St Nicks take the bragging rights as they beat Na Piarsaigh in Seandun U21B football championship final

St Nicholas 1-8

Na Piarsaigh 0-6

St Nicholas claimed the Seandun Pharmacare U21 B Football Championship title as they came from behind to defeat near neighbours Na Piarsaigh in the decider on the 4G Pitch at Super Valu Pairc Ui Chaoimh.

Na Piarsaigh made the better start as they held an early four-point lead before St Nicholas levelled matters. 

In the second half, Na Piarsaigh were restricted to a solitary score from a placed-ball before St Nicholas took control of proceedings in the final quarter.

The Fair Hill side raced into the lead with two points by Michael Sheehan and further points by DJ Coffey and Cian Hogan, before Na Piarsaigh found themselves on the back foot.

Donagh Coughlan opened St Nicholas’ account with a point from play in the tenth minute. 

Wayward kick-outs were beginning to prove costly for Na Piarsaigh as Zach Lynch added two unanswered points for St Nicholas in the space of a minute.

Ciaran Maguire added a point from play to level matters, before Hogan put Na Piarsaigh back in the driving seat.

Jack O’Sullivan equalised with a pointed free for the Blackpool side as the scores were tied at 0-5 apiece at half-time.

Wayward shooting was proving to be Na Piarsaigh’s undoing entering the third quarter. 

Their only score of the second half came as Michael Sheehan restored their lead with a pointed free, ten minutes after the resumption.

Eoghan O’Sullivan tagged on a point from play for St Nicholas to level matters and midway through the second half, Zach Lynch slotted over his third point from play to put St Nicholas in the lead for the first time in the contest.

St Nicholas continued to lay siege to the Fair Hill side’s goal in this period, but Na Piarsaigh net-minder Adam Heffernan, pulled off some spectacular saves.

St Nicholas put the game beyond Na Piarsaigh's reach in stoppage time with a point by Jake Brosnan, which was followed by a goal by Rhys Dunne with the last kick of the game.

Scorers for St Nicholas: R Dunne 1-0; Z Lynch 0-3; J O’Sullivan 0-1f; C Maguire, D Coughlan, J Brosnan, E O’Sullivan 0-1 each.

Na Piarsaigh: M Sheehan 0-3 (0-1f); C Hogan 0-2; DJ Coffey 0-1.

St Nicholas: R Cronin; D Wall, B Heffernan, Scott Cronin; F O’Driscoll, E Varian, D Wall; J Brosnan, E O’Sullivan; C Maguire, R Dunne, D Coughlan; J O’Sullivan, Sean Cronin, Z Lynch.

Subs: E Downey for Sean Cronin (h/t), M Gayfer for Z Lynch (50).

Na Piarsaigh: A Heffernan; E Cronin, S O’Mahony, P Hosford, SP Cooke, J Scanlon, P Lehane; L Sheehan, A Burke; R Lynch, S Downey, E Fitzgerald; DJ Coffey, C Hogan, M Sheehan.

Subs: G Hegarty for R Lynch (h/t), B Harrington for Sheehan (48), R Lynch for Fitzgerald (55, inj).

Referee: James Regan (Lough Rovers).