Golden Kilfeacle clinch West U21 football title with extra time defeat of Éire Óg/Treacys combo

McGrath Oil West U21B Football Championship Final

Golden Kilfeacle 1-13

Éire Óg/Sean Treacys 1-12

After extra time

By Francis Coughlan

For the second year in a row extra-time was required to decide the winners of the McGrath Oil West U21B Football Championship.  

Eventually Golden/Kilfeacle edged out a dogged Eire Og/Sean Treacys combination to claim a first  title since 2016 having lost two finals in the intermitting time.

The game was played in damp conditions with drizzle frequent throughout the game not helping underfoot conditions though credit to the Clonoulty/Rossmore club as the pitch held up well.

Golden/Kilfeacle were many peoples favourites to take honours but struggled to break away from a determined Eire Og/Sean Treacys side who will look back on this game and what could have been. While the scoreboard may seem like a shootout between Jack Leamy and Patrick Dawson it was far from with both sets of players playing their part in a quest for honours. After a tight opening forty-five minutes or so Stephen Rochford got in for a goal to put the combination five points up with around twelve minutes of normal time to play.

Given the conditions and in general an energy sapping game it looked a huge mountain to climb for the 2016 champions. However, a determined Golden/Kilfeacle side helped by a Brian Lemay goal, with the same player kicking the equaliser two minutes into injury time drew level to force extra-time.

Darragh Kelly had the combination side who had the advantage of the elements off the mark in the second minute with a well taken point. Jack Leamy replied with two well taken marks into the dressing room end goals. Leamy would be a major focal point of the Golden/Kilfeacle attack throughout the eighty odd minutes with some superb shooting from both close range and especially from distance.

Golden/Kilfeacle as the quarter progressed looked the more dangerous on attack with Padraig Dalton, Eoin Marnane and Mikey Bergin going forward  but struggled at times to break down the Eire Og/Sean Treacys defensive. It was the eleventh minute before Patrick Dawson opened his account from a placed ball to draw the sides level.

The combination gradually got a foothold on the game with players like Darragh Carr, Daniel Kelly and Colm Kennedy to the fore. The combination were drawing fouls which were punished by Dawson. By the twenty second minute Eire Og/Sean Treacys led five points to two.

Golden/Kilfeacle who were against the wind withdrew Eanna Ormond in a bid to curb the combination attack. Jack pointed four minutes before the break to end a twenty-one-minute period without a score. He followed a minute later from a placed ball. However, Patrick Dawson had the last say of the half when he pointed his fifth free. Eire Og/Sean Treacys leading at the interval 0-6 to 0-4.

The second half commenced with Patrick Dawson adding his sixth from a placed ball. Leamy replied in the next attack with his second from play to keep just two points between the sides. There would be no score for another nine minutes with both teams turning over possession at vital times.

Sam Hall who had just been introduced as a substitute directed his effort over the bar and two minutes later Jack Leamy had drawn the sides level. The eventual winners looked in a position to push on but were rocked in the first three minutes of the final quarter. Dawson kicked his first from play and Stephen Rochford followed suit. Rochford’s effort was certainly half a goal chance as he cut past his marker but he took his point.

A minute later sweeping attack resulted in Rochford getting into a similar position and this time he had the umpire reaching for the green flag. Eire Og/Sean Treacys now led 1-9 to 0-7 but would fail to score for the remainder of normal time. It was hard to see a way back Golden/Kilfeacle but they didn’t give in.

Four minutes from time Leamy powered his way in on goal where his initial effort blocked but he got his foot to the rebound to steer it to the net. As the game entered injury time Sam Hall kicked a free off his left and then a minute later Jack Leamy kicked a huge effort between the posts and send the tie to extra-time.

The first half of extra-time saw just four scores. Leamy at the start and the end of the half from both play and placed ball. In between Patrick Dawson got the combination only score from play in the half. Dawson cutting in on goal from the stand side where certainly the goal looked on before kicking the ball over the bar. Dawson finished the half with another pointed free to see the sides level, 1-11 each.

Within three minutes of the resumption Leamy from the right foot and Sam Hall from the left foot both pointed placed balls. Eire Og/Sean Treacys now struggled for scores with Golden/Kilfeacle forcing a number of turnovers. Patrick Dawson did give them a lifeline with a minute left when he pointed another free.

It left for a nervous finish and the possibility of penalties. Eire Og/Sean Treacys looked as if they had got themselves into a good scoring opportunity but took an extra pass and were forced back out by the Golden/Kilfeacle defenders and with that went the full time whistle.

It was Golden/Kilfeacle’s sixth title in the grade and they now will meet the North champions in the County semi-final. Following the game West Board Chairman Tommy Hayes presented the Michael Crowley Cup to Golden/Kilfeacle captain Mikey Bergin.

Scorers: Golden Kilfeacle: Jack Leamy (1-10, 0-4f, 0-2m), Sam Hall (0-3, 0-2f).

Éire Óg/Sean Treacys: Patrick Dawson (0-10, 0-8f), Stephen Rochford 1-1, Darragh Kelly 0-1.

Golden Kilfeacle: Luke Bennett; Jack Dalton, Brian Marnane, Aiden Tuohy; Mikey Bergin, Ben Currivan, Padraig Dalton; Eoin Marnane, Jason Morey; Jack Bergin, Gavin Dalton, Aaron Colohan; Eanna Ormond, Jack Leamy, Lee Hayes.

Subs used:  Jack Lonergan for Jason Morey; Sam Hall for Lee Hayes; Tyler Barry for Ben Currivan; Lee Hayes for Aaron Colohan; Jason Morey for Gavin Dalton.

Éire Óg/Sean Treacys: Cathal Kennedy; Eoin Sheldon, Brian Nolan, Adam O'Dwyer; Thomas O'Dwyer, Paul Nolan, Darragh O'Brien; Darragh Carr, Daniel Kelly; Patrick Dawson, Darragh Kelly, Stephen Rochford; Paudie Bradshaw, Colm Kennedy, Colm Ryan.

Subs used: Philip Treacy for Colm Ryan; Michael Furlong for Thomas O’Dwyer; Thomas O’Dwyer for Adam O’Dwyer.

Referee: Paul Carew (Lattin Cullen)