Junior A football glory for Carrigaline as they end 34-year wait against Ballygarvan
Carrigaline celebrate bridging a 34-year gap in Procure.ie SE Junior A Football Championship with a win over Ballygarvan at Minane Bridge. Picture: Bernard Laverty
Carrigaline bridged a 34-year gap as they dethroned Ballygarvan in the Procure.ie South East Junior A Football in Minane Bridge.
In truth, Ballygarvan could have no complaints as they fell short in their bid to capture four consecutive titles, as Carrigaline were far the more clinical in front of goal. They now face Mayfield or Douglas in the first round of the county.
A game that had been close up to the 41st minute, with nothing between the teams, but it was decided after that in a 10-minute period as Carrigaline hit a purple patch.
During that period, an Olan Barry attempt at a point was misdirected by the wind and when it fell into the waiting arms of Mossy Vaughan on 50 minutes, he duly cracked the ball to the net, giving his side an unassailable advantage.
With scores at a premium throughout, it was Evan O’Connor who opened the scoring almost immediately from a free, but it was eight minutes before the next score arrived as Ben Delaney sent over.
The parity was short-lived as Cork Senior footballer Séan Brady, who was prominent over the hour, set up O’Connor for his second point of the match on 11 minutes.
It was a hat-trick on 16 minutes for O'Connor, before an injury to Stephen Fenton led to a break in the play and on the resumption, Carrigaline roared back into the contest, despite trailing by 0-3 to 0-1.
Man-of-the-match Vaughan added Carrig’s second on 23 minutes, as Delaney chipped over for his second and tied up the contest with three minutes to the break.
The advantage swung in the Owenabue side’s favour almost on the stroke of half-time as Tim Cronin kicked over a free to give his side the advantage at the break of 0-4 to 0-3.
Aided by the wind, O’Connor hit two early second-half scores as they hit the front on 40 minutes, but Cronin had it all square a minute later. Scores from Delaney and a point apiece from Jack Kelly and Vaughan had Carrig in control at 0-9 to 0-5, with 11 minutes remaining.
It was definitely game over minutes later as Vaughan cracked home a goal, and despite two late scores from Ray O’Halloran and O’Connor, it was never going to be enough.
M Vaughan 1-2, B Delaney 0-4 (1 2ptf), T Cronin 0-2 (0-1 f), J Kelly 0-1.
E O’Connor 0-6 (0-4 f), R O’Halloran 0-1.
S Mellett; M Kiernan, I Sheerin, E Murphy; N O'Keeffe, J Kelly, J Shannahan; N O'Keeffe, T Foley; E Ryle, B Delaney, K McNulty; T Cronin, O Barry, M Vaughan.
S Turner for J Shannahan (42), R McCarthy for Olan Barry (52).
C Fitzgerald; P Ryan, A Dunne, I Crowley; S O’Donovan, S Brady, K Lyons; J Fenton, S Fenton, C Mackey, K Fitzgerald, C O’Regan, E O'Connor; D Mackey, N Dowd.
L Collins for S Fenton (11 inj), J O’Callaghan for N Dowd (35). Ray O Halloran for D Mackey (50).
Brian Coniry (Crosshaven).
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