St Michael's take Seandún Junior A title with late rally against Brian Dillon's
Jack Linehan of St Michael's clashes with Brian Dillon's John Noonan during the recent Seandun City Division JAFC Final in Ballinlough. Picture: Howard Crowdy
St Michael’s 2-11 Brian Dillon's 1-11
ST MICHAEL'S were crowned Seandún Junior A Football Champions for the sixth time after they ran out winners with a late rally that saw off the challenge of a gallant Brian Dillon's side in Ballinlough on Sunday.
St Michael's are now through to the Cork County Premier Junior Football Championship next year, while Dillon's hopes of a double were denied but they still have the hurling decider to come.
While the first half was exciting with plenty of scores, the second half saw the sides adapt a technical approach after the break with scores hard to come by.
Dillon's relied on Jamie Murphy for their scores, while Simon Falvey with two goals for the Mahon side, earned him the man of the match.
A great start for Brian Dillon's saw race into a three-point lead after three minutes after Jamie Murphy rattled the Michael’s net having been played in by Michael Peters.
Murphy opened the scoring with a point from play inside the opening minute, but Michael's levelled with a point from Simon Falvey.
By the end of the first quarter, Dillon's raced into a 1-5 to 0-2 lead with three pointed frees from Murphy and one by Dave Cremin.
Michael's gradually got themselves back into the game with a point and a goal by Falvey to reduce the margin to two points.
Murphy and Paul Cronin exchanged points before another free from Murphy had Dillon's level three in front with five minutes remaining in the first half.
Points from Eoghan Buckley and Fionnan Leahy brought the Mahon side level but a 45 and a point from play by Murphy had Dillon's leading 1-9 to 1-7 at the short whistle.
A free by Murphy which was connected by Peters was cleared off the Michaels line by Stephen Ahern.
Both sides failed to register a score in the first ten minutes of the second half as both sides kicked two wide each.
Michael's hit the front in the forty-first minute when in a sweeping move Falvey netted his second goal to put Michael's a point in front.
Domhnall Cremin added a point immediately for Michael's.
Both defences were on top in the closing stages with Stephen Ahern, Billy Cain and Eoin de Burca on top for Michael's, while Daragh Brosnan, John Noonan and Cian McCarthy were prominent for Dillon's.
Tommy Lawrence got Dillon's first point in the second half on 50 minutes and Jamie Murphy tied the and points from Paul Cronin, Lee O’Sullivan and Peter Leneghan saw Michaels run out winners.
S Falvey 2-2, P Cronin 0-3 (0-1 f), M Drummond, E Buckley, F Leahy, D Cremin, L O’Sullivan 0-1 each.
Jamie Murphy 1-9 (0-4 f, 0-1 45, D Cremin 0-1, T Lawrence 0-1 each.
M O’Connell; C Hanley, A O Drisceoil, S Ahern; J Lenihan, B Cain, F Leahy; T Grainger, E de Burca; M Drummond, S Falvey, D Shovlin; P Cronin, E Buckley, D O’Sullivan.
D Cremin for O’Sullivan (36), L O’Sullivan for Buckley (45), P Linehan Drummond (54), D Hogan for J Lenihan (60).
James Murphy; P O’Brien, D Brosnan, A Keniry; J Noonan, C McCarthy, D O’Donoghue; S Crowley, T Lawrence; D Cremin, C Brosnan, K Mills; Jamie Murphy, D McGrath, M Peters.
T Triggs for Keniry (h-t inj), T Harrington for O’Donoghue (ht), M Funchion for O’Brien (50), C O’Brien for Mills (55).
Peter Finnegan (Douglas).
App?
