Seán Meade's late goal secures Rebel Óg Premier 2 Minor Hurling title for Killeagh
Killeagh players celebrate after defeating Erin's Own in the Rebel Óg Premier 2 minor hurling championship final at Páirc Uí Rinn. Picture: Eddie O'Hare
AN injury-time goal from Seán Meade saw Killeagh crowned Rebel Óg Premier 2 MHC champions at Páirc Ui Rinn last night.
With the sides level as they went into injury-time, his strike was the score that finally divided them after a highly entertaining final. He was one of the stars of his side, with Dylan McCarthy, Barry Walsh and Ben Walsh also impressing.
It was a tough one to take for Erin’s Own as on their display they at least deserved a draw with Shane Irwin, Finn O’Brien and Matt O’Riordan the pick of their side.
Peter O’Shea opened the scoring for Erin’s Own in the first minute with Colm Leahy replying for Killeagh from the restart. With three minutes gone Killeagh were in front when Ben Walsh pointed from distance before O’Riordan had the sides level again.
Barry Walsh put Killeagh back in front and with six minutes gone they were two to the good when McCarthy pointed from a free, to make it 0-4 to 0-2.
Killeagh were enjoying the better of the exchanges at this point and they went further ahead when Meade pointed from distance out near the sideline.
A long ball in from O’Shea was well controlled by Irwin and he bore down on goal, but a last-ditch tackle was enough to put him off and his booted effort went just wide.
From their next attack he made no mistake as he raised their third white flag and with 13 minutes gone O’Riordan pointed from a free to put one between the sides. A minute later and they were level when Irwin pointed from a difficult angle to make it 0-5 each.
Ben Walsh got his second to put Killeagh back in front before McCarthy saw his effort from a free rebound off the upright.
With 21 minutes gone it was level again when O’Riordan pointed from another free as Erin’s Own had settled well into the game by now.
A minute later and they took the lead for the first time when O’Riordan and Irwin combined to set up Finn O’Brien for the game’s opening goal.
Ben Walsh reduced the deficit to two when he pointed from a long distance free, before McCarthy did the same from closer in to make it 0-8 to 1-6.
O’Brien increased Erin’s Own’s lead before Meade got his second to make it a one point game again and on the stroke of half-time McCarthy raised another white flag to see the sides level at the break 1-7 to 0-10.
Meade got the first point of the second half to put Killeagh back in front before McCarthy made it a two-point game when he scored from a free.
McCarthy was on target from another placed ball as his side led 0-13 to 1-7 with 35 minutes gone.
From the restart, O’Riordan got Erin’s Own’s first score of the second half with Brian Nolan adding a second to make it a one-point game again, 1-9 to 0-13.
With 41 minutes gone they were back on level terms when Irwin scored another magnificent point from distance and from the restart, they went back in front when O’Riordan split the posts from a free.
Another free from O’Riordan made it 1-12 to 0-13 as both sides were enjoying their periods of dominance.
O’Brien robbed the Killeagh defence to point as Erin’s Own hit six without reply to lead by three.
Ben Cullinane made it seven in a row as Erin’s Own were now starting to dominate and another free from O’Riordan stretched their lead to five with 47 minutes gone.
However, a minute later Killeagh were right back in contention when Leahy raised a green flag to put two between them. From the puc out they regained possession and Meade picked up a long ball in, only to be fouled and referee Patrick O’Mahony having no hesitation in awarding them a penalty.
However, McCarthy’s effort went just over the bar as Killeagh now trailed by 1-14 to 1-15, with nine minutes to go.
Another free from McCarthy had the sides level before Irwin replied at the other end to restore his side’s slender lead. Niall O’Connell saved brilliantly from Barry Walsh to deny him a goal with McCarthy pointing the resulting 65.
Then came the telling score as Meade found the back of the net with the game's final shot to see Killeagh take the title.
D McCarthy 0-8 (0-5 f, 0-1 65, 0-1 pen), S Meade 1-3, C Leahy 1-1, Ben Walsh 0-3 (0-1 f), Barry Walsh 0-1.
M O’Riordan 0-7 (0-5 f), F O’Brien 1-2, S Irwin 0-4, P O’Shea, B Nolan, B Cullinane 0-1 each.
F Murphy; O Cunningham, H Connon, M Doherty; P Geary, D O’Brien, C Burns; Ben Walsh, F Brennan; D McCarthy, J Ogbebor, Barry Walsh; S Meade, C Leahy, D Buckley.
E Roche for O Cunningham (h-t).
N O’Connell; D Collins, T Connell, J Hoare; D O’Connell, C Dunphy, D Pierce; B Nolan, P O’Shea; DJ Savage, M O’Riordan, F O’Brien; S O’Mahony, S Irwin, B Cullinane.
Patrick O’Mahony, Inniscarra.
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