Moyle Rovers do enough to claim Tipperary Under 21 B Football Championship crown

Moyle Rovers 2-5 Golden/Kilfeacle 0-8

Goals in either half from Jake Forristal and Daragh Walsh proved the decisive scores for Moyle Rovers as they overcame a battling display from Golden/Kilfeacle to claim the FBD Insurance County Under 21 B Football Championship title at Cahir on Sunday afternoon.

There was very little between the sides throughout, with Forristal’s 27th minute goal the difference at half time when Rovers led 1-3 to 0-3. An equally close second half saw the lead back to a single point, 1-5 to 0-7, when, coincidentally, Walsh hit his goal, also in the 27th minute of the half, to put daylight between the sides.

The impressive Jack Leamy pointed his second mark of the game in added time, but despite incessant pressure from Golden/Kilfeacle on the Rovers goal, they couldn’t find the score that would have taken the decider to extra time.

Both sides deserve tremendous credit for providing such a competitive game of football in difficult conditions. A heavy pitch was compounded by heavy rain for most of the game, making it difficult for players to maintain their footing and to make their passes stick with a greasy ball.

Moyle Rovers coped better. Their play was more direct and they had more scoring threats up front. Jake Forristal added a point to his goal, with Killian Butler, Daire Luttrell and Cathal O’Gorman also scoring from play. At the back, captain Shane Ryan was a true leader at the heart of the defence, with Michael O’Reilly thwarting many Golden attacks in the second half. Paddy O’Keeffe was an imposing presence before going off injured, while Rory Collins was busy throughout.

Golden/Kilfeacle corner forward Sam Hall didn’t deserve to be on the losing side, such was his impressive performance. The 17-year-old scored four of his side’s five points from play, including all three in the first half, and was always a threat.

Both he and Jack Leamy were central to many of the west side’s best attacks, but endeavour didn’t always produce its reward and the team will look back on some missed chances, including wayward shooting and a Leamy shot that came off the post.

Team captain Mickey Bergin, Jack Dalton, Ben Currivan, Eoin Marnane and Eanna Ormond were among those to also impress, but all fifteen starters and three subs left nothing out on the pitch.

Their intent showed in the third minute with a brilliant opening point from Hall, with Jack Lonergan and Eanna Ormond involved in the build-up. Rovers were level within a minute, Killian Butler turning the ball over, Paddy O’Keeffe drawing a free and Dean English pointing the free.

After Leamy saw a low shot come back off the post, and then had two placed balls go wide, Moyle Rovers went two points clear, with Cathal O’Gorman putting Jake Forristal through for a shot that might have ended up in the net, and Daire Luttrell following up with a pass from O’Keeffe.

Good pressure from the west Tipp side saw Hall reduce the margin to a single point before Forristal struck for the half’s vital score, fisting to the net from a Killian Butler cross to beat Luke Bennett in the Golden goal.

However, Golden finished the half stronger and Hall’s third of the half saw Forristal’s goal separate the sides at the break.
Golden maintained the momentum at the start of the second half, with Hall winning a free inside twenty seconds and Leamy slotting over.

The sides then swopped scores, Cathal O’Gorman pointing for the Monroe side following a brilliant move that began with a Daragh Walsh block in midfield to turn over possession, and Jack Leamy putting Sam Hall through for his fourth of the game.

Moyle Rovers were then reduced to fourteen players midway through the half after referee Paddy Russell flashed a straight red card to midfielder Rian McCormack for an off-the-ball incident. The west side took immediate advantage, with Mickey Bergin coming up from defence to shoot a superb point, followed by a Leamy mark and point to tie the scores again, 1-4 to 0-7.

The game was there to be won, but despite being a man down, it was Moyle Rovers who showed more control in the final quarter. Their defence tightened up, with wing back Michael O’Reilly particularly dominant in closing down the spaces, and upfront they took the chances that came their way.

Killian Butler restored their lead with a fine point from a Rory Collins assist, and then after Sam Hall was surprisingly off target from a good scoring position for Golden, it was Rovers who wrapped up the win with Daragh Walsh’s goal after a saved shot from Jake Forristal fell into his path, to make it a four-point game, 2-5 to 0-7.

There was still time for Golden/Kilfeacle to reply and it took a great save from Peter Boland to deny Ben Currivan a goal.
Leamy’s late point from a mark meant that a late goal would have forced extra time but Moyle Rovers withstood the pressure to see a notable county title head to the Powerstown/Lisronagh club.

Moyle Rovers: Peter Boland, Ronan Walsh, Joseph Cummins, Liam Maher, Michael O’Reilly, Shane Ryan, Rory Collins, Killian Butler 0-1; Rian McCormack, Daragh Walsh 1-0; Dean English 0-1 free; Paddy O’Keeffe, Daire Luttrell 0-1; Jake Forristal 1-1; Cathal O’Gorman 0-1.

Sub: Liam McGrath for Paddy O’Keeffe.

Golden/Kilfeacle: Luke Bennett, Mickey Bergin 0-1; Bryan Marnane, Jack Dalton, Gavin Dalton, Ben Currivan, Jack Lonergan, Eoin Marnane, Padraig Dalton, Aidan Tuohy, Jack Bergin, Eanna Ormond, Aaron Colohan, Jack Leamy 0-3, 2 marks, 0-1 free; Sam Hall 0-4.

Subs: Lee Hayes for Jack Bergin, Ciaran Byrne for Aidan Tuohy, Jason Morey for Jack Lonergan.

Referee: Paddy Russell (Emly).