Macroom claim a first Tom Creedon Cup title in 27 years following victory over Boherbue 

Macroom: 1-9 

Boherbue: 0-5 

Macroom were crowned Tom Creedon Cup champions for 2024 after a comfortable win over Boherbue at the Castle Grounds in Macroom on Saturday evening.

Boherbue came into this one on the back of losing the McCarthy Insurance Group IAFC final last Saturday. They came up against a determined Macroom side in this decider, who were gunning to win the trophy named after their former player for the first time since 1997. The hosts were much the better team and were full value for the win. It’s only the third time that they have now won this title, a competition that has been running since 1985.

It’s a positive ending to the campaign for Macroom in Aidan O’Mahony’s first season at the helm, as they also avoided relegation from the PIFC. 

Macroom started strong and once they got a grip, they always looked the likely winners. Boherbue’s failure to score for the first 28 minutes didn't help their cause.

Macroom were fired up for this one played in front of a large crowd. The Muskerry club hit the first score after two minutes when Mark Hunt pointed followed by a goal a minute later. Eolan O’Leary capitalised on a mistake in the Boherbue defence to finish to the net.

It was all Macroom as Boherbue struggled to get up to the pace which was understandable following the heart-breaking one-point loss to Glanmire in the county final last weekend.  

Macroom were in the driving seat as they tacked on points from Alan Quinn (free) and a long range Pa Lucey effort, 1-3 to 0-0 after 15 minutes.

Scores were at a premium in the second quarter as the game got scrappy and no shortage of bite. A Quinn free pushed his side’s lead out to seven points before Boherbue got their first score after 29 minutes. After seven wides and one dropped short, the Duhallow club got on the scoreboard when David O’Connor bisected the posts.

The team in green and white got the last score of the half when Quinn landed another free, 1-5 to 0-1 at half-time.

Boherbue did have the better of it on the resumption but they didn’t make considerable inroads into the deficit. David O’Connor did raise a white flag three minutes into the new half but wayward shooting continued to be their downfall.

The teams swapped points as the team from Duhallow remained alive with 20 minutes remaining, 1-6 to 0-3.

There would be no comeback from Boherbue. The hosts restored their seven-point advantage when captain Seán Kiely slotted over a boomer.

The game petered out in the final 10 minutes. The evergreen John Corkery did point for Boherbue before the impressive Quinn slotted over an effort, 1-8 to 0-4 with six minutes left.

The sides traded frees late on, Corkery for his side and Quinn for Macroom, with the final whistle bringing joyous scenes as Macroom claim the trophy for the first time in 27 years.

Scorers for Macroom: A Quinn 0-6 (0-5 f), E O’Leary 1-0, S Kiely, M Hunt, P Lucey 0-1 each.

Boherbue: D O’Connor 0-3, J Corkery 0-2 (0-1 f).

MACROOM: B O’Connell; C Condon, R Buckley, J Murphy; J O’Riordan, M Corrigan, C Buckley; D Creedon, P Lucey; M Hunt, S Kiely (c), S Meaney; A Quinn, E O'Leary, T Dineen.

Subs: D Twomey for M Hunt, E O’Mahony for S Meaney, C O’Sullivan for S Kiely (all 54), G Angland for J O’Riordan (59). 

BOHERBUE: D Cremin; C O’Keeffe, D Buckley, J Daly; D O’Sullivan, D Moynihan, A Murphy; Andrew O’Connor, L Moynihan; Alan O’Connor, G O’Sullivan (c), B Murphy; D Sheehan, D O’Connor, J Corkery.

Subs: D Murphy for D O’Sullivan (46), C Hartnett for D Sheehan (50), T Murphy for Alan O’Connor, L Daly for C O’Keeffe, Anthony O’Connor for A Murphy (all 59).

Referee: Luke Knight (Kilmurry).