Super sub seals the title deal for Éire Óg U-16s

Éire Óg         4-11
Ennistymon         1-7

Éire Óg substitute Paddy O’Malley’s tally of 1-5 was a central factor in the Ennis club winning their first U-16A football title since 2000 in Cusack Park on Monday evening.
Another significant element was Ennistymon’s poor use of the very strong wind. Playing with it in the opening half, they trailed 1-4 to 0-5 at the interval.
Éire Óg’s James Wood scored the crucial goal before half-time for the winners. The first three scores of the second period were goals. Éire Óg raised two early green flags as Éanna Fennell and Paddy O’Malley found the net. O’Malley’s goal was from the penalty spot and was his first touch.
Ennistymon could have folded at this point but to their credit, they fought back manfully. James McConigley buried a penalty and Éire Óg goalkeeper Nathan Murray made a couple of superb tip-over saves, which looked certain goals. Éire Óg finished the game very well though, adding a Seán Hanrahan goal, while Nicholas Twumasi and O’Malley added further points.

Éire Óg: Nathan Murray; Kieran Malone, John Allan, Martin Darcy; James Wylde, Dylan Casey, Dara Walsh; James Woods, Lee Quirke; Kaylan O’Loughlin, Nicholas Twumasi, Evan Toomey; Éanna Fennell, Conall Ó hAiniféin, Gary Roche.
Subs: Paddy O’Malley for Gary Roche; Brian Flanagan for Kaylan O’Loughlin; Michael Maloney for Martin Darcy; Seán Hanrahan for Dylan Casey; Patrick Chesser for Lee Quirke.
Scorers: Paddy O’Malley (1-5), Éanna Fennell (1-2), Seán Hanrahan, James Wood (1-0 each), Nicholas Twumasi, Conall O’hÁiniféin (0-2) each.
Ennistymon: Seán Noonan; Dara Crowe, Shane Doyle, Cathal Nagle; David Fitzgerald, Kieran Vaughan, Kevin Hehir; Mattie Kinch, David McCarthy; Seán Twomey, Aaron McNulty, John Dillon; James McConigley, Barry Keating, Joe Gallagher.
Subs: Cathal Frawley, Jack Fitzgerald.
Scorers: James McConigley (1-2), Barry Keating 0-3, Seán Twomey, John Dillon (0-1 each).
Referee: Michael Talty (Kilmurry Ibrickane).