Goals turn the tide for St Mary's
ST MARY'S KILTOGHERT 4-7 GLENCAR MANORHAMILTON 1-6
Three second half goals, two from Sean Keaney and one from James Faughnan, turned what had been a closely contested Barna Waste U13 Division 1 FC Final against Glencar Manorhamilton into a procession for the winners.
With the strong wind dictating much of how this game went, Glencar Manor may look back on their failure to build a big enough lead against St Mary's as they led by just a point at the halftime interval.
That lead stood at two points when St Mary's hit them with a powerful blast of two goals and two points in a four minute spell to turn this game on its head and set the scene for yet another St Mary's county title celebration.
If their second half goal blast won them the title, the foundations were laid in the first half as their fierce defence tied up a Manor attack that threatened at times to do real damage and when St Mary's got the chance in the second half, they certainly took it.
Impressive midfielders Sonny Malone & Reece Walsh seemed to having a personal duel early on - both scored points before Malone finished off a wonderful flowing move with a fisted effort to the St Mary's net after Harry Sheridan's pass. But barely had the cheers died down and St Mary's struck back with Sean Keaney fielding a Walsh fifty before turning and firing a wonderful low shot to the far corner of the net.
Senan Kelly replied for Glencar Manor but Walsh levelled from a free on 13 minutes. Manor seemed to be pulling away with good scores from Malone and Kelly but a Walsh free left just a point in it at halftime on a 1-4 to 1-3 scoreline.
Both sides missed chances early in the second half before Senan Kelly fired over a free to leave Glencar Manor two clear four minutes into the second half but the game changed dramatically and it all started when St Mary's broke away from defence.
The ball came to Sean Keaney who finished to the net from a tight angle to catapult St Mary's into the lead. Keaney could have grabbed a third goal but keeper Jay Loughlin made a good save from his low effort.
Glencar Manor were struggling to get out of their own half with Keaney putting a free wide before converting from play after good work from Walsh and James Faughnan and from that kickout, Keaney won possession and soloed in to fire the ball to the net.
Glencar Manor suffered a blow when Bruce O'Hagan picked up two yellow cards in quick succession. Kelly fired over a point but two placed balls from Walsh increased St Mary's lead.
The coup de grace came when Mary's broke up a Manor attack and launched a swift counter attack that ended with a killer goal for James Faughnan.
ST MARY’S KILTOGHERT
Scorers: Sean Keaney 3-1; Reece Walsh 0-6, 1 50, 3f; James Faughnan 1-0
Team: Elvis Shehaj, Eli Lowe, Jude Kennedy, Sam Kieran, James Faughnan, Theo Gately, Shane Murtagh, Michael O’Grady, Daniel Bracken, Jack Kelly, Sean Keaney, Odhran Griffin, Alex Kondratowicz, Reece Walsh, Evan Murtagh. Subs: Flynn O’Toole for Kondratowicz (45); Callum Earley for Griffin (49); Jake Gibney & Eoin Thompson for Lowe & Kennedy (53)
GLENCAR MANORHAMILTON
Scorers: Sonny Malone 1-2; Senan Kelly 0-4, 1f
Team: Jay Loughlin, Oisin Curneen, John O’Brien, Daithi Cullen, Killian Curneen, Anthony Loughlin, Lewis Meehan, Sonny Malone, Cian Boylan, Bruce O’Hagan, Senan Kelly, Padraig Devaney, Oisin O’Hagan, Harry Sheridan, Fionn Campbell. Subs: Cormac Scarff for Loughlin (36); Patrick McBride & Eoghan Rooney for Meehan & O. O’Hagan (50); Fiachra McGuinness, James McGrath & Shea Reynolds for Campbell, K Curneen & D Cullen (53)
Referee: Eamon Dolan