Good Football played in this.
U16 Division 1B Football Final
Michael Davitts secured the Central U16 Division 1B Football title after a hard-fought victory over a gallant St Patrick’s side in last Monday’s final, played in incessant rain, particularly in the second half. Credit is due to the players and mentors of both sides, along with Sean McCormack and his team of officials, for managing in far from ideal conditions.
In the first attack of the game, it took a Conor Twomey block to prevent Kyle Doran from scoring, though Luke O’Brien did open the St Patrick’s account, converting his own foul in the 4th minute. Alan Fitzgerald levelled also from a free after Finnan Nolan had been pulled back in the 5th minute. Captain Fionn Forde led by example, showing a safe pair of hands with a tricky high ball, with the Tullow men having a let-off as an Alan Fitzgerald goal effort went wide, and a couple of efforts for points also went wayward as both sides were still adapting to the elements.
In the 13th minute, the scoring resumed with Conor Stanley turning over an attack to find Ciaran Bambrick, who in turn found Fitzgerald to kick a fine point. Things almost got better minutes later, with Ryan Lin needing to be alert to snuff out Fitzgerald’s ball to Nolan. The goal that Davitts had been threatening did come shortly after, with Daniel Brennan’s sideline finding the very prominent Fitzgerald, who gave Oisin McNally the chance to punch home. The score at 15 minutes was 1-2 to 0-1, soon becoming 1-3 again with McNally (fouled) and Fitzgerald (converting).
A vital clearance from Conal Dermody prevented St Patrick’s from getting closer before an Alan Fitzgerald sideline was helped on by McNally, with the inrushing Odhran Murphy somehow getting an outstretched foot to divert the ball over the bar to register and almost hit the scoreboard!
The remaining minutes of the half belonged to St Patrick’s, narrowing the deficit back to just a goal at the break. O’Brien, Darragh Butler with individual scores, and finally Charlie Goss’s team score, both involving Dylan Walker, brought it to 1-4 to 0-4 at halftime.
The weather, which seemed to be improving ever so slightly, took a turn for the worse at the start of the new half. Davitts were the first to threaten, with Alan Fitzgerald fouled. Bambrick’s quick free found Nolan, whose shot went just wide. The goalposts were barely visible given the deluge of rain at this point, though Adam Dowling’s shot in the 35th minute, set up by Murphy, was straight and true like a laser to extend Davitts’ lead, with Fitzgerald making it 1-6, pointing his own free.
St Patrick’s first raid on the Davitts goal saw Dylan Walker cut in from the tunnel side to point in the 40th minute before the game’s second goal arrived. Radek Brezeniski stopped a St Patrick’s attack, and Bambrick, Fitzgerald, and Murphy were involved. Odhran’s pass released Alan Fitzgerald, whose strike found the net, possibly with, possibly without the help of Oisin McNally’s hand! The score was now 2-6 to 0-5.
The next 7-8 minutes saw St Patrick’s lay siege on the Davitts goal. A couple of wides and last-ditch defending kept the score as it was until St Patrick’s go-to player O’Brien reduced the gap to two goals at 2-6 to 0-6. Both benches made changes from here on, with Davitts introducing Dylan Kearney, Joshua Walsh, and Cillian Fitzgerald, and the Tullow side’s Luke Evans, Dawid Sitarz, Tadhg Nolan, and Endijas Noorhanjis seeing action.
One of these substitutes, Joshua Walsh, pointed his own foul for a now 2-7 to 0-6 score in the 53rd minute. St Patrick’s missed a few more scoring opportunities, and Eanna Cody made a vital block when a goal chance was possibly on. Once again, O’Brien pointed before Walsh got his second following good ball retention by Davitts after Finnan Nolan was brought down, bringing the scoring and the game to a conclusion. The final score was 2-8 to 0-7, as Fionn Forde led his teammates up the steps to accept the cup on behalf of Michael Davitts from Brendan Hayden.
Fionn Forde (Captain), Conal Dermody, Conor Phelan, Conor Twomey, Adam Dowling (0-1), Conor Stanley, Brendan Byrne, Daniel Brennan, Eanna Cody, Finnan Nolan, Radek Brezeniski, Ciaran Bambrick, Odhran Murphy (0-1), Oisin McNally (1-0), Alan Fitzgerald (1-4, 0-3f).
Subs: Dylan Kearney, Joshua Walsh, Cillian Fitzgerald, Tommy Dunne, Eli O’Meara, Robbie Honeyball, Conor Comerford, Kyle Rea, Sean Matthews, Bartek Gniedziejko.
Mentors: Mick Nolan, Roy Fitzgerald, Eoghan Murphy, Ronan Cody, Matt Dunican, Miguel.
Ryan Lin, Adam Larrachi Byrne, Thomas Fitzgerald, Luke Denton, James Garrigan, Fergal O’Toole, Joshua Fitzpatrick, Cian Murphy, Kasper Pyz, Kyle Doran, Luke O’Brien (0-4, 0-3f), Dylan Walker (0-1), Niall O’Byrne, Darragh Butler (0-1), Tawana Mudawapi.
Subs: Charlie Goss (0-1), Luke Evans, Dawid Sitarz, Tadhg Nolan, Endijas Noorhanjis, Sean Sheppard, Tyreese Kavanagu, Robert Knight, Lorcan Cleary, Rhys Kavanagh, Odhran Murphy, Odhran Byrne, Noah Hennessey, Odhran Whelan, Luke O’Connor.
Elsewhere Palatine won the Division 3 Final with a 2-7 to 3-3 win over Asca
