Aghagallon Make it Three Titles

Under-21 A (Final) 

Aghagallon Make it Three Titles 

St Mary’s Aghagallon 2-05 O’Donovan Rossa 1-05 

St Mary’s Aghagallon are the under-21 champions 2016 after they proved just a little too good for O’ Donovan Rossa in a tense, closely contested final at Toome on Sunday last. 

The St Mary’s men arrived in search of another title after securing the league championship double and as things turned out they were to leave with three pieces of silverware for their efforts in 2016. 

The South West side had a goal to spare over the city side at the conclusion with both the majors arriving in either half as full forward Ruairi Loughran despatched penalties to the net but in the event both arrived clouded in some controversy being hotly disputed at each award. 

After a cagey start to proceedings as the protagonists weighed up their opposition it was the Rossa men who were first away and indeed with a smashing opener as James Connolly fired over from long range, and he was duly followed in kind by another from the talented Sean Pat Donnelly. 

The Shaw’s road side had looked to be on the positive from the outset but the early lead established and the raising of the back to back whites was not for long as after the first hint of controversy and a disputed penalty award duly tucked away in stylish completion Aghagallon gained the lead. 

The man in the middle had adjudged a foul had been committed on Ruairi Mc Cann by the city side’s central defender Richard Gowdy, but some observers had expressed the opinion that the wing half forward had ‘bought’ the award. 

But when the referee dismissed the protestations Ruairi Loughran stepped forward to deliver to the back of the net the South West side had ascended to the lead. 

The advantage regained was not to last however as Rossa replied in style as a precision based movement which employed Darren Grego and Callum Mc Veigh as they combined to open the way for the nimble Sean Pat Donnelly to volley ‘soccer style’ to the back of the net. 

The South Antrim men had regained composure and when James Connolly rose highest to claim the resultant kick out and directly return over the bar Rossa had opened a three point lead at 1-03 to 1-00. 

Aghagallon having started out as firm favourites certainly looked less than impressive in the opening phase of the decider and with more than a few from the senior side which had gained both the Intermediate championship and the division two league title 2016 on board they did look slightly uneasy. 

Rossa had a firm grip on the bit and were seemingly intent on taking the game to the opposition. 

Aghagallon were being held in their planned offensive and Rossa piled on the pressure, and it took a fine save from the St Mary’s keeper Robert Hare to deny Callum Mc Veigh a second goal for the city men. 

James Connolly, who had started well despatched high towards the posts and after the leather was gathered by Mc Veigh in the shadow of the posts his delivery looked goal bound before the intervention of the Aghagallon net-minder. 

Having looked less than assured in the opening third of the game and indeed without a score from play to that juncture the St Mary’s men gain in composure and a Niall Mc Shane 22nd minute point after he had gathered the loose ball on the ‘40’ seemed to arrive to raise morale and indeed proved as a positive influence. 

Eunan Walsh who had recently claimed the ‘South West Player of the Year’ award always looking to come forward from the wing half back position at every opportunity came in search of score in the 24th minute, but after combining with Oisin Lenehan the wing half back’s delivery just went wide of the posts. 

Rossa were soon back on the search for scores as well but despite well laid offensives the city men did lack somewhat in penetration at times and after James Connolly sent wide of the posts in the 26th minute the pace laden Darren Grego was to follow suit a minute thereafter. 

Rossa were gaining a good supply of the ball as James Connolly continued to impress in the middle but after another strong run the finish was not as good and the bye ball tally was extended. 

Rossa did up the ante in the latter stages of the period but finishing let them down and having missed the target on three occasions in succession they left the door ajar for the St Mary’s men and the last score was to go to the men from the South West division as the most impressive Oisin Lenahan raised white late in the period. 

The big mid fielder who certainly does a young man with a future drove through the middle to finish with an eye catching 31st minute point, and although just their second score from open play in the half hour they were within the minimum at the break. 

Rossa led 1-03 to 1-02 at the short blast but they should have been further ahead and in the event they were to rue those missed opportunities. 

Rossa did start in the second portion with the lead but such was not to linger for long and the Aghagallon men were on terms within a couple of minutes as Shane Russell nipped away on the left hand side to hoist a white flag. 

