Golden find the goal-den touch to down King Cormacs and claim West final glory in New Inn

Golden/Kilfeacle are the Bridge House West U19B Football champions for the first time, following their four-point victory over Cashel King Cormacs at Páirc na nGael, New Inn, on Wednesday night. The scoreline didn’t reflect the closeness of the game, as Cashel were in contention right to the very end.

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It took a third goal from man of the match Sam Hall in the 66th minute to finally put daylight between the sides. The teams were tied on 58 minutes, but Golden finished strongly in added time, with Hall delivering the decisive scores.

The sides were level on four occasions during the opening quarter of this evenly balanced contest, and Golden led by the minimum at the break after Cashel had kicked the last three points of the half, 1-5 to 0-7. After the restart, the town side quickly got into action and were back in front by the 35th minute.

Golden responded over the next 15 minutes to move four clear, but a Cashel goal brought them right back into contention. However, some wayward shooting ultimately cost Cashel, both from play and from placed balls, especially in the closing minutes when the game was still in the balance.

Played before a good-sized crowd, the game was slow to get moving, with both sides playing cagey football. After five minutes, Charlie Hall opened the scoring from a free on the left.

Niall Hallissey levelled matters two minutes later from a placed ball. Seán White and Hallissey exchanged points before a good Cashel move involving Tudor Mereacre and Eimhin Ryan ended with Colin Maher finding the range.

Sam Hall eventually got off the mark from a placed ball after 12 minutes, before Jimmy McLoughlin cancelled out another Hallissey free to bring the sides level for the fourth time on 15 minutes.

Golden then struck for their first goal when Sam Hall rose highest in the Cashel goalmouth to divert a long-range delivery from his brother Charlie to the net. Charlie added a point on 22 minutes to stretch the lead to four.

Cashel, however, finished the half strongly, with Briaín O’Donoghue kicking two fine points and Callum Byrnes cutting the deficit to the minimum just before the interval. Half-time score: Golden/Kilfeacle 1-5, Cashel King Cormacs 0-7.

Cashel started brightly after the break. Tommy O’Connor linked up with the attack to finish a move out of defence with a point from the right, and Hallissey put them ahead with a free on 35 minutes. Golden were then awarded a penalty at the village end, which Sam Hall converted with a low drive past Evan O’Neill.

He soon added a free to make it a three-point game. Cashel’s task got harder when Colm Ryan was black-carded, leaving them with 14 men. Golden couldn’t fully capitalise on the advantage, but Charlie Hall stretched the lead to four on 49 minutes before Ryan returned to midfield.

Almost immediately, Ryan made an impact, blasting to the net with eight minutes of normal time remaining. Cashel pressed hard, but poor shot selection and inaccurate kicking undermined their efforts.

Their lack of recent football showed at this stage. Hallissey levelled the game for the sixth time on 58 minutes, setting up a dramatic finale. A Cashel free struck the post before another effort drifted wide, and Golden seized their chance.

In added time, Sam Hall nudged Golden back in front with a point off his weaker right foot. Then, deep into stoppage time, the Hall brothers combined once more. Charlie’s sideline ball from the stand side dropped over the top, where Sam collected and calmly finished from close range to seal the win.

Final score: Golden/Kilfeacle 3-8, Cashel King Cormacs 1-10.

After the game, the Ryan Shield was presented to winning captain Sam Hall by West Secretary Conor English, in the presence of Seanie O’Halloran Junior, who represented the sponsors.

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