Nobber back with the big boys
November 27, 2010
Since Nobber won the Junior Football Championship in 2002 they have been consistently fancied to move another step up the ladder by adding the intermediate title and they finally delivered this year when powering past Carnaross in a surprisingly one-sided final. By Paul Clarke.
It was their first title in the grade since 1980 when Dudley Farrell captained the team and lifted the Gaelic Weekly Cup after a final win over Harps. Three decades later his son Brian was captain and this time he took possession of the Mattie McDonnell Cup.
Nobber were managed by Darren Fay last year and were deeply disappointed when they lost a replayed semi-final to Kilmainhamwood, but there was a definite determination to make amends this term and they did so in impressive fashion as they went through the championship unbeaten.
Davy Cahill, who guided St Ultan's to the intermediate title two years earlier, was at the Nobber helm this year, with former Meath attacker Bernard Flynn offering assistance and Thomas Tierney and Andy Hayes acting as selectors. When the championship draw was made a repeat of that semi-final against Kilmainhamwood looked like an appetising opener, but this time Nobber won easily.
Kilmainhamwood's year couldn't have been any more different to that of Nobber as they suffered relegation and when the clubs met at Meath Hill back in April it was Nobber who won decisively, leading by 0-10 to 0-6 at the interval en route to a 1-14 to 0-10 victory.
Nobber scored points with consistency in the second round against Moynalvey at Simonstown, winning by 0-17 to 1-9, after leading by 0-9 to 0-5 at the break and the first of two draws in the group followed when they were reeled in late by St Colmcille's at Rathkenny.
The seasiders led by 1-7 to 0-7 at the interval, but Nobber improved and were in front by 0-14 to 1-8 with three minutes remaining. They conceded the last three points as St Colmcille's battled back to parity, 1-11 to 0-14.
Nobber had a bye in the fourth round, before another draw followed all of nine weeks later in the last round at Kells where a Brendan Heffernan point six minutes into injury time rescued a share of the spoils against Carnaross in what was a dress rehearsal for the final.
Heffernan's score was decisive in earning Nobber top spot in the section and a semi-final ticket. They had a let off after 10 minutes when John L McGee rattled the crossbar, but broke away for Padraig Fox and Darren Lambe to set up Andrew Hayes for a goal which helped Nobber to be level (1-4 to 0-7) at the interval.
McGee had better luck on 48 minutes when he goaled to give Carnaross a comfortable lead, but Nobber scored the last three points through Farrell and Heffernan (two) to force a draw (1-11 each). They missed chances in the closing stages too, but the important thing was that they were back in the semi-finals.
There to meet them at Pairc Tailteann were Dunderry and Nobber moved a giant step closer to senior football when securing a 0-12 to 0-8 victory. This was a scrappy game played in slippery conditions and a combination of strong defending and superior attacking play enabled Nobber to prevail.
Brian Farrell was a star of the show with nine points, six of them from play, and Gordon Weldon, Niall Farrell and Jamie Owens also hit the target. Brian Farrell's tally could have been significantly greater, but he missed goal chances early in each half as he tormented the losers' defence.
Nobber played well as a unit and it sums up the difference between the teams when it's considered that Dunderry didn't get their first point from play until the 57th minute and that came from a defender, David McCormack. They also had substitute Paul Govern sent off late in the game.
Cahill's team led by 0-6 to 0-1 at the interval and as the match wore on it was clear that Dunderry needed a goal. The nearest they came was when Nobber goalkeeper Christopher O'Reilly made a brilliant save to deny Govern. The deficit did come down to three points in injury time, but Brian Farrell concluded the scoring from a free at the other end.
After losing five semi-finals in recent years, Nobber had cleared that obstacle and Carnaross, the team they had drawn with in their last group assignment, were waiting for them in the final where their 'Celebrity Bainisteoir' Blaithnaid Ni Chofaigh lent her support.
Nobber were favourites to complete the job, but nobody could have predicted the runaway nature of their success as they dominated from start to finish with a brilliant performance and won by 3-12 to 0-7.
The issue was practically beyond doubt at the interval when they led by 1-9 to 0-4, but just to be sure they added two more goals in the second period which put the seal on a victory which was as clearcut as it was impressive.
They stifled the threat posed by Ollie Murphy and John L McGee, with Brian O'Reilly superb at full-back, and they had a hugely influential performer up front in Brian Farrell who continued from where he had left off in the semi-final. He tormented the Carnaross defence and contributed six points, four of them from play.