Oisin Lenehan who was now in firm control in the middle had claimed possession in the central zone to send the corner forward in to split the posts in the 32nd minute. 

The protagonists were on level terms at 1-03 apiece but not for long as another big call from the man in the middle and a second disputed penalty award allowed Aghagallon to take the front. 

Oisin Lenahan had collected in the middle again and after a slick combination with the advancing Eunan Walsh the latter made his way towards the Rossa posts. 

The wing half back was to be halted in his onward drive by Richard Gowdy and illegally was the decision of the man in the middle. 

The decision made was again to be hotly disputed as those of the Rossa persuasion felt that the foul committed, was not as contentious but they did feel, as did most of those in attendance that the ‘illegal tackle’ was outside the square. 

The decision stood however and despite the pressure of the occasion Ruairi Loughran strode forward to confidently plant the leather in the corner of the net and Aghagallon had gone into a three point lead, 2-03 to 1-03 with four minutes of the period gone. 

Rossa most likely stunned by the concession did lose composure and they had cause to look to their keeper a couple of minutes later as Eunan Walsh advanced on the left again to send Rory Mc Cann in on target. 

Mc Cann another within the St Mary’s ranks who has impressed this term looked likely to find the net but the wing half forward was thwarted in the 

quest as the Rossa net-minder Caolan Walsh came quickly off his line to smother the ball. 

Rossa made recovery after the heroics of their net custodian as Sean Pat Donnelly’s cute delivery opened the way for Darren Grego to split the posts in the 40th minute. 

The wing half forward’s score did reduce the deficit to couple of points and indeed seemed to add impetus but after Sean Pat Donnelly sent wide of the posts a pointed free at the other end as Ruairi Loughran steered a 30 metre effort over the bar restored the three point margin enjoyed by Aghagallon at the start of the last quarter. 

Rossa were in search of scores but they were delivered a blow to the cause as the lively Darren Grego saw black in the 8th minute and indeed things were about to get worse when full forward Callum Mc Veigh was shown the same colour card. The big full forward had picked up a yellow in the opening period and with the second card following a red and dismissal followed. 

The city men now reduced in number did look to return to the coal face but things were not to get any better as mid-fielder Gerard Walsh was shown black in the 52nd minute and a Shane Russell point which followed saw the Aghagallon lead at four points. 

Rossa did rally to the cause and a Padraig Mc Parland 55th minute point did ensure only a score separated the protagonists again, 2-05 to 1-05. 

Despite the numerical advantage Aghagallon did look uneasy as the Rossa men looked to regain and indeed they did come mighty close as the elegant Sean Pat Donnelly evaded several challenges as he made his way to the target. 

Donnelly looked for goal but his low drive which evaded the defenders only found the base of the post. 

In the event this was to prove the last throw of the dice for the Rossa men who were to be reduced further as corner back Niall Crossan was shown red in the frantic closing minutes which saw a bad flare up which continued outside the wire as the long blast arriving shortly thereafter to signal success for the men from Aghagallon, under-21 champions 2016, at 2-05 to 1-05. 

Referee Karol Doherty (Rasharkin) 

Teams 

Aghagallon 

Robert Haire, Aidan Mulholland, Dan Donnelly, Aaron Doherty, James Lenahan, Patrick Brannigan, Eunan Walsh, Caolan Farr, Oisin Lenahan (0-01), Ruairi Mc Cann, Niall Mc Shane (0-01), James Harbinson, Paul Mulholland, Ruairi Lenahan (2-01), Shane Russell (0-02) 

Caolan Reynolds for J Harbinson 

Rossa 

Cailean Walsh, Niall Devlin, Conor Mc Gowan, Niall Crossan, Aidan Carlin, Richie Gowdy, Michael Mc Greevey, Gerard Walsh, Anthony Rowntree, Darren Grego (0-01), Padraig Mc Parland (0-01), James Connolly (0-02), Sean Pat Donnelly (1-01), Callum Mc Veigh, Chris Boyle. 

Subs 

Adrian Devlin for C Boyle 

Padraig Mc Greevey for D Grego (black card) 

James Cooley for G Walsh (black card) 

Callum Mc Veigh (yellow and black to make red in the 50th minute) 

Niall Crossan (red card issued in the 61st minute)