Donoughmore are Premier 2 minor football champions after brilliant win over Castlehaven
Donoughmore captain Redmond Reardon and players celebrate after defeating Castlehaven in the Rebel Óg Premier 2 MFC final at Pairc Ui Rinn. Picture: Eddie O'Hare
A magnificent display from Donoughmore ensured they were crowned Premier 2 Minor football champions when they defeated Castlehaven in a thrilling final at Pairc Ui Rinn on Monday.
Plenty of heroes for the winners in what was a pure team display but Scott Barrett with a seven-point tally led their scoring.
Donoughmore showed class in their opening possession when a sweeping five man passing move yielded a classy Paddy Murphy white flag.
The Donoughmore pressure continued and by the third minute the energetic Scott Barrett added another brace of points as Castlehaven looked a side on the ropes.
Gradually the Haven were getting better possession and in the sixth minute they opened their scoring from the boot of Eoin Maguire following a free.
To be fair Donoughmore responded after a seventh minute drought another sweeping move was rewarded with a stunning point from Daniel Honohan.
To be fair Donoughmore looked very dangerous when driving forward and they added two more points in the 12th minute that gave them a five-point lead 0-6 to 0-1.
After going nine minutes without a score Castlehaven responded with a second Eoin Maguire point from play but their opponents looked head and shoulders above them in the opening quarter.
In a rare clear goal opportunity Castlehaven’s Daniel Cleary should have done better in the 19th minute but he shot straight at the Donoughmore keeper.
On the next possession wing back Calum Moloney kicked a well worked point that was followed by a magnificent white flag from Cillian French and suddenly it was a two-point game 0-6 to 0-4 in the 22nd minute.
Following a 12- minute spell without a score Scott Barrett punished the Haven with a free from 40 yards that restored their three-point lead.
In fairness Castlehaven after a slow start grew into the game and another wonderful point from Daniel Cleary reduced the deficit to two points as we entered the final couple of minutes.
It was fitting Cleary would produce another classy point on the stroke of the half time whistle as the Donoughmore lead was reduced to the minimum at the break 0-7 to 0-6.
On the restart Barrett extended Donoughmore’s lead to three points with a brace of white flags.
The courage of Castlehaven was clear to see and they responded in the 38th minute when substitute Eoin Buckley played a perfect pass to James Maguire whose shot found the back of the net.
The game changed in Donoghmore’s favour in the 48th minute when they found the back the net twice.
Paddy Murphy got in behind the Castlehaven defence to raise the first green and on the next possession substitute Ciaran Lawton took a pass from David McDonnell to put his team in pole position.
Castlehaven did battle to the wire but it was Donoughmore’s night after a truly wonderful spectacle of football from both sides.
S Barrett 0-7 (0-4 f), P Murphy 1-2, C Lawton 1-0, D Honohan 0-2, J McCarthy, D McDonnell 0-1 each.
J Maguire 1-1 E Magure 0-4 (0-2 f), D Cleary 0-3, C Moloney, C French, W O’Donovan 0-1 each.
C O’Donovan; T Murphy, D Kearney, R McLaughlin; L O’Sullivan, P Murphy, J Murphy; S O’Hanlon, R Honohan; D Holland, J McCarthy, D Honohan; S Barrett, R Reardon, D McDonnell.
C Lawton for R Reardon (inj 40).
A Limrick; D Courtney, D O’Callaghan, S McGuire; C Moloney, R McCarthy, W O’Donovan; M Crowley, D O’Leary; D O’Donoghue, C French, N O’Callaghan; J Maguire, E Maguire, D O’Donovan.
S Fehily for D O’Callaghan (inj 19), E O’Donovan for N O’Callaghan (51).
P O’Driscoll (Bride Rovers).
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