Arravale Rovers win epic extra time U19 County Final against unlucky Moyne Templetuohy

FBD Insurance U19B Football Championship Final

Arravale Rovers 2-7 

Moyne Templetouhy 2-6

By Michael McCarthy

Arravale Rovers claimed their first U19 ‘B’ title at blustery and sometimes wet Leahy Park, Cashel on Sunday last. The near gale-force wind, blowing diagonally into the Dressing room corner threatened to take center stage. 

The young men of Tipperary Town and Moyne Templetouhy had other ideas. It was a credit to both teams that they put on a game not short of effort or determination in such trying conditions. 

The Tipp town side came out on top eventually by the minimum but not without drama all through. 

Moyne/Templetouhy won the toss and elected to play into the wind in the first half and early on it look an inspired choice as they were quickest out of the block and had 1-1 on the board after five minutes through a Cathal Guilfoyle point and a well taken Finn Jones major. 

Arravale Rovers were struggling with the strength and pace of Moyne at this point and despite the advantage of the wind only had one shot in those opening exchanges as they could not get the ball into their full-forward line. 

Sean O’Mahony got them off the mark with a converted free on nine minutes and from the kick-out they turned their opponents over and Ciaran Kelly kicked the first of his scores on the day. 

Two minutes later Arravale took their first lead of the day when Shane Quigley finished a good move to the net. The impressive David Ryan maybe should have extended that lead when he raced through the heart of the Moyne Templetouhy defence but blazed wide. 

Arravale Rovers while on top were finding the conditions tough to deal with and for all their endeavour were not able to put the ball over the bar kicking five wides in ten minutes. Evan Ryan broke that run with a well-taken point to extend the lead to two. 

As half-time approached there was a moment of controversy as Moyne attacked the Arravale goal and seemed to have scored a goal only for the ball to come back into play, Finn Jones blasted wide but when referee Ger Fitzpatrick consulted with his umpires he awarded and the penalty was awarded. 

The ball did not cross the line as a superb interjection by Adam Ryan stopped it, but he was deemed to have picked the ball up in the small parallelogram. Finn Jones did not need to be asked twice and was quickly dispatched for a goal and an unlikely half-time lead for the mid-men. 

On the restart, Moyne Templetouhy similarly struggled with the ‘advantage’ of the wind and kicked wide after wide before Evan Ryan would get his second point off the game on a rare Arravale Rovers attack to level things up. 

On 40 minutes a good move from the mid-men saw Diarmuid Campion put over a lovely score. As the conditions worsened both teams struggled to get a foothold in the game and there would be no score for 16 minutes before Cathal Guilfoyle broke the deadlock from a placed ball. 

At this point, Arravale Rovers were two points down and not able to get any shot off to reduce the deficit. As injury time approached Guilfoyle had another free sail wide. 

Arravale worked a short kick-out and as one of their players was being hounded for possession he turned and to kick-pass to his goalkeeper, the wind caught the ball, and ‘luckily’ for the west men the ball bounced over the bar and not into the empty net. 

Deep into injury time now Arravale Rovers needed to get forward and fast and duly did. A free just inside the ‘D’ was awarded to them and Sean O’Mahony floated in the ball. Adam Ryan rose highest, and his fisted effort came off the underside of the crossbar and Michael Bowes dispatched the rebound to the net, and the game finished level with extra-time to come. 

A lively opening half of extra time saw five scores, Finn Jones pushed Moyne/Templetouhy ahead only for Alex Webster to tie it up 2 minutes later from a free. 

Sean O’Mahony would get his only score from play to put Arravale Rovers ahead but Finn Jones once again replied. In injury time at the end of the first period Ciaran Kelly would score the point of the game to give Arravale Rovers the lead for the final time. 

The conditions deteriorated and the final period was a dogged affair. Moyne Templetouhy were unable to threaten the west men’s goal and got no shot off in the period and when Ger Fitzpatrick blew the final whistle Arravale Rovers were still a point to the good. 

It was with huge delight this final whistle was met as both teams had tried so hard under trying circumstances. Arravale Rovers were pushed by Moyne Templetouhy who can hold their heads high. 

Finn Jones was excellent all through for Moyne/Templetouhy and finished with a personal tally of 2-2. Cathal Guilfoyle and Diarmuid Campion ably assisted him. 

Adam Ryan was strong in defence for Arravale while Evan Ryan was the pick of the midfielders on show. Ciaran Kelly and Sean O’Mahony probed all through but the pick of players on show was David Ryan whose work rate and ball retention from wing forward was a joy. 

Arravale Rovers: Marcus Kinane; Odhran O’Dwyer, Ronan O’Connor, Darragh Bresnan; Michael Bowes (1-0), Adam Ryan, Evan Carrie; Evan Ryan (0-2), Sean Lewis; Brendan Delaney, Sean O’Mahony (0-2), David Ryan; Shane Quigley (1-0), Ciaran Kelly (0-2), Alex Webster (0-1). 

Subs used: Jaye Cilvanas, Stephen Ryan, Robert O’Brien, Donnacha Quigley. 

Moyne Templetouhy: Kevin Ryan; Adam Jones, Sean Lyons, Martin Cleere; James McBrearty, Danny Moore, Jack Reddan; Diarmuid Campion (0-1), David Doyle; Ben Moore, Cathal Guilfoyle (0-2) Jake Bowe; Conor Campion, Finn Jones (2-2), Eoghan Summer (0-1).

Subs used: Jimmy Campion, Leo Cleere. 

Referee: Ger Fitzpatrick (Roscrea)