*Liam Crotty grasps the sliotar. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
THE U21A hurling champions of the past two seasons will compete for the 2024 title on Saturday next after the 2022 winners.
Scariff/Ogonnelloe 2-10
St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield 0-10
Venue: Meelick
Scariff/Ogonnelloe booked their place in the final with a two goal victory over St Joseph’s Doora/Barefield at a well appointed if cold Meelick this Saturday afternoon.
In next week’s final they will take on their neighbours and holders Feakle/Killanena in a contest that is expected to attract a big attendance.
The title holders qualified for the final last week when they accounted for Inagh/Kilnamona.
In this afternoon’s semi-final players had to contend with a tricky wind and the opening exchanges were even with the sides exchanging points twice inside the first ten minutes.
Scariff/Ogonnelloe then got a grip on proceedings and they hit 1-5 without reply before the Doora/Barefield side ended twenty minutes without a score.
The game had just entered the second quarter when the winners put a fine move together and this ended with Patrick Crotty racing through the middle and dispatching the ball to the net.
The goal helped his side to a seven point interval lead with the score standing at 1-8 to 0-4 when referee Niall Malone sounded the short whistle.
St. Joseph’s Doora/Barefield returned with Conor Daly and Matthew Power in their line up in place of Dara Nagle and Eoghan Talty. From the resumption of play they showed greater determination and after the sides had exchanged points, St. Joseph’s hit five in a row to leave just two between the sides with ten minutes to play.
While they were struggling to breakdown a well organised Scariff/Ogonnelloe defence, they had the upperhand at this stage but disaster struck for them with seven minutes remaining.
The Doora/Barefield defence failed to deal with a Liam Crotty delivery and Ben Sweeney pounced for a goal which killed the Doora/Barefield challenge.
The winners finished strongly and kept their opponents scoreless in the closing minutes on a day when Scott Cairns, Shane Kavanagh, Liam Crotty were prominent in their defence. Ben Sweeney top scored for his side with 1-6 while Patrick Crotty and Mici Sheedy were others to do well.
Fionn Kelleher, Ciaran O’Driscoll, Eoghan McMahon, Ian Williams, Padraic O’Donovan and Conor Daly following his introduction did well for the losers who last week won the U21A football title.
Ballyea won the U21B shield on Saturday with a comprehensive 2-15 1-6 victory over Newmarket-on-Fergus.
Scorers Scariff/Ogonnelloe: Ben Sweeney (1-6, 0-6 f) Patrick Crotty (1-1), Liam Crotty, Mici Sheedy, Keelan Hartigan (0-1) each;
Scorers St. Joseph’s Doora/Barefield: Padraig O’Donovan (0-8, 7f) Ogie Fanning, Michael Nash (0-1) each;
Scariff/Ogonnelloe: (all Scariff unless otherwise stated):
1: Matthew Crotty
2: Aaron Collins
3: Scottt Cairns
4: Cathal McCaul
5: Jack Ryan
6: Shane Kavanagh
7: Liam Crotty
8: Tadhg Minogue
9: Keelan Hartigan
10: Rossa Keehan
11: Patrick Crotty
12: Sean Collins
13: Ben Sweeney
14: Gearoid Sheedy (Ogonnelloe)
15: Mici Sheedy (Ogonnelloe);
Subs;
Ben Tuohy for J. Ryan (35);
Donnacha McNulty (Ogonnelloe) for S. Collins (50);
Paul McGee (Ogonnelloe) for T. Minogue (51);
Colin O’Grady for R. Keehan (51);
St. Joseph’s Doora/Barefield:
1: Evan Creavan;
2: Fionn Kelleher
3: Paddy Nagle
4: Ciaran O’Driscoll
5: Francis Meaney
6: Eoghan McMahon
7: Dara Nagle
8: Darragh McMahon
9: Ian Williams
10: Padraic O’Donovan
11: Eoghan Talty
12: Darragh Ball
13: Ogie Fanning
14: Michael Nash
15: Eoin Lahiffe;
Subs;
Conor Daly for D. Nagle (half time),
Matthew Power for E. Talty (half time);
Senan Crosbie for D Ball (44);
Mark O’Connor for E. McMahon (57);
Charlie Hannan for M. Nash (58)
Referee: Niall Malone (Éire Óg)
