Football: Gaels brew up a storm to capture breakthrough U-21A title

Under 21A Football Championship Final
Cill Cúil Gaels 1-10 Éire Óg 0-08

THE John Marrinan Memorial Cup will remain around the Shannon Estuary after Cill Cúil Gaels deservedly overcame Éire Óg to garner the U-21A Football crown in Hennessy Memorial Park in Miltown Malbay this evening, reports Eoin Brennan.
With Shannon Gaels/Kilmihil soaring to the last title in 2019, Paul Reidy returned with an accentuated amalgamation of the Gaels, Kilmihil, Kildysart and Coolmeen to secure the perfect finish to 2021.
It was Diarmuid O’Donnell’s goal only seconds before the opening water break that proved decisive as it provided the perfect buffer between the sides for the rest of the hour. Targetman O’Donnell led the line superbly with 1-5 while county senior Emmet McMahon’s influence and long range scores were inspirational along with the relentless running of fellow joint-captain Thomas Kelly and Gearoid O’Grady.
Missed goal chances either side of the final water break to put the result beyond doubt was solaced when Éire Óg were reduced to 14 with a black and red card for Hugh Connolly at the three quarters mark at 1-7 to 0-6.
With that went any hope of a Éire Óg recovery as Cill Cúil Gaels largely controlled matters for the remainder to run out convincing winners.
The absence through illness of senior Manus Doherty was a significant blow to Éire Óg’s defensive options from the outset but despite a seesaw opening half, seven wides ultimately hampered the Ennis side’s chances as they largely depended on Mark McInerney for scores.
A McInerney free got the Townies off the mark in the third minute but it would be the only time they led as the amalgamation hit back with a hat-trick of points through O’Donnell (2) and McMahon.
At 0-3 to 0-2 approaching the midway mark, the innate understanding between Kildysart duo Seamus Casey and Diarmuid O’Donnell conjured up a great goal as the latter turned his marker to fire to the top right corner of the net and ensure 1-3 to 0-2 first quarter cushion.
Not even a black card for Seamus Casey in the 20th minute could derail the determined Gaels who matched their numerically advanced opponents during that ten minute period before Emmet McMahon lofted over a late free to actually extend their lead by half-time at 1-6 to 0-4.
There would be no major backlash for the new half either as scores dried up for both sides and the final rather petered out to an inevitable conclusion. Thomas Kelly had a glorious chance to alter that narrative when racing through in the 44th minute, only to kick wide of the right post while in the next passage of play a similar run from the lovely Gearoid O’Grady was halted unceremoniously, with Éire Óg losing a man as a result.
Kelly turned provided for the unmarked Diarmuid O’Donnell to clinch matters on the resumption but sliced his left foot effort past the left post much to the relief of Éire Óg.
A brace of Mark McInerney frees did lessen the damage to three entering the final ten minutes but it was a rare period of sustained attack in the Cill Cúil Gaels half as normal service quickly resumed. Late frees from chief marksmen Emmet McMahon and Diarmuid O’Donnell completed a famous breakthrough victory and equally as importantly, a much-needed boost for all four clubs as they prepare to climb the adult ladder once more in 2022.

Cill Cúil Gaels: Conor Cusack (Kildysart); Stephen Sheehan (Kildysart), John Finucane (Kilmihil), Dylan O’Halloran (Coolmeen); Gavin Downes (Kilmihil), Fergal Ginnane (Kildysart), Tadgh Kelly (Shannon Gaels); Emmet McMahon (Joint-Captain) (Kildysart), Jack Reidy (Shannon Gaels); Darren Crehan (Shannon Gaels), Gearoid O’Grady (Kilmihil), Thomas Kelly (Joint-Captain) (Shannon Gaels); Seamus Casey (Kildysart), Diarmuid O’Donnell (Kildysart), Conor Hassett (Kildysart) Sub: JJ Carrig (Coolmeen) for Crehan (46)

Scorers: Diarmuid O’Donnell (1-5, 4f, 1m); Emmet McMahon (0-4, 3f); Conor Hassett (0-1)

Éire Óg: Niall O’Donoghue; Cuán Ó Glaisne, Ronan Lanigan, High Connolly; Gearoid Collins, Jarlath Collins, Gavin D’Auria; Darren O’Brien, Oran Cahill; Jack Joyce, Mark McInerney, James Lyne; Kevin Moloney, Stephen Talty, Philip Talty Subs: Andrew McElwee for Joyce (HT), Jack Lynch for Lyne (38), Cillian Moroney for Ó Glaisne (46), Frank Roche for Moloney (55)

Scorers: Mark McInerney (0-7f); Stephen Talty (0-1)

Referee: Chris Maguire (Wolfe Tones)

Gearoid O’Grady of Cill Cúil Gaels in action against Jarleth Collins of Éire Óg during their U-21A football final win over Eire Og at Miltown Malbay. Photograph by John Kelly.

Jack Reidy of Cill Cúil Gaels in action against Emmet McMahon and Ronan Murphy of Éire Óg during their U-21A football final at Miltown Malbay. Photograph by John Kelly.

Thomas Kelly, joint captain of Cill Cúil Gaels is congratulated in style by fans following the U-21A football final win over Éire Óg at Miltown Malbay. Photograph by John Kelly.

Joint-captains of Cill Cúil Gaels Thomas Kelly and Emmet McMahon lift the cup following the U-21A football final at Miltown Malbay. Photograph by John Kelly.