In Cloonacool on Saturday evening the
final took place in front of a good crowd, with a slight breeze heading away
from the club house end.
Harps had the advantage of it in the
first half but will rue a number of missed chances in the half whilst they were
too dependant on the frees for scores. Hitting 5 wides between the 19 and 24
minutes did not help Harps cause.
Both sides started nervously but Andrew
Kilcullen had the ball over the bar in the first minute. Play was scrappy at
this time and both teams carried the ball well until the final third. Frees
were exchanged by Shane O'Grady and Kilcullen before Gavan Duffy hit 2 from
play. Cian Higgins was unlucky with a shot for goal being tapped over by keeper
Kilgannon. At this point Harps were on top but they did not register it on the
scoreboard with Evan Lavin eventually levelling it up 5 a piece.
A driving run for the men from the West
by Eoin Hallinan saw him tap a ball over the bar and this was followed before
the break by an excellent Marcu Meehan point after a mazy run leaving the sides
deadlocked 6 each at the break.
Shane O'Grady pointed a free in the
35th minute to put Harps up by one and followed shortly after with one from
play as a long range centre bounced over the bar. County minor Gavan Duffy put
over a 45 after good defensive work from Harps but then Mikey Gordon started to
take a grip of midfield and drove his team on to victory.
In the space of 5 minutes and 4
kickouts Gordon, scored a beauty from distance on the outside of the
boot, won the kickout and put Duffy and Kilcullen through for points and
then found Joe McHugh all on his own with just the keeper to beat which he did
into the top right corner. Dylan Sloyane put over directly after to see the
score go from level to a 6 point game.
Harps did not lie down and responded
with points from O'Grady(2f) and the hard working Ciarán Hannon. Shawn O'Hara,
Cian Higgins and Ciarán Dorrian worked hard to bring Harps back into the game.
Despite Gordon scoring his second point it took a great block from Josh Ellis
in the 25th minute from Meehan and Hannon to keep the breathing space of 4
points going into the last 5 minutes where the insurance points were scored by
Duffy and Joe McHugh.
Eanniscrone/Kilglass/Eaaskey: Shane Kilgannon, Niall Kilcullen, Josh
Ellis, Eoghan Rua McGowan, Eoin Hallinan, Dylan
Sloyan, Eanna Moylan, Mikey Gordon(J-Capt), Rory
McHugh, Eanna Moylan, Ciaran O’Dowd(J-Capt), Fionn Moylan,Andrew
Kilcullen, Joe McHugh Gavan Duffy Subs: Adam Mullaney,
Aaron Duffy, Brandon Fitzgerald, Dara Rouse, Daniel
Rolston, Conal Duffy, Finn Nelson, Eoghan Burke
Eastern Harps: Alan Davey, Luke Taheny, James
McLoughlin, Tomás Taheny, Bryan Molloy, Eoin
Dwyer, Jonathan East, Evan Lavin, Shane O’Grady, Cian
Higgins, Marcus Meehan, Shawn O’Hara, Ciarán Hannon, Kyle
Cosgrove, Ronan Mulligan Subs: Bryan O’Hanlon, Gavin Gardiner, Niall Gardiner, Ciarán Dorrian, Eoin Dowd,
Eoin O’Donoghue, James O’Hara, Seán Bruen, Seamus Connolly