Minor and U16 honours for St Cuthberts
November 27, 2011
The hard work at St Cuthbert's continues, with impressive displays in a number of age grades.
Cuthbert's win MFC Shield
St Cuthberts claimed the Meath Minor Division 4 shield with a convincing 1-13 to 0-6 victory over Drumconrath/Meath Hill in a wet Pairc Tailteann.
After a delay at the beginning of the match while waiting for the floodlights to come on, St Cuthberts were first to get the scoreboard ticking over with a sweetly struck 40metre free from corner forward Glen Kavanagh before Gareth McGrane struck the only goal of the game after eight minutes giving goal-keeper Conor O'Halloran no chance with a shot to the bottom corner. The winners reeled of the next three points from Tony Smyth, the excellent Sean Power and a terrific effort from Ronan Breslin to leave five points between the sides. Drumconrath/meath Hill had chances to reduce the deficit but two goal efforts were brilliantly saved by Cuthberts 'keeper Cian Farnan. Drumconrath replied with two points but three unanswered points from Glen Kavanagh, Ryan O'Rourke and Breslin again gave the side in black and amber a six point half-time lead 1-7 to 0-4.
The second half began in a downpour which left underfoot conditions very difficult and handling skills very hard to control, but both teams adapted admirably and played some fine football. Glen Kavanagh claimed his third of the match with a glorious finish after a terrific five man move and that was soon followed by a spectacular effort from centre-back Conor Smyth who soloed through the opponents defence and unleashed a shot that shaved the top of the cross bar. St Cuthbert's were in complete control and added three more points from Tony Smyth, Ryan O'Rourke and Gareth McGrane before Drumconrath got off the mark. A third point from Ryan O'Rourke completed the St Cuthbert's tally.
This was a fine team performance from the victors with Cian Farnan superb in goals and a very disciplined and good tackling display from the defenders. The midfield pairing of Sean Power and Emmet Costello were always on top. The forwards all clicked as a unit and looked very sharp from the outset.
After the match Coiste Fe 18 vice-chairman Michael Mullally presented the shield to St Cuthberts captain Michael Costello.
St Cuthberts: Cian Farnan, Michael Costello, Sean Herwerd, Ronan Galligan, Shane Dolan, Conor Smyth (0-1), Ronan Breslin (0-2), Sean Power (0-1), Emmet Costello, Ryan O'Rourke (0-3), Tony Smyth (0-2), Andrew Barry, Glen Kavanagh (0-3), Gareth McGrane (1-1), David Rispin. Subs - Dylan Coyne for Sean Power, Shane O'Mahony for David Rispin, Thomas Lynskey for Ronan Breslin, Karl Fitzsimons for Andrew Barry, Ronan Costello for Shane Dolan.
U16SL: Cuthbert's defeat Pat's to take title
St Cuthbert's and St Patrick's played out a thrilling U16 summer league final in Pairc Tailtaenn when 20 minutes of extra time was needed to determine the winners. Eventually the Cuthbert's won out by 4-17 to 3-11 after an outstanding encounter.
It was the ambers that eventually prevailed thanks in no small measure to a hat-trick of goals from Sean Power and a fine contribution from Sean Condren. The Stamullen side started brightly and had two points on the board before David Rispin opened the account of St Cuthbert's. Power followed up with his first goal to leave the scoreline 1-1 to 0-2 after 12 minutes. Both sides traded points in the next 15 minutes before St Cuthbert's accumulated a couple of unanswered points to lead by 4 points at the interval on a 1-8 to 0-7 scoreline.
The second half was evenly contested for the first 15 minutes until St Patricks got their first goal when Christopher Darby reacted quickest to a terrific save from Cuthbert's netminder Cian Farnan. That left the minimum between the sides. A point from Glen Kavanagh seemed to restore confidence in the St Cuthbert's side but then St Patricks scored their second goal to give the East Meath team the lead for the first time since the early minutes of the match with the scoreboard 2-10 to 1-12 in their favour. With normal time almost up David Rispin scored an equalising point for St Cuthberts. Both sides had chances in the four minutes of injury time to win the match but neither