if Arravale were going to push for home. Brian Jones got in for two points in quick succession, the second a fisted effort. O’Leary pulled one back while Marcus Kinane denied Brian Carey after the Sean Treacys player got in behind the Arravale defence.

Arravale now tried to control possession with a point in front and the clock three minutes into injury time but they were overturned in the Sean Treacys half and they worked the ball down the field winning a free which O’Leary pointed.

It now looked as if extra-time was destined but there was time for more and Fergal McNamara gained possession at the uncovered stand side of the field before working what would be the winning point. Sean Treacys had one last chance to find a leveller but the effort went wide and with the resulting kickout Paddy Russell blew full-time.

Following the game West Board Vice Chairman Andrew Fryday presented the Rev. A Tobin Cup to Arravale Rovers captain Fergal McNamara with Maria Marron from the sponsors, Palmers Hill Stud.

Arravale Rovers now go clear on the roll of honour with ten titles. They will face Roscrea in the County ¼ final with Sean Treacys to play Kiladangan.

Arravale Rovers: Marcus Kinane; Oscar O’Dwyer, Evan Carrie, Odhran O’Dwyer; Jack English, Roger O’Connor, Fergal McNamara (0-1); James Hogan, Brian Jones (1-2); Paddy Dalton (0-1), Sean O’Mahoney, Micheal Sharpe (1-0); David Kelly, Evan Hawkins (0-2f), Jack Hogan (0-2).

Subs used: Fergus Halligan; Rory McCaull; Gavin O’Meara.

Sean Treacys: Cathal Kennedy; Brian Nolan, Sean Hickey, Damien Dunne; Paul Nolan (0-1), Sean Ryan, Brian Carey; Michael Feehan (0-1), Declan Hickey (0-2); Darragh Kennedy, Donnacha O’Brien, Patrick Deegan; Patrick Dawson (0-1), Padraigh O’Leary (0-7, 0-4f), James Deegan (0-1).

Subs used: Tom Hickey.

Referee: Paddy Russell (Emly)