Eastern Harps 3.19
Tubbercurry/Cloonacool 1.09
Courtesy of Kevin Cryan, Eastern Harps
Eastern Harps captured the U.14 B Championship when defeating
Tubbercurry/Cloonacool played in Ballinalack Community Park Bunninadden, on
Thursday evening Sept 8th. Harps played with a two man full forward line of
Matt Henry and Dylan Walsh and they destroyed the Tubber/Cloonacool rearguard
by scoring an astonishing 3.14 between them.
The first half was a cagey affair and the winners led by 4 points at
half time on a score line of 2.07 to 1.06. In that half the losers had their
fair share of chances but saw a goal bound effort from Conor Matthews come back
off the Crossbar which was gratefully gathered by Matthew Tansey who averted
the danger. They also had an effort by David Burke cleared off the line by a
vigilant Caelan Hunt. But the best chance of all produced a brilliant fingertip
save from Jamie Mc Coy the Harps net minder from an effort from the excellent
Sean Kerrigan. Harps had their goal chances too and Kacper Bednarski in the
Tubber/Cloonacool goal had to be at his best to punch an effort from Michael
Kielty McMenamy over the crossbar.
On the resumption of the second half the industrious Finn Bruen immediately
pointed and then Harps got their third goal to give Tubber/Cloonacool a
mountain to climb. They fought back valiantly but it was as if Diarmuid Higgins
and James Kiernan had erected a No Entry in the Harps backline as all the
losers had to show for their second half efforts was a miserly 3 points. The
wing backs of Robin Richardson and Darragh Cogan initiated numerous attacks
which led to scores for Harps.
The team possessed a high level of skill throughout with a notable feature of
this well drilled team, the ability to kick pass accurately with either foot.
Padraig Taheny had a great game at wing forward and along with Cormac Kielty
provided a lot of the ammunition for the deadly duo in the inside
line. Cormac rounded off the scoring in the last minute when he
pointed from play after receiving a pass from Eoghan O Gara who came on in the
closing minutes having missed the earlier part of the year through injury.
Tubber/Cloonacool who beat the same opposition at the same venue last year to
win Feile which ultimately saw them representing their club and county at the
National Feile Final in Kerry earlier this year can have no complaints about
been beaten by a better team on this occasion. Sean Kerrigan tried his best to
stem the tide in the second half and he was well supported by Liam Carty, Conor
Mathews and Jamie Burke.
A notable feature of this game was the willingness of the referee Gus
Chapman to tell these young players what they were doing wrong when they
conceded frees. It led to a very enjoyable game of football.
Afterwards the Secretary of Coiste Na Nog Sean Scott ironically an Eastern
Harps man, presented the cup to the Harps captain Diarmuid Higgins who despite
his young age gave an accomplished acceptance speech.
Eastern Harps. Jamie Mc Coy, Matthew Tansey, James Kiernan, Daragh Cogan,
Diarmuid Higgins, Robin Richardson, Caelan Hunt, Michael Kielty McManemy,
Padraig Taheny,Cormac Kielty, Finn Bruen, Matt Henry, Dylan Walsh, Eoghan O
Gara, Donal Mitchell, Sean Higgins, Sean Conheady.
Tubbercurry/Cloonacool. Kacper Bednarski, Jimmy Mc Donagh, Adam O Donnell,
James Kim, Sean Kerrigan, Eoin O Donnell, Eoin Carty, David Burke, Colin
Brennan, Conor Matthews, Joshua Flynn, Liam Carty, Jamie Burke.