McGrath Oil West U21A Football Championship Final
Arravale Rovers 0-12
Cappawhite Gaels 0-4
John O’Shea at Golden
Arravale Rovers maintained their grip on the McGrath Oil West Under 21A Football championship when overcoming the Cappawhite / Solohead combination at Golden on Wednesday night. Played in good conditions, despite the recent frost, the Tipperary town outfit never looked in danger of surrendering their title. This was their ninth title since 2009 and their eighteenth in all at this grade.
The main difference between these two sides was the ability of Arravale to get scores on the board, whereas the combo were sadly lacking in this department. Possession wise, Arravale were well matched all through, but their defence were always able to smother out the Cappa attack, limiting them to just two points in both halves.
Up front, Arravale had their match winners in Gavin Cussen, particularly in the opening half when he kicked three wonderful points, while David Kelly and Eoghan Lonergan were always a thorn in the combo defence, kicking four points between them from open play.
Gearoid Ryan (B), despite being named in the full back line, was always willing to go forward and kicked two points of his side’s total. Mikey O’Brien and Gearoid Lennon also put in a good shift, but overall the strength of the Arravale attack told in the finish.
The game got off to a slow start, in the scoring department, with both defences on top and wayward shooting in front of goal also contributing. The opening score came after ten minutes when David Kelly converted a close in free, which had been needlessly conceded. It took a further seven minutes before the next score when Gavin Cussen kicked the first of his three points.
With Arravale now finding their range, scores appeared to come easy for the town side. Eoghan Lonergan put over before Gavin Cussen kicked two in quick succession, putting his side five to the good with twenty-one minutes on the clock. Eoin Doocey got his first point of the night before Gearoid Ryan (B) split the defence to open the combo account with six minutes remaining before the break.
Cappa continued taking the game to Arravale but were unable to transfer this possession onto the scoreboard. Aidan Mair was called into action following a good build up by Arravale, before David Kelly put six between the sides as half time approached. Mikey O’Brien and Johnny Ryan exchanged points in injury time to leave the half time score, Arravale Rvs. 0-8, Cappawhite Gaels 0-2.
The combo needed a good start to the second half, but it was Arravale who got the opening score from an Eoin Doocey free. Neil Clancy, from a placed ball cut the deficit to six as the combo came more into the game. A good move from midfield resulted in a crashing shot from Gearoid Lennon coming back off the upright after seven minutes and this effectively ended the game as a contest.
The combo continued to attack ion numbers but were unable to breach the tight Arravale defence. Shane Maher and David Kelly added two further points, to put the contest out of reach by the three-quarter mark.
The final quarter produced very little on the scoreboard as Arravale were content on defending their lead. The combo created a few half chances but Darren Hueston was alert to their efforts. Gearoid Ryan (B) and Eoghan Lonergan exchanged scores as the clock wound down, leaving the final score, Arravale Rvs. 0-12, Cappawhite Gaels 0-4.
Following the game West Board Chair, Tommy Hayes, presented the winning captain, Niall Sharpe, with the JJ Kenneally Cup.
Teams & Scorers:
Arravale Rovers: Darren Heuston, Brian Roche, Shane Maher, Odhram O’Dwyer, Peter Ryan, Raymond Kelly, John Paul Lohan, Donagh Hickey, Johnny Ryan, Eoin Doocey, Eoghan Lonergan, Niall Sharpe (Captain), Gavin Cussen, Dan O’Dwyer, David Kelly
Subs used: James Cussen for Peter Ryan (48), Oisin Hogan for Dan O’Dwyer (48), Aidan Roche for Eoin Doocey (50), Evan Hawkins for Johnny Ryan (50), Jack English for John Paul Lohan (55)
Gavin Cussen (0-3), David Kelly (0-3, 0-1f), Eoin Doocey (0-2, 0-1f), Eoghan Lonergan (0-2), Johnny Ryan (0-1), Shane Maher (0-1).
Cappawhite Gaels: Aidan Mair, Daire Duggan, Gearoid Ryan B, Cian O’Carroll, Pakie Barry, Mikey Carmody, Ciaran Doody, Stephen Dee, Philip Gantley, Sean Cleary, Ryan Renehan, Mikey O’Brien, Gearoid Lennon, Dara McCarthy (Captain), Neil Clancy
Subs used: Sam Carmody for Sean Cleary (HT), Thomas O’Mahony for Ciaran Doody (HT).
Gearoid Ryan (B) (0-2), Neil Clancy (0-1f), Mikey O’Brien (0-1).
Referee: David Grogan (Aherlow)
(Back L-R): Daire Duggan, Seán Cleary, Cian O’ Carroll, Ciarán Doody, Mikey Carmody, Neil Clancy, Mikey O’ Brien, Aidan Mair, Stephen Dee, Pakie Barry, Anthony Barry, Patrick Horan. (Front L-R): Philip Gantley, Dara McCArthy (Captain), Ryan Renehan, Gearóid Ryan (B), Gearóid Lennon, Thomas O’ Mahony, Tristan Stokes, James Quinlan, Sam Carmody, Caoimhín Doody.
Dara McCarthy, David Grogan & Niall Sharpe.
