Carlow Intermediate Football Final
Clonmore 2-12
St Patrick's 1-9
Firstly, I can't claim that headline to be one I thought of myself as it came from a very prominent tweeter and contributor to The Left Wing Back! It won't take you long to guess correctly. Well done Stevie!
Lets cut to the mustard. Clonmore were simply sublime in the opening 20 minutes or so of this encounter. They hit the ground running in as good a start as you will see in any final anywhere and led by 1-6 to 0-0.
Rob Bulmer's goal set the tone and points would follow soon after from Shane McGrath, the excellent Oisin Doyle (2), Aaron Kelly, Bulmer with a white flag this time and Jake Hickey.
The running and support play was a joy to behold and St Patrick's couldn't win a break at all in the opening period. It took a free from Jack Kennedy 19 minutes in to settle them, and Brian Byrne's free got them their second but Bulmer and 'Shock' replied to both of those scores.
Cathal Healy came into the fray on 14 minutes for TJ Kavanagh and scored on 25 minutes. St Patrick's had looked dead and buried but a pulse was found on 27 minutes when a Brian Byrne run and offload found Cian Gorman Comerford at the back post and CGC slotted home to make it 1-8 to 1-3 at the interval.
There were goal chances a plenty in the second half, Pollard and Doyle with the first couple within seconds of one another and the big chance from a St Patrick's point of view was on 43 minutes when an Anthony Byrne kickout was intercepted by Brian Byrne but his effort was straight at the keeper and Clonmore maintained their 5 point lead - this time 1-10 to 1-5 with a Kennedy brace met with scores from Aaron Kelly and 'Shock'.
The Killer blow arrived on 54 minutes when Matt Cullen finished off Clonmore's second goal. Billy Lawlor and Oisin Doyle had pointed before hand. Try as they might, St Patrick's couldn't get in for the goals they needed.
But they didn't throw in the towel and Kennedy slotted some frees before the end. Many of the frees that Kennedy converts are won himself, and Saturday night was no different which keeps up our reckoning that he is possibly the most fouled player in Carlow.
For Clonmore, they are on a very enjoyable journey and this is merely another step along the way. They are now a really focused, determined and united bunch and once these characteristics are upheld, they'll be a serious Senior side.
St Patrick's will be disappointed, however when the dust settles they will identify reaching this final as a season of progress even if they haven't taken top honours. They certainly have the raw materials to challenge again and it will take a good team to stop them next year.
Clonmore: Anto Byrne; Rory Maguire, Paddy Gahan, Shane Murphy; Billy Lawlor (0-1), Matt Cullen (1-0), Eoin Connolly; Jake Hickey (0-1), Luke Connolly; Rob Bulmer (1-2), Shane 'Shock' McGrath (0-3, 2f), Enda McGrath; Tom Pollard, Oisin Doyle (0-3), Aaron Kelly (0-2). Subs: Cormac Connolly for Hickey (39 mins), David Mulvany for E Connolly (42 mins), Owen Coleman for A Kelly (50 mins), Con Murphy for Pollard (52 mins), Rory McKernan for Bulmer (60 mins)
St Patrick's: Gerry McGill; Shane Rohan, Rob Gahan, Dylan Hanley; Dylan Gorman Comerford, Niall Sherry, Lee Kavanagh; Will Doran, Craig Staunton; Eoghan Cleary, TJ Kavanagh, Cian Doran, Jack Kennedy (0-6f), Cian Gorman Comerford (1-0), Brian Byrne (0-2, 1f, one 45). Subs: Cathal Healy (0-1) for TJ Kavanagh (14 mins), David Orbinski for Hanley (35 mins), Jack O'Neill for CGC (45 mins), Paddy Doyle for Rohan (53 mins) Alan O'Neill for Sherry (56 mins)
Referee: James Foley
.png)
%20(1).jpeg)
.jpg)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
