Munster football final disappointment for Ballyphehane against Cromane

Cromane 2-11 (2-2-7) Ballyphehane 2-8 (2-1-6) 

Kerry’s Cromane collected the Munster Junior B title at the expense of Cork’s Ballypheane in a tense and nervy contest, played at Knockaderry’s ground in Limerick.

The competition, held by the west Limerick club on an annual basis, has been dominated by Kingdom clubs, with all bar three of the 18 titles heading south. This is the second victory for Cromane, having won all the way back in 2007, while they missed out in the 2017 decider.

Ballyphehane may cite poor discipline in the tackle, conceding more than 20 frees over the hour, and crucially a three-up breach and a 50m advancement cost them scores when playing with a gale force breeze at their backs.

The Seandún side did make a fist of a late revival thanks to an Ethon Varian goal in stoppage time, but there was despair when star man Jack McGrath sealed the three-point victory on the counter-attack.

Cromane, who hail from a small village situated between Killorglin and Glenbeigh elected to play against a stiffening breeze in the opening half, and having come accustomed to the surroundings in their semi-final success seven days earlier, they will cite the opening half as where this game was won.

Despite trailing 1-5 to 1-4 at the change of ends, Cromane had done much of the spade work to bring home the silverware. Indeed, classy attackers Jack McGrath, Darragh McKeefry and Darren Houlihan shone in the second half as Ballyphehane played second best until that late stoppage time salvo.

The opening period saw Cromane monopolise possession and despite Craig Murphy opening the score for the Rebels, it was McGrath (two frees) and a close-range effort from Jason O’Connor that gave Kevin O’Mahony’s side the early advantage.

This changed when a Murphy free was poorly dealt with in the Cromane square, allowing Alex Cummins bundle home a lead score. Points from Varian, Murphy (free) and a huge two-pointer from Adam O’Donoghue concluded the best spell for Colm Barry’s men – but they were wasteful with long deliveries and couldn’t figure out how to disrupt the Kerry side, who played a possession game against the wind.

A goal from McGrath, cutting in from the left and then a point from the powerful Liam O’Neill, ensured the minimum between the sides at midway.

The first score of the second half, after 110 seconds, was a goal from McKeefry, who drilled to the top corner after being played in by Mikey Houlihan. Adam O’Donoghue’s free kept the blue-and-white side in touch.

After a row near the Ballyphehane supporters and dugout, which involved more than seven players from each side, the visitors roared through for a Tony Duffy point, and they would effectively win the game with the next three scores.

Cromane moved 2-10 to 1-6 with time running out, a period which included an incredible Darren Houlihan free from just in front of the 65-meter line.

Late scores from O’Donoghue and then Aaron West, with Cromane down to fourteen with a black card, set up a tense finish. Varian finished off a close-range pass from Cummins but the tank was empty, Cromane countered and sealed the victory amid joyous celebrations for the small, football-mad village.

Scorers for Cromane: Jack McGrath 1-4 (0-3 f), Darragh McKeefry 1-2 (1 tp), Darren Houlihan 0-2 (tpf), Liam O’Neill, Tony Duffy, Jason O’Connor 0-1 each.

Ballyphehane: Ethon Varian 1-1, Adam O’Donoghue 0-4 (1 tp, 2f); Craig Murphy 0-2; Aaron West 0-1.

CROMANE: Seán Tehan; Cian Lyons, Liam O’Neill, Éanna Healy; Tony Duffy, Brice Dourieu, Ethan Griffin; Liam Walsh, Shane O’Neill; Ben Sugrue, Mikey Houlihan, Darragh McKeefry (Capt); Jack McGrath, Jason O’Connor, Shane Ahern.

Subs: Danny Shea for McGrath (temp 52-56); Shea for Ahern (60); Ben Sugrue for Griffin (64).

BALLYPHEHANE: Luke Towler; Dylan Hollan, Jamie Geasley, Timmy Walsh; Cian O’Brien (Capt), Danny Moore, Shane Keating; Troy O’Sullivan, Ethon Varian; Jamie Thompson, Adam O’Donoghue, Aaron West; Carig Murphy, Alex Cummins, Brian O’Leary.

Subs: Robbie Wyse for Varian (temp 11-13); Wyse for Holland (half-time); Jamie O’Brien for Murphy (45); Sean Fielding for O’Leary (49); Danny Kiely for Thompson (55).

Referee: Kieran Guina (Limerick)