White's Cross outgun Douglas in entertaining Seandún JAFC clash

White’s Cross 3-14 (3-2-10) Douglas 2-11 (2-1-9)

White’s Cross have completed their group series in the AOS Security Seandún Junior A Football Championship unbeaten, as they defeated Douglas before a sizeable attendance at Ballinlough. 

This result has put White’s Cross through to a play-off with Nemo Rangers while Douglas are in a play-off against Glanmire.

With wind advantage in the opening half, Douglas had a lead of 1-2 before White’s Cross got their first goal, while the elements favoured White’s Cross in the second half.

Douglas made the better start as Louis Healy set up Daniel Lenihan for the game's opening goal in the fifth minute. Jamie O’Brien and Lenihan each added points from play, before the tide turned in favour of White’s Cross.

Ronan Healy of White’s Cross won possession from a Douglas kick-out in the ninth minute to set up Sean Delaney for their side’s first goal. Conor Docherty added a point and Healy landed the first two-pointer, from a free, to give White’s Cross the lead.

This lead did not last long as Douglas regained the initiative with a point from Diarmuid McCarthy, followed by a two-pointer from a free by Chris O’Keeffe.

White’s Cross regained the lead as Healy tagged on two unanswered points and Killian Ryan added a further point, to give White’s Cross a lead of 1-6 to 1-5.

Adam Young of Douglas swapped points with Edwin Buckley, before O’Keeffe levelled matters, to leave the half-time scoreline reading 1-7 apiece.

Ruairí Quinlan and Healy each tagged on points from play for White’s Cross in the opening minutes of the second half, while McCarthy replied with two, including a free, for Douglas.

In the 39th minute, Evan Collins set up Lenihan for his second goal for Douglas. A minute later, Delaney won possession from a White’s Cross kick-out to set up Buckley for their second goal, which tied the scores at 2-9 each.

White’s Cross took a grip on proceedings as Bobby O’Riordan tagged on a point from play and Docherty set up Delaney for his second goal, to seal the result for White’s Cross, midway through the second half.

In the final quarter, Delaney landed the game’s only two-pointer from play for White’s Cross.

Scorers: White’s Cross: S Delaney 2-2 (1 2pt); R Healy 0-5 (1 2pt f); E Buckley 1-1, C Docherty 0-2 (0-1f); R Quinlan, B O’Riordan, E Coughlan, K Ryan 0-1 each.

Douglas: D Lenihan 2-1; C O’Keeffe 0-4 (1 2pt f); D McCarthy 0-4 (0-2 f); A Young, J O’Brien, 0-1 each.

WHITE’S CROSS: R Teehan; M Philpott, B Prendergast, S Ryan; PJ O’Donovan, K Ryan, S Whooley; R Quinlan, E Coughlan; H Coughlan, C Docherty, F O’Connell; E Buckley, S Delaney, R Healy.

Subs: B O’Riordan for O’Connell (37), A Doherty for Philpott (45, inj), S Quinlan for Whooley (56), T Casey for E Coughlan (58), L Kelleher for H Coughlan (60 inj).

DOUGLAS: M Kelly; S O’Rourke, E Corby, C O’Donoghue; O Barry, L Healy, A Young; D Mac Phaidín, G O’Sullivan; C Reddington, J O’Brien, D Lenihan; E Collins, C O’Keeffe, J Harte.

Subs: D McCarthy for Harte (21), R Hanley for O’Brien, A O’Hare for Reddington (both h/t), S Geaney for O’Donoghue (39), E O’Flynn for Collins (46), J Hartnett for O’Sullivan (55).

Referee: Brendan Barrett (Shamrocks).