Dermot Hughes Cars Roscommon U-20 Division 1 Championship Fina
Clann na nGael 0-15
St. Brigid’s 1-10
Clann na nGael had to withstand a second half St. Brigid’s revival before edging home in this very enjoyable U-20 Division One final played on Friday evening last.
With Ciarán Lennon, Sea Henry and Dylan Sumner dominating, the home side cruised into a 0-10 to 0-2 lead at half-time but Brigid’s brought on Donnacha Gately, Brian Derwin and Robbie Dolan as subs, and in the second half their fortunes were transformed as they chipped away at the Clann lead coming up just short in the end.
It was 0-5 to no score after only ten minutes with Henry (2), Callum O’Brien, Paul McManus and Lennon on target. Eddie Nolan’s pointed free in the 12th minute was brief respite as Clann powered forward. Ciarán Lennon’s free taking was sublime, and by half-time Clann were eight points to the good with Brigid’s’ only other point a free pointed by Shane Cunnane.
The opening ten minutes of the second half saw the exchanges evenly matched but there was far more urgency to Brigid’s play. By the 37th minute Clann led by 0-13 to 0-3, but after that Brigid’s assumed control. Ciaran Sugrue, Shane Cunnane (free) and Brian Derwin pointed without reply. Henry lifted the siege with a fine point for Clann, but the goal that Brigid’s needed came in the 49th minute.
Hesitancy in the Clann defence was punished by the quick-thinking Brigid’s attack before Tom O’Carroll finished well. Indeed Brigid’s kicked a couple of wides from scoreable positions just after the goal and those misses were to prove costly.
Ciarán Lennon then pointed a whopper of a free from 45 metres in the 52nd minute but Brigid’s were not finished, and with three minutes to go Donnacha Gately fired over another super point.
Shane Cunnane was on target with a free in the 59th minute to reduce the margin to four with four minutes of injury-time left. In the 62nd minute Cunnane pointed another free and a minute later the gap was down to two when Cunnane was again on target. But Shane Curran’s men simply ran out of time and Clann had survived.
For a Clann side (managed by Johnny Dunning) who were impressive for three quarters of this final Sean Fallon, Oisin Lennon, Dylan Sumner, Paul McManus, Ciarán Lennon and Sea Henry were outstanding with Henry pipping Lennon for the ‘man of the match’ award after a super individual display.
Brigid’s will be disappointed that they didn’t get their revival underway earlier in the game but this is a young side that will be back no doubt. Pearse Frost, Eddie Nolan, Ciaran Sugrue and subs Donnacha Gately and Brian Derwin were their best performers.
Clann na nGael: David Finneran; Damien Duff, Sean Fallon, Michael McManus; Niall Connaughton, Oisin Lennon, Darragh Kildea; Dylan Sumner (0-1), David McManus; Paul McManus (0-1), Sea Henry (0-3), Fearghus Lennon (0-1); Ian Naughton, Ciarán Lennon (0-7, 6 frees), Callum O’Brien (0-2).
Subs: Darren Duff for McManus (35), Liam Donnolly for Naughton (53), Oisin Rock for Connaughton (57), Robbie Hardiman for Kildea (62).
St. Brigid’s: Seamus Smith; Kealan Connor, Shane Furey, Pearse Frost; John Leonard, Darren Carroll, Ian O’Rourke; Eddie Nolan (0-1, free), Billy McDonnell; Gavin Byrne, Shane Cunnane (0-5, all frees), Colin Daly; Ciaran Sugrue (0-1), Tom O’Carroll (1-0), Kealan Byrne.
Subs: Donnacha Gately (0-2), for Daly (26), Robbie Dolan for Leonard (h/t), Brian Derwin (0-1) for K Byrne (h/t), Eoghan Derwin for G Byrne (45), Ruari Smith for O’Carroll (55).
Referee: Padraig Tiernan
