Douglas end nine-year wait for Seandún Junior title with hard-fought win over St Michael's
The winning Douglas team who defeated St Michael's in the Seandún JAFC final at Ballinlough. Picture Dan Linehan
Douglas 0-12 St Michael’s 1-4
DOUGLAS ended a nine-year wait to lift the EBO Home Rescue Seandun JAFC following a battle-hardened final win over St Michael’s at wind and rain swept Ballinlough on Sunday afternoon.
The game was in the balance up to the 57th minute but five unanswered points when the game hung in the balance swung the pendulum in the winners' favour.
In conditions better suited to ducks than footballers the opening exchanges were dogged but playing against the wind Douglas did manage to open the scoring in the fifth minute with a clinical Eoin O’Sullivan point.
St Michael’s looked dangerous going forward and Donal Cremin should have levelled proceedings a minute later but his shot came thundering back off the post.
Scores were certainly a rarity in a disappointing opening 25 minutes but in the closing five minutes, three consecutive points edged Douglas into a 0-4 to 0- 1 lead.
Right on the stroke of half time Michael’s were awarded a free and instead of going for a point Donal Cremin played a short ball to David Shovlin who drilled a low shot to the corner of the net.
The sides were level at the break 1-1 to 0-4 but Douglas dropped their intensity despite Jamie Davis giving them the perfect start three minutes into the second half.
On the next possession, Douglas should have raised a green flag but somehow Brendan Powter missed the target with an open goal at his mercy.
The Blackrock outfit certainly raised the tempo and Eoin Hickey tied the game before another goal chance went a begging this time from the boot of Donal Cremin.
The game was still in the balance up to the 57th minute with Douglas leading by the minimum but they then took total control with some clinical points that ensured them victory.
Sam Collins who worked hard raised the first of the white flags and a minute later Dave Curtin scored a monstrous point that was followed by a second Eoin O’Sullivan point.
Then came the sealing point in the final minute when Mark Dolan made a fabulous run but his stunning shot came back off the post before Brendan Powter drilled the rebound over the bar.
In the end, both teams gave their all in dreadful conditions and for the Douglas coach Tom Sheehan it was time to reflect on a great season for the club.
Sheehan said: “We had two teams in the Junior B final on the eve of this game and today the lads showed incredible courage over the hour and I am delighted for every player in the squad.”
Scorers for Douglas: S Collins 0-3, A Cotter 0-3 f, E O’Sullivan 0-2, J Davis, F Sheehan, D Curtin, B Powter 0-1 each.
D Shovlin 1-0, D O’Neill 0-2, E Hickey, T Grainger 0-1 each.
C O’Leary; E Cotter, D Sheehan, F Ó Lunaigh; D Curtin, J Davis, C Kenny; M Dolan, E O’Sullivan; S Collins, F Sheehan, B Collins; T Barry, B Powter, A Cotter.
R O’Mahony for E Cotter (inj 20), P Fitzgerald for T Barry (41), S Geaney for F Ó Lunaigh (inj 59).
M White; S Aherne, C Hanley, J Clarke; S Holland, S Lenighan, D Hogan; F Cronin, P Doyle; L Fogarty, D O’Neill, J Jackson; D Shovlin, D Cremin, T Grainger.
E Hickey for L Fogarty (h-t).
Cathal Nolan (Bishopstown).
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