Five points was the margin as Cill Cúl Gaels defeated Éire Óg in the U21A football championship final on Thursday evening.
Cíll Cúl Gaels 1-10
Éire Óg 0-08
Venue: Hennessy Memorial Park, Miltown Malbay
While the debate is likely to continue for some time with regard to whether or not there should be a limit to the number of teams that can join forces to participate in an underage championship, the clubs that make up Cill Cul Gaels are celebrating this Christmas week after they were crowned U21A football champions before a big attendance.
The combination of Kildysart, Shannon Gaels, Coolmeen and Kilmihil proved too strong for Éire Óg who were seeking to add this title to the senior crown they won a few weeks ago but they had to give best to a more evenly balanced team that showed the greater hunger for success on the night.
Without meaning to take from the winners merited success it must be acknowledged that the Ennis club were dealt a huge blow when they had to play without one of the stars of the senior championship, Manus Doherty while they played the last twenty minutes with fourteen players following the sending off of Hugh Connolly.
The winners, on the other hand, welcomed Seamus Casey and Thomas Kelly back to their starting fifteen after they had missed the team’s semi-final win over Ennistymon.
Mark McInerney gave Éire Óg the lead after three minutes but the combination levelled in the fifth minute when Emmet McMahon pointed after great work by Gearoid O’Grady. Diarmuid O’Donnell then followed with a brace before McInerney pulled one back for the town side.
The game’s crucial score came in the final pay before the first water break with Diarmuid O’Donnell firing home the only goal of the tie which helped the team to lead at half time on a scoreline of 1-6 to 0-4.
Early in the second quarter the winners were reduced to fourteen when Seamus Casey, who was very effective as the team’s sweeper, was shown a black card. Éire Óg failed to capitalise on the extra man advantage.
The third quarter was a low scoring affair, producing just three points, all coming from frees. Early in the final period the combination had a great chance to increase their lead but Diarmuid O’Donnell fired his effort wide with only the Éire Óg goalie, Niall O’Donoghue to beat.
Joint winning captain Emmet McMahon kicked two impressive long range points in the final period as he helped steer the team to a merited win.
McMahon, Diarmuid O’Donnell, Seamus Casey, Gearoid O’Grady and John Finnucane were prominent for the winners while Éire Óg’s best were Mark McInerney, Oran Cahill and Gavin D’Auria.
Clare GAA chairman Kieran Keating presented the Jim Marrinan memorial cup to the joint winning captains Emmet McMahon and Thomas Kelly
Cíll Cúil Gaels;
1: Conor Cusack (Kildysart)
2: Dylan O’Halloran (Coolmeen)
3: John Finnucane (Kilmihil)
4: Stephen Sheehan (Kildysart)
7: Gavin Downes(Kilmihil)
6: Fergal Guinnane (Kildysart)
5: Tadhg Kelly (Shannon Gaels)
8: Emmet McMahon (Kildysart) 0-5, 3f
9: Jack Reidy (Shannon Gaels)
10: Conor Hassett (Kildysart)
11: Gearoid O’Grady (Kilmihil)
17: Seamus Casey (Kildysart)
18: Thomas Kelly (Shannon Gaels)
14: Diarmuid O’Donnell (Kildysart) 1-5, 0-5f
12: Darren Crehan (Shannon Gaels)
Sub:
13: J.J. Carigg (Coolmeen) for Crehan (46)
Éire Óg:
1: Niall O’Donoghue
2: Cuan O Glaisne
6: Ronan Lanigan
4: Hugh Connolly
5: Gavin D’Auria
7: Jarlath Collins
21: Gearoid Collins
8: Darren O’Brien
9: Oran Cahill
10: Jack Joyce
11: Mark McInerney (0-7, frees)
12: James Lyne
13: Philip Talty
14: Stephen Talty (0-1)
15: Kevin Moloney
Subs:
22: Andrew McElwee for Joyce (half time)
17: Jack Lynch for Lyne (38)
29: Cillian Moroney for O’Glaisne (47)
23: Eoin Guilfoyle for Moloney (57)
Referee: Chris Maguire (Wolfe Tones)
