Duggan goal the key to St Joseph’s win

Doora-Barefield 1-5 Ennistymon 1-4

Has a minor championship ever created such excitement on and off the field? Unlikely. It was apt therefore that the 2010 Minor A Football Championship wasn’t decided until the fifth minute of injury time in an eventful, albeit free-filled final in Miltown.
Brian Houlihan’s inspirational 60th minute goal pulled Ennistymon to within a point of Doora-Barefield to set up an incredibly exciting finish. After a lung-bursting run from his own full-back line, Houlihan linked up with Cathal Malone and Cathal McConigley before he fired past Liam Slattery.
St Joseph’s four-point lead had suddenly evaporated and Ennistymon sensed they were not without hope. Two minutes into injury time, a sustained Ennistymon attack, where they virtually camped in front of their opponents’ goalmouth, culminated in Barefield winning a free out. It looked as if that was it. Not so.
Two minutes later, Ennistymon midfielder Cathal Malone stole inside the winners full-back line but his shot on goal was superbly saved by Shane Collins. Ennistymon opted to take a short 45’, leaving Joey Rouine with a chance to equalise from play. Unfortunately for Ennistymon, his shot drifted wide and was soon followed by the final whistle.
The fact that 59 frees were awarded underlines how tight and tense the hour of football was. Luckily the rain didn’t fall until after the presentation, while the wind wasn’t a huge factor.
St Joseph’s led 0-3 to 0-2 after a turgid first half during which Ennistymon spurned two reasonable goal chances in the opening six minutes. However both Dara Slattery and Ciaran Devitt’s shots were saved by Shane Collins, although neither effort was particularly powerfully struck.
Ronan Linnane pointed the game’s first score for Ennistymon from a free, while Cathal McConigley scored the North Clare teams second point just before the interval. McConigley’s score followed an excellent run. Cathal Duggan pointed two of St Joseph’s scores from first half frees, won by Ciaran Devitt and Luke Brannock.
Twelve minutes into the first half, Brannock kicked his sides only first half point from play, while a minute before half-time, Liam Slattery saved from Cathal Duggan, when perhaps St Joseph’s could have tapped over the free awarded seconds before.
Two minutes after the resumption, Brian Houlihan rampaged downfield and pointed a morale lifting equaliser for Ennistymon. Houlihan was playing in the full-back line.
Cathal Duggan pointed his third free two minutes later to re-establish a one-point lead, 0-4 to 0-3, for Mark Rafferty’s team.
After St Joseph’s had kicked two wides, Cathal McConigley put over a class score, which tied the game at 0-4 each, 17 minutes from full time.
Less than two minutes later Cathal Duggan managed to escape Enda Ralph and fired home a very impressive goal. Ennistymon had control of the ball before possession was turned over and Duggan netted the games crucial score.
Dylan T O’Mahony, who came on as a first-half sub, pointed St Joseph’s final score 13 minutes from full time, leaving his team 1-5 to 0-4 ahead.
With St Joseph’s making three changes in the closing nine minutes, Ennistymon pressed for a score that would revitalise them. Brian Houlihan provided it and set up an epic finish.
Were it not for Shane Collins’ save from Cathal Malone, Ennistymon would have won their second minor A title inside four years.
Instead St Joseph’s, who were marginally the more balanced team, held on and secured their place at the very top of Clare minor football in 2010.
Cathal Duggan was the best forward on view and his goal was the game’s defining score. Luke Brannock also worked hard in the St Joseph’s attack as did substitute Dylan T O’Mahony. However the best player on the pitch was St Joseph’s corner-back Brian Clancy who read the play cleverly and defended resolutely throughout the hour. Paudie Nugent also excelled in the other corner, while Leo Duggan played well at centre back.
St Joseph’s win reflects well on the underage football structures in the club even if their underage hurling teams are struggling to compete at A level. 
Ronan Linnane and Cathal Malone had the edge at midfield for Ennistymon, who generally were not as economical as St Joseph’s on the scoring front. Elsewhere, Brian Houlihan could hardly have tried any harder and indeed his courageous runs nearly rescued the game for Mark Shanahan’s team.
Cathal McConigley was the best of an Ennistymon attack that didn’t flow quite as smoothly as they would have liked.
On another note, while Bord na nÓg Peil are often criticised in relation to fixtures and other aspects of underage football in Clare, their decision to charge just a €5 entrance fee in Miltown was a laudable one.
Doora-Barefield: Shane Collins; Paudie Nugent, Eanna Clohessy, Brian Clancy; Andrew Houlihan, Leo Duggan (captain), Stephen Barron; Jarlath Colleran, Alan O’Neill; Conor O’Reilly, Patrick McInerney, Donal O’Halloran; Luke Brannock, Niall Deloughrey, Cathal Duggan.

Subs: Darragh Murphy for Andrew Houlihan (19 – injured), Dylan T O’Mahony for Niall Deloughrey (29), Michael Gallagher for Donal O’Halloran (51), Fiachra Tuohy for Darragh Murphy (51), Conor O’Brien for Stephen Barron (56).
Scorers: Cathal Duggan (1-3, 0-3f); Luke Brannock, Dylan T O’Mahony (0-1 each).
Wides: 3; frees: 30; 45s: 0
Yellow cards: Conor O’Reilly

Ennistymon: Liam Slattery; Karl Ryan, Brian Houlihan, Enda Ralph; Kieran Vaughan, Oisín Vaughan, Gerry Coote; Ronan Linnane (captain), Cathal Malone; Dara Slattery, Ciaran Devitt, Michael Lee; Ryan O’Halloran, Joey Rouine, Cathal McConigley.
Subs: James McConigley for Dara Slattery (47), Ryan Doyle for Kieran Vaughan (57).
Scorers: Brian Houlihan (1-1), Cathal McConigley (0-2), Ronan Linnane (0-1f).
Wides: 10; frees: 29; 45s: 3

Referee: Michael McGann (Michael Cusack’s).