He settled Nobber nerves by scoring the first three points of the final as Thomas Nugent couldn't contain him. After that it was Paddy Nugent who was given the task and while he fared somewhat better, Farrell continued to be a huge threat in possession and added two more first half points.
Nobber's first goal arrived after 16 minutes when Carnaross 'keeper Cillian Comaskey appeared to be partially unsighted as he attempted to save Brendan Heffernan's effort. The ball ended up in the net and Nobber were looking good. Heffernan scored superb points either side of the goal and the lead stood at seven.
By half-time it was an eight-point advantage and that soon became nine when Lambe pointed on the restart. Colin Clarke then had a fisted goal ruled out for a square infringement, but when Thomas Nugent fouled Brian Farrell in the 43rd minute the second major was on its way.
After a lengthy delay due to a clash of heads between Clarke and Paddy Nugent, Alan Farrell netted from the penalty and Nobber were ahead by 2-11 to 0-5. When Lambe goaled two minutes later the lead stood at a massive 15 points and the celebrations had already begun.
Apart from Brian Farrell's contribution of six points, Heffernan underlined his talents with 1-2, Lambe scored 1-1, Alan Farrell got a goal and Gordon Weldon, Gavin Farrelly and Andrew Hayes notched a point each.
It had been worth waiting for and Nobber, who were also hugely consistent in the A League Division 3, will be worthy visitors to the top table next year, 20 years after they last played in the premier grade.
The Nobber team in the final was - C O'Reilly; P Weldon, B O'Reilly, A O'Brien; G Weldon (0-1), P McEntee, R Shields; A Farrell (1-0), G Farrelly (0-1); C Clarke, A Hayes (0-1), B Heffernan (1-2); N Farrell, B Farrell (0-6, 2 frees), D Lambe (1-1). Subs - J Owens for C Clarke, P Clarke for Shields, P Fox for N Farrell, C Halpin for Hayes.
NOBBER'S DOUBLE
BID IS FOILED
Intermediate final day was also Junior C final day at Pairc Tailteann for Nobber, but they were foiled in their bid to complete the first leg of the hoped for double when Donaghmore/Ashbourne won by 3-10 to 0-12.
Nobber had made a very good start to the competition with a 1-11 to 0-3 victory over Moylagh and then defeated Duleek/Bellewstown by 1-13 to 0-7 and Na Fianna by 0-14 to 0-9. Their only group loss came in the last round when St Michael's beat them by 1-14 to 1-12.
After finishing second in group B behind St Michael's they scored a comfortable 1-12 to 0-8 win over St Ultan's at the quarter-final stage and booked a place in the decider with a 1-10 to 1-7 victory over Moynalvey at the penultimate hurdle..
Davy Cahill doubled up as manager of the Junior C team, but on county final day against Donaghmore/Ashbourne club chairman Dudley Farrell deputised on the sideline. Nobber gave it everything, but they were beaten by a stronger team which carried a greater attacking threat.
Goals from Evan Rogers in the sixth and 17th minutes helped Donaghmore/Ashbourne to a 2-5 to 0-5 interval lead as top marksman Brian Kelly just about kept Nobber in touch thanks to his accuracy. He accounted for eight of their points overall, with seven of them coming from frees.
Nobber were aided by the wind in the second half and their forwards saw more of the ball early in the period, but they didn't always make best use of it. They might have goaled four minutes after the restart, but Donaghmore/Ashbourne 'keeper Sean Kent made amends for his stray hand pass by saving well from team captain Thomas McCormack.
The winners got their third goal from substitute Brian Fitzgerald on 40 minutes and with a 3-6 to 0-7 advantage they had one hand on the Royal Meath Association Cup. Nobber, to their credit, never stopped battling and scored four points in as many minutes late in the game through Kelly (free), McCormack, Sean Carolan and substitute Christopher Kellett, but they were much too far behind at that stage and there was no way back. They might have got a goal near the end, but again Kent denied McCormack.
It represented a disappointing start to finals day for Nobber, but getting two teams to championship finals was a tremendous achievement.
The Nobber team in the final was - T Tierney; J McCormack, M Owens, K Kearns; P Meade, P Olwill, D Hutchinson; A Owens, B Meade; B McEntee, S Carolan (0-1), B Kelly (0-8, 7 frees); F McEntee, T McCormack (0-2), R Lambe. Subs - M O'Halloran for Kearns, M Davis for B McEntee, N Carty for P Meade, P O'Reilly for Owens, C Kellett (0-1) for F McEntee.
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