Harps retain U16 A Championship

Back 12/09/2016 @ 12:40 | mainnews | Harps retain U16 A Championship
Courtesy of Kevin Cryan, Eastern Harps

EASTERN HARPS 4.14
CURRY          0.12


Eastern Harps added the U.16 A Championship title to the A league that they won earlier this year, by virtue of 14 point winning margin over Curry played at the Centre Of Excellence Scarden on Monday evening last.

A large crowd enjoyed the Autumnal evening weather and were treated to a fine game of football, despite the scoreboard been unkind to the efforts of the Curry men. Eastern Harps will be first to acknowledge that 3 late goals gave them a rather flattering winning margin.

Harps started brighter and after 11 minutes were leading by 4 points to 1, their opening scores coming from Kyle Cosgrove, Shawn O’Hara and a brace from team captain Marcus Meehan. Curry's lone response was a point from midfielder Alan Reilly.

While Harps were finding it easier to get scores, the running and support play of Red Og Murphy caused them endless problems and he helped himself to 6 points during the game, 4 of which came in the first half.

The decisive score of the half came when Harps excellent corner back Kieran Breheny soloed in from the wing using one foot and then changed feet to rifle the ball to the Curry net.  The response from Curry was an excellent score from corner forward Oisin Murphy kicking over with his left foot from an acute angle on the left wing. Meehan was on target from play and frees for Harps and this along with a point from Ross O’Dowd left the Harps in the ascendency at the short whistle by 1.08 to 7 points.

The second half followed in the same vein as the first one.  Harps content to keep the scoreboard ticking over, and keeping daylight between the teams with minimum of effort, while Curry had an over reliance on Red Og Murphy who was the finest player on view. The defensive performance of Curry's Luke Fleming also caught the eye and wing forward Keith Feely also tried hard. 

The introduction of Gavin Gardiner to the Harps forward line had an immediate effect as he had 1.01 in the bag within 5 minutes. This seemed to knock the confidence out of Curry and from a 25 metre free Ciaran Dorrian hit the top corner of the net for a slightly fortunes goal. Harps began to play with a swagger and Shawn O’Hara finished off a 5 man move when he gave Curry Keeper Oisin Hannon no chance with a shot low into the corner. Curry Midfielder Alan Reilly kicked 2 more points but Harps were home and hosed.

This was a well-coached Harps team with the players very comfortable on the ball and most of them equally adept with either foot. They had many outstanding performances with Tomas Taheny and Bryan O’Hanlon particularly prominent in the full back line.

The scoring honours went to midfielder Marcus Meehan who hit a combined total of 8 points from play and from frees, while Ciaran Dorrian, Kalum Byrne and Luke Hogge did a lot of unseen work. The game was played in a very sporting manner helped by sensible refereeing by Michael Duffy.

Afterwards the cup was presented to Marcus Meehan the Eastern Harps captain by Joe Murphy from Coiste Na Nog.

Eastern Harps. Alan Davey, Kieran Brehony Thomas Taheny,Bryan O’Hanlon, Kalum Byrne, Luke Hogge, Eoghan Higgins, Kyle Cosgrove, Marcus Meehan, Bryan Molloy, Ciaran Dorrian,Sean O’Connor ,Luke Kielty, Ross O’Dowd, Shawn O’Hara, Subs Gavin Gardiner, Oskar Grzenda, Kasper Grezenda, Killian Burns, James Campbell, Ciaran Hannon, Fionn O Donnell, Jake Stephenson, Michael Kielty McManemy, Dillon Walsh, Diarmuid Higgins.

Curry. Oisin Hannon Dillon Wright, Luke Fleming, Kian Watters, Eoghan Sweeney, Michael Jennings, Kyle Gilligan, Alan Reilly, David Towey, Bertie Gallagher, Red Og Murphy, Keith Feely, Oisin Murphy, Sean Byrne, Kelan McDonagh. Aiden O’Hara, Keelan O’Hara, Jack Weaver, Fergus Gleeson, Dara Gallagher, Brian Jennings, Cian Flannery, Thomas Marren, Adam Gallagher, Lucas Thornton, Sean Stenson, Daniel Ross.