Reds get the green light
March 01, 2010The team played with great organisation and even more penetration as they shell-shocked opponents on their way to the Roinn E title.
Like all great champions, the Reds sashayed their way to the winner's enclosure primarily on the back of a focussed, unified, collective effort.
"There were no real weak links," team mentor Seamus Doyle explains, "no real stars, just a very good team of players who played for each other."
One suspects the world and his mother knew in their heart of hearts that Cornafean were always going to beat the best of the rest in Roinn E.
The players had a good pedigree, for starters. A handful of them were on the triumphant under 13 team of 2008 despite their tender years.
Then there was the 'pre-season'. Cornafean posted notice of their intentions by winning a couple of blitzes prior to the start of battle in Roinn E.
2009 saw Cornafean's vitality, pace and innate ball skills on show from the get-go and opponents were left trailing helplessly in their wake.
The young Reds thrilled their own fans with their dexterity, their score-making and marksmanship and, really, had things very much their own way.
The squad got together under the aegis of the aforementioned Doyle, Art McSeain and Martin Smith last February in preparation for the competition.
Good habits beget good results and in focussing on the basic skills of the game, the Cornafean think-tank firmly sewed the seeds of success.
"We did a lot of ball work with the lads and concentrated a lot too on kicking the ball accurately over 20 or 30 yards," Seamus reflects.
And the more the Cornafean starlets honed their 'catch and kick' skills, the more victories were totted up and the more they enjoyed their innings.
Self-assured and ambitious, the Cornafean youngsters went through their campaign with venomous intent and left a raft of teams in their wake.
The Roinn E title winners-elect were deemed shoo-ins for the silverware and their performances fairly reflected their pre-competition odds.
After all, eight of the starting eleven in the county final were on the Ballinagh Cumann na mBunscoll-winning team of 2008.
Cornafean hit the ground running. Emphatic win, followed emphatic win. Did Seamus anticipate such an easy ride for his charges?
"We felt the lads had a very good chance of winning Roinn E. We played Crosserlough who went onto win the Roinn B title and things went very well.
"It was a week before the final. It was a good challenge game and we got to within a couple of points of them (Crosserlough) in the end.
"That game was important to us 'cause it meant the lads tasted defeat and brought them back to earth and reminded them that they could be beaten."
Drawing their players from Corlis, Cornea, Farnham and Ballinagh national schools, the Cornafean U12 think-tank were spoiled for talent in '09.
Whereas Cornafean under 12 teams of four or five years ago were conceding six and seven goals per game, the reverse was true last year.
In practically every match in 2009, Cornafean's finest succeeded in banging in a handful of goals and conceding very few in return.
With consistent surges of energy, the young Reds pummelled successive opponents on their way to the county semi-final where they met Redhills.
Two weeks before their date in the last four, Cornafean beat Redhills comprehensively. A repeat result in the semi-final was all but guaranteed.
As things panned out, history did repeat itself with the outcome of the game obvious after less than five minutes of non-stop Cornafean pressure.
However, the final was a different story with near-neighbours Arva putting up a plucky fight before going under by 2-12 to 6-10 in the decider.
"All along we knew it'd be between us and Arva for the title," says Seamus. "We knew their players well and both of us were way ahead in the league.
"We didn't play each other before the final 'cause of the bad weather but we were sure the two best teams had reached the final in any event.
"The two of us were undefeated and we felt it was going to be an even contest. We were hopeful, more than confident, going into the game."
The final proved to be a great advertisement for the coaching structures in both clubs and, of course, the ability of both sets of players.
Once again, Cornafean's attacking prowess came to the fore and, ultimately, proved decisive in seeing the Reds home on June 21st last.
A brillant goal by James Cartwright - after a fine James McGahern assist - early on set the tone of the match as Cornafean opened brightly.
The Reds maintained their focus on the winning post with young McGahern almost goaling shortly afterwards as Arva remained pinned to the ropes.
The same player wasn't to be denied three minutes later though when he used his strength to hold off the 'keeper and put his side 2-1 to 0-0 ahead.
To their credit, Arva hung in there and goaled to cut the gap to four after nine minutes and then another point for the blues upped the ante.
A neat point by the impressive Cartwright - after good work by Shane Doyle - got Cornafean back on the frontfoot but back came Arva with a point.
Arva stuck to their guns though and a second goal for them hoisted them into the lead, 2-7 to 2-4, at the interval, and left Cornafean would work to do.
A brace of points on the restart consolidated Arva's lead before James McGahern goaled, following trojan work by Cormac Cullen, after 18 minutes.
It was nip and tuck for the next few minutes and with nine minutes left to play, Arva remained two points in front and favourites to secure the cup.
Cornafean showed a lot of character and will-to-win though and they rolled up their sleeves with renewed gusto and determination.
A fantastic goal by the aforementioned Cullen, after fine foraging by James Cartwright, eased the Reds ahead in the 44th minute.
>From there to the finish, Cornafean had the look of winners. Substitute Jack Hogan set up top-scorer McGahern for a super goal in the 47th minute.
Cornafean proceeded to go for the jugular and a converted free by Cormac Cullen was followed by a late Conor Sheridan goal to seal the issue.
Cornafean (2009 U12 Roinn E final v Arva);
Daniel Cullivan; Stephen Woods, Sean Brady, Brian Sheridan, Conor Sheridan, Cormac Cullen, Jason Miney, Ryan Kiernan, Shane Doyle, James McGahern, James Cartwright.
Sub used; Jack Hogan
So how satisfying was it to win in such passionate, determined mode?
"It was a great way to finish a game, with such a flourish but you'd rather win any game badly than lose in a good fashion," Seamus opines.
"There's nothing wrong with winning ugly but the win over Arva means a lot to me, the rest of the management team and the club as a whole.
"The club isn't used to county titles. When we won the junior championship in 2000, it was our only one in 50 years so every cup is welcome.
"We've won less than a handful of juvenile titles over the last 25 years so winning the under 12s was sweet and a good boost to the club, especially after our minors lost out in the championship final to Kildallan which was disappointing," adds the former teak-tough full-back.
Looking ahead to the future prospects for the Class of 2009, Seamus is more than hopeful that the title-winning Cornafean youngsters will continue to cut it when it comes to the race for silverware.
"I'd be surprised if they don't go on and win more titles down the road.
"They are keen to learn and they want to play at a higher level. I think they're good enough too to play at a higher level.
"We'd like to think that further down the line, there'll be a few of them who'll be well able to contribute to the juniors." Tweet
