Under 21 F C final: Joe's goal carries combo to title
December 01, 2018
Kilbride's Joseph Donnelly closes in on Eamon McGee Kilmainham/Drumbaragh during the U21 C football championship final at Pairc Tailteann
Joe Carry's 34th minute goal was the difference as the Kilmainham/Drumbaragh combination fended off a strong Kilbride rally to claim the Under 21 F C title at Pairc Tailteann on Saturday.
Kilmainham/Drumbaragh ....... 2-9
Kilbride............................... 0-12
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Carry's goal was central to moving the Kells-parish side eight points clear by the middle of the second-half.
That left it 2-7 to 0-5 and driven by the efforts of top scorer David O'Leary who finished with six points to his credit, Kilbride were just a score in arrears at the finish having outscored the north Meath side by 0-7 to 0-2 in the final quarter.
The Kilbride captain posted the last two points for his side before time ran out on them. The runners-up can point to three first-half goal chances that weren't availed of.
A bit more composure in front of the posts might have lessened the Kilmainham/Drumbaragh wide count.
Kilbride sub Michael Farrell was wide with a close range free with time running. Later Kilmainham/Drumbaragh's Turlough Carry was sent-off for a foul in stoppage time.
The game yielded two points in the opening minute. Conor Kilgallen's 17th-second score for Kilmainham/Drumbaragh was countered by a Stephen Higgins score for Kilbride.
Before the second minute elapsed, Brendan Courtney pointed the Dublin-border side in front.
The decisive moment in the opening half arrived seven minutes in when Conor Lynch netted for the Kells-parish outfit with help from Conor Kilgallen.
That made it 1-1 to 0-2 and Kilmainham/Drumbaragh took that lead to the interval.
Kilbride might have bagged three first-half goals. Two of the chances fell to Finn Hughes. He fired low and wide in the 16th minute,. With half-time approaching he was on the end of a sweeping move but his effort was stopped by the legs of Jamie Timmons.
A goal then would have levelled matters. The sides exchanged points before the break with Liam Ward magnificent effort for Kilmainham/Drumbaragh leaving his side 1-4 to 0-4 ahead at half-time.
Kilmainham/Drumbaragh tagged on 1-3 in the third quarter while conceding just one point. That proved central to the outcome.
Kilmainham/Drumbaragh - Jamie Timmons; Nathan Kiernan, Killian Byrne; Turlough Carry, Joe Carry (1-0), Eamon McGee; Luke Fagan (0-1), Stephen Meegan (jc); Liam Ward (0-2), Conor Kilgallen (jc) (0-1), Kyle Dardis; Dylan Morgan (0-4, 2fs), Conor Lynch (1-1). Subs - David Shipp for Dardis (60)
Kilbride - Craig Manning; Sean Duffy, Karl Stapleton; Jamie McWeeney, Dean Stapleton, Cian Harford; David O'Leary (C) (0-7,3fs), Ronan O'Leary; Brendan Courtney (0-1), Joseph Donnelly (0-2,1f), Brian Dignam; Stephen Higgins (0-1), Finn Higgins. Subs - James Gavin for R O'Leary (6), Michael Farrell (0-1) for Hughes (ht), Cadhla McKenna for Dignam (48)
Referee - Hugo Whoriskey (St Patrick's)
