Doora/Barefield 1-10    St Breckan’s/Ballyvaughan 1-8

DOORA-Barefield overcame a gallant St Breckan’s-Ballyvaughan by two points in the U-12 Division 1 football championship final in Cusack Park on Monday evening.
It was a riveting contest all through with both sides giving it their all. Darragh Duggan was on the mark early with a pointed free for eventual winners Doora/Barefield but the North Clare outfit used the wind advantage well in the opening period, pointing four times in-a-row. Padraig Kelly kicked with the outside of his boot and Rowan Danagher pointed a free, while Colm O’Brien and Joseph McHugh added points after good passing movements.
However, Doora/Barefield soon came more into the game and finished the half stronger and it was now their turn to kick four in-a-row. Kieran Mulqueen pointed following a poor clearance, Maurice Nugent added another with seven minutes remaining, while Keelan Butler and Nugent again added two more points, giving Doora/Barefield a two-point lead at half-time, 0-6 to 0-4.
St Breckan’s/Ballyvaughan were playing into the wind in the second half but weren’t going to give in that easily. They began the half well and were soon on level terms, courtesy of Padraig Kelly who pointed twice, the second from a very tight angle. Maurice Nugent had Doora/Barefield ahead again after 11 minutes with a close-in point but two goals within a minute signalled a crucial period in the half. The first came from Colm O’Brien, St Breckan’s/Ballyvaughan, who was on hand to collect a rebounding ball and kick to the net for the lead. The celebrations had hardly subsided when Doora/Barefield were back up the field and restored their lead when corner-forward Sean O’Connell appeared to get the final touch for a scrambled goal. A Joseph McGann point for St Breckan’s/Ballyvaughan had the sides level, 1-7 each, with seven minutes of play remaining and the final result was still very much in doubt.
In the final frantic minutes, Doora/Barefield dug deeper and scored three points to St Breckan’s/Ballyvaughan’s one. Maurice Nugent, Darragh Duggan and a Keelan Butler free kick in injury time to a single Rowan Danagher pointed free ensured that the title and trophy were heading for the parish.
The result means that, for the second year in succession, the North Clare amalgamation have to be content with the runners-up prize at this level.

Doora/Barefield: Seán Moroney; Peter Collins, Tom Hannon, Ross Fitzgerald; Cian Murphy, Jack Hannon, Jason Herbert; Conor Kearns, Maurice Nugent (0-4); Keelan Butler (0-2), Darragh Duggan (0-3), Eoghan Tyne; Conor Tierney, Kieran Mulqueen (0-1), Seán O’Connell (1-0).
Sub: Conor Brannock.
St Breckan’s/Ballyvaughan: Aaron O’Brien; Kian Burke, Cathal Guerin, Darren Grey; Jack Sheedy, Evan Barrett, Cormac McGann; Joseph McGann (0-2), Jonah Culligan; Diarrang McNamara, Rowan Danaher (0-2), Micheál Flanagan; Colm O’Brien (1-1), Pádraig Kelly (0-3), Crebhan Hughes.

 

Victory for Kilmurry Ibrickane

Kilmurry Ibrickane 1-10   Kilmhil 2-4

KILMURRY Ibrickane defeated neighbours Kilmihil in the U-12 Division 2 football final at Cusack Park on Monday evening in a very entertaining game.
Kilmurry Ibrickane had the better of things in the opening minutes with Dermot Coughlan pointing for them but Kilmihil were soon in the lead when Ronan Callinan tipped an incoming ball to the Kilmurry net. Dermot Coughlan pointed a free kick after 11 minutes to reduce the deficit but a Seán Crowley free restored the Kilmihil two-point lead again.
A great kick by David Lernihan with five minutes remaining in the first half put Kilmihil three points ahead but Kilmurry Ibrickane’s combination and teamwork paid off as they scored three points in-a-row.
Daniel Walsh’s kick blasted off the crossbar before going over and Paudie Murrihy scored a brace from play to put the teams level entering injury time. A late free kick from Declan Quinn gave Kilmihil a slender one-point lead with the elements to favour Kilmurry in the second half.
After the restart, Kilmurry Ibrickane were soon on level terms when Paudie Murrihy kicked over for the equaliser. They were soon in a commanding lead when Dermot Coughlan’s low kick passed everyone, including the Kilmihil keeper, and nestled in the net.
Seán Crowley and Dermot Coughlan swapped points in the next few minutes leaving Kilmurry Ibrickane a goal ahead but the teams were soon on level terms when Kristops Murnieks seized on a rebound off the upright to kick to the Kilmurry net from close in, making the score Kilmihil 2-4 Kilmurry Ibrickane 1-7.
The result was now in the balance but Kilmurry’s will to win came through in the final minutes and three unanswered points from Conor Nugent, Dermot Coughlan from a free and an injury-time point from Paudie Murrihy sealed victory for Kilmurry Ibrickane.
Chairman of Bord na nÓg Peil, Billy Archbold presented the trophy to the winning captain, Chloe Moloney.

Kilmurry-Ibrickane: Darragh Moloney; Caolfhionn O’Dea, David Sexton, Michael Tuohy; Lauren McCarthy, Conor Nugent (0-1), Diarmuid King; Dermot Coughlan (1-4), Killian Flaherty; Andrew Shannon, Paudie Murrihy (0-4), Jason McInerney; Daniel Walsh (0-1), Chloe Moloney (capt), Danny Keavey.
Sub: Gary McMahon.
Kilmihil: William Pilkington; Michael McNamara, Fionn Febbraro, Gearóid O’Grady; Shane Downes, Brian O’Connor, Ciarán Downes; Daniel Keating, David Lernihan (0-1); Ben Egan, Cathal Murray, Declan Quinn (0-1); Seán Crowley (0-2), Kristops Murnieks (1-0), Ronan Callinan (1-0).
Sub: Caitríona Cullinan.