St. Patricks GAA

South u-21 HC ‘B’ final

St Patricks Gaels 1-11
Ballybacon-Grange 0-07

Full forward Tony O’Brien was outstanding for St. Patrick’s Gaels in the Pat Cleere South u-21 HC ‘B’ final against Ballybacon-Grange at Monroe on Saturday. O’Brien scored 1-08 with six points from frees, including three from more than 70m against a stiff breeze. Board chairman Dick Egan presented the Fitzpatrick Cup to winning captain Patrick Moroney.

Ballybacon-Grange were first to score after two minutes from Daniel O’Regan. Tony O’Brien replied in the 9th minute with an excellent point from 50m near the touch line. Carl Costigan had a reply for Ballybacon-Grange when he fired over a 30m point from play. Billy Hewitt pointed a Ballybacon-Grange free to make it 0-03 to 0-01 but this was short lived when a ball that dropped into the Ballybacon-Grange goalmouth was not cleared and Tony O’Brien pounced to give Philip Murphy no chance between the posts for a fine goal and a lead that St Pats Gaels never lost.

O’Brien added a point from a free to leave the score after 20 minutes St Pats Gaels 1-02 Ballybacon-Grange 0-03 Darren Sweeney added a point from play in the 24th minute but it was St Pats Gaels that were in the driving seat for the remainder of the half with points from Enda Fogarty and two from Tony O’Brien, one a free, to leave the half time score St Pats Gaels 1-05 to Ballybacon-Grange 0-04 with both teams having hit 5 wides each.

Ballybacon-Grange got off to a flying start in the second half when Darren Sweeney fired over his second point from play after two minutes with Brian Dillon scoring a long range free in the 35th minute to leave two points between the sides.

Ballybacon-Grange then had a fine chance to go ahead when Darren Sweeney had John Moroney beaten only to see the ball strike the crossbar and come back into play resulting in St Pats Gaels going on an attack and getting a free that Tony O’Brien put over the bar from 50m.

The midfield duels were intense with Stuart Broderick and Shane Gorey just about shading it over Aaron Cowan and Cully Nugent and with a free conceded 75m out in the 42nd minute, Tony O’Brien came out to send it straight between the posts to go four up.

John Moroney who had a solid game between the posts for St Pats Gaels brought off a fine save from a Daniel O’Regan shot and with another free conceded by Ballybacon-Grange in the 48th minute on the 80m line, Tony O’Brien sent it straight between the posts.

With Eoin Walsh for Ballybacon-Grange not on form from long range frees, the game was slipping out of their grasp and St Pats Gaels were gaining control by the minute. Stuart Broderick scored a fine point from play in the 52nd minute. They introduced Eoghan McCormack for Aaron Cronin and his introduction seemed to consolidate their dominance with Tony O’Brien adding a point from a free on the 60 metre to leave St Pats Gaels 1-10 to 0-06 as we entered the final five minutes.

Both teams exchanged points, the first from a Brian Dillon free on the 20m line when a goal was attempted and the final score of the game from the hard working Shane Gorey for St Pats Gaels who had a point on the run from around the 30m mark to end the game on a score line St Patrick’s Gaels 1-11, Ballybacon-Grange 0-07 with St Pats Gaels deserving champions on the days.

They were beaten in 2008 at the same stage by Mullinhone who went all the way in winning the county. Best on the day for St. Patricks Gaels were John Moroney, Colm Dunne, Richard Needham, Shane Gorey, Enda Fogerty, and man of the match Tony O’Brien.

For a gallant Ballybacon-Grange, who never struck the form of the semi-final, Diarmuid and Michael O’Sullivan, Brian Dillon, Daniel O’Regan and Billy Hewitt battled right to the end.

Scorers- St Patricks Gaels: Tony O’Brien 1-08 (6 frees), Stuart Broderick, Enda Fogerty, Shane Gorey 0-01 each.

Ballybacon-Grange: Darren Sweeney 0-02, Brian Dillon 0-02 (frees), Daniel O’Regan 0-01, Carl Costigan 0-01, Billy Hewitt 0-01 free,

St Paricks Gaels: John Moroney, Thomas Hayes, Colm Dunne, Aaron Cronin, Pat Moroney, Richard Needham, Jason Hayes, Stuart Broderick, Shane Gorey, Paul Horan, Robert McCormack, Enda Fogerty, Marcus O’Halloran, Tony O’Brien, Keelan O’Neill. Sub Eoghan McCormack (33 min)

Ballybacon-Grange: Philip Murphy, Michael O’Sullivan, Diarmuid O’Sullivan, Noel Fitzgerald, Eoin Walsh, Brian Dillon, Alex Kirwan, Aaron Cowan, Cully Nugent, Carl Costigan, Andrew Heffernan, Jonathan Ryan, Daniel O’Regan, Darren Sweeney, Billy Hewitt.

Referee: Pa Shelly (Killenaule)

The Nationalist(November 5th, 2009)

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