Athenry deny Gort in Galway minor final

Athenry                 1-8  Gort                     0-9
At the second time of asking, Athenry overcame the challenge of Gort to claim the Galway minor A hurling title last Saturday. The victory markied a first success for Athenry since 1995. Given that Gort have not tasted success at minor A level since 1974, the stakes for high for both sides.

Such was the closeness of exchanges in the drawn game, many were suggesting that extra time might eventually be needed to separate these two evenly matched sides. Ballinasloe housed this keenly contested game with Athenry’s Mickey Mullins opening the scoring from play after two minutes. Gort captain Albert Mullins picked up a rushed Athenry clearance and scored the equaliser a minute later.
Cathal Keane, after 11 minutes, sent Athenry a point clear but his side lost a chance to hit the net when Jack Carr’s penalty effort, after he was pulled down, was saved and cleared leading to a Ger O Donoghue equaliser for Gort after 13 minutes.
Four points in the last three minutes of the first half matched the entire tally of the 27 minutes that had gone before. Michael Mullins (2 frees) sent Gort clear but a rallying finish by Athenry saw Jack Carr and Conor Caulfield on target to level the game for the third time and send the teams in on 0-4 apiece at the interval.
Gort needed a goal early on as it appeared after the first half fare that Athenry were the more fluent side. However, it was the eventual winners who struck straight after the break as midfielder Cathal Hardiman converted a free. Michael Mullins (2) and Conor Caulfield added scores by the 38th minute, as once more the sides could not be divided sharing 12 points.
The breakthrough score that effectively decided the destination of the laurels came in the 41st minute as Jack Carr’s well-struck effort was expertly saved by Cathal Broderick only for the in rushing Mickey Mullins to first time the rebound to the Gort net. Within a minute, Athenry were four clear after Conor Whyte floated over a sideline cut as Gort were floundering.
Michael Mullins from a free in the 48th and Gavin Lally following a 65’ two minutes later had the deficit back to two and Gort were looking as if they had taken back control of the game. However, they were unable to force even one real goal chance from the two opportunities that fell their way in the final ten minutes.
Athenry rallied once more and when corner-forward Cathal Keane pointed from a free, the winners were three ahead entering injury time. All that Gort could muster near the end was another Mullins free as the title was heading to Athenry.
Best for the champions included Eoin Donnellan, Thomas Flynn, Cathal Hardiman, Conor Caulfield, Jack Carr, Dean Healy, Cathal Keane, Darragh Glynn and Mickey Mullins. Gort had improved considerably from U-16 level yet will feel the lack of firepower on both days – they managed just one score from play – cost them the honours. Cathal Broderick did well in goal with Conor Helebert the best defender on view and he was well aided by Gavin Lally, Robert Kerins, Ger O’Donoghue, Michael Mullins from frees and Kevin Burke.

Athenry: Aidan Higgins, Jack Gibbons, Eoin Donnellan, Dermot O’Halloran, Darragh Glynn, Thomas Flynn, Dean Healy, Mark Hannon, Cathal Hardiman (0-1), Colin Whyte (0-1), Conor Caulfield (0-2), Darragh Hynes, Mickey Mullins (1-1), Jack Carr (0-1), Cathal Keane (0-2).
Subs: Kevin Madden for Cathal Keane, Patrick Hannon for Madden, Cathal Keane for Hannon.
Gort: Cathal Broderick, Darragh Grealish, Conor Helebert, Darragh Roche, Robert Kerins, Gavin Lally (0-1), Kevin Burke, Kaelen Higgins, Ross Burke, Shane Coen, Albert Mullins, Patrick Lally, Kieran Burke, Michael Mullins (0-7f), Ger O’Donoghue (0-1).
Referee: Alan Kelly (Rahoon-Newcastle).