U14 Ladies Football: Éire Óg came from ten points down at half-time to win the under-14 ‘A’ football championship final with a terrific second half performance proving the difference for the Greystones outfit.
It was Tinahely who dominated the first half, playing some brilliant football throughout. Four points from wing forward Hannah O’Neill opened up a four-point lead inside the opening 10 minutes for Tinahely.
Éire Óg did grow into the game, but they found it difficult to break their opponents down, mainly due to some great tackling from Saoirse Tyrell and Sophie White in the full-back line. Ava Stapleton added another for Tinahely shortly after, increasing their lead to five points.
Éire Óg did get themselves back in the game midway through the first half with some good scores from Grace Rush, and Kitty O’Beirne.
Tinahely found the game’s first goal after a powerful run from Ava Stapelton led to the midfielder being fouled inside the area.
Referee Terry Canavan awarded a penalty and up stepped Bea Clancy. Clancy placed the ball into the top right corner, giving her side a huge boost.
Less than two minutes later, one goal quickly became two after a long-range effort from Charlotte Doyle dropped into the net. Ava Stapelton added another free on the cusp of half-time, sending Tinahely into the break with a 2-6 to 0-2 lead.
The second half was a completely different game, with Éire Óg coming out firing. The Greystones side were given a huge boost inside the first five minutes of the half and were awarded a penalty after Kitty O’Beirne was fouled.
The player who was eager to take responsibility was full-back Naoimi Wall. Wall stood up and buried the ball home, giving her side some hope, reducing Tinahely’s lead to seven points.
The goal gave her side a real lift and just minutes later, Grace Rush scored from close range.
Tinahely struggled to retain possession from kick outs and allowed their opponents back into the tie. Ella Andrews’ point from distance sent the Greystones faithful ecstatic, but it was the next score which really threw the contest up in the air.
Some expert link up from Lauren O’Leary and Kitty O’Beirne deep inside the Tinahely half saw them carve the Tinahely defence open again and O’Beirne finished emphatically past Emma Kirwan.
O’Beirne’s goal levelled the game with just over ten minutes to go. Éire Óg desperately pushed for a score which would see them take the score for the very first time, and that’s what they got in the 52nd minute.
When Lauren O’Leary opted to shoot from the guts of 40 yards out, not many around the pitch would have expected her effort to sail between the posts, but that was exactly what happened as she fired over a vital point.
Lucy O’Leary added another score for Éire Óg in the dying moments, sealing a massive comeback her side as they claimed the under-14 ‘A’ crown in style.
Éire Óg: Rebecca O’Connor; Maisie Grey, Naomi Wall (1-0), Siofra O’Farrell; Erica Sommers, Ella Andrews (0-1), Isabella Farrell; Thea Sterritt, Lauren O’Leary (0-1); Ciara O’Farrell, Caoimhe Davis, Grace Rush (1-1); Kitty O’Beirne (1-1), Lucy O’Leary (0-1), Jordan Winterbach.
Junior C Hurling: This Junior ‘C’ hurling final could have gone either way at Pearse’s Park in Arklow on Saturday evening.
However, Avondale, a club steeped in the best traditions of the GAA, weathered determined and repeated assaults on their lead in both halves before clinching the coveted Junior ‘C’ hurling crown by the slenderest of margins at the final whistle.
Éire Óg also contributed handsomely to making this a battle royale from start to finish. In essence this was a man’s game played by men.
Fittingly the game marked the crowning glory for one of the great servants of Avondale hurling. Seamus McGraynor put away his hurley at the final whistle. The 55-year-old has played his last game in both codes. He owes neither absolutely nothing and leaves behind a legacy that will be remembered for many years to come.
It highlights a serious message for hurling in Wicklow going forward. Too many teams are struggling because of a shortage of new blood to re-energise them. Correct me if I’m wrong but all clubs bar two are involved in amalgamations in order to field underage teams.
Teams cannot prosper without renewal. They just cannot call on heroes like Seamus McGraynor forever. There is serious work needed throughout the county. Wicklow’s county team plummeted in both league and championship this year, relegated from Christy Ring to Nicky Rackard.
Sermon over. Let’s get back to some serious hurling from both Éire óg and Avondale on Saturday. It warmed the heart to see two teams go at it hammer and thongs from start to finish. No quarter asked or expected. And on both sides, it was the ‘seniors’ who were giving the lead, setting the example.
Less than two minutes gone, and Avondale were a goal ahead. A long clearance out of defence was bombing down on Éire Óg’s goal and in a forest of hurleys the sliotar deflected to the net off the stick of full-back Ger Whyte.
No fault of Whyte, a class hurler, who went on to play a stormer for the Greystones side throughout the game.
A minute later the green flag was waving at the other end. Corner-forward Enda Forde sneaked his way in along the end line from the left before blasting to Trevor Heffernan’s net.
Sides deadlocked and the template set for the game. For the next 15 minutes the pendulum swung in favour of Avondale as they raced into a 1-6 to 1-1 lead. Wing back Niall Heffernan was constantly in the limelight; landed three points as he converted a 65 and two frees.
Then Heffernan set up Dylan Graham for a point with pin-point accuracy from a cross-field free. Dermot Phelan, James Doyle, Karl Phelan and Cathal Baker were all showing strongly.
Then the tide turned the other way in the second quarter. Éire Óg Greystones stormed back with vengeance.
Enda Forde was working his magic throughout. All he needed was a sniff at the opponent’s posts and a score resulted. He raised three white flags in seven minutes. Midfielder Joe Prendergast drilled a splendid 65 between the sticks and corner-forward Stephen O’Neill signed his name on the scoresheet with a point.
The margin went back down to a wafer thin 1-8 to 1-6 in favour of Avondale. The game was back in the melting pot at half-time.
The exchanges remained as tight as you know what in the second half. The teams shared equally the 14 points registered.
Dylan Graham was first off the mark for Avondale. Winger Niall Kelly countered for Éire Óg. Cathal Baker pilfered a sweet brace for the ‘Dales, the first after a sizzling solo, the second from a difficult angle near the end line.
Enda Forde was still conjuring up the magical touch for the Greystones men. Avondale had stretched their lead by only a solitary point by the end of the third quarter: 1-12 to 1-9.
And those exchanges continued to throb and flow to an agonising nine minutes of injury time for Avondale as Éire Óg piled on relentless pressure in the closing phase as they went in pursuit of an equaliser if not a winner.
Martin Joyce brought a stunning save. It was vital for Avondale, but it was not to be for Greystones gallants. Avondale relieved to have prevailed.
Credit to both teams for serving us with such a titanic battle.
Éire Óg Greystones: Martin Byrne, Kieran. Ovenden, Ger Whyte, Fintan Potts, Shaun Hughes’s, Joey Molloy, Paddy O’Sullivan, Joe Prendergast (0-2, 2 65s), Simon Doyle, Jason Doyle, Martin Joyce (0-2), Niall Kelly (0-1), Enda Forde (1-7), Graham Mahon, Stephen O’Neill (0-1). Subs: Nick Fay, Mikey Stafford for S O’Neill, Andy Molloy, Martin Joyce, Jack Commons, Shane Mulford for J Doyle), Oisin Shannon for N Kelly.
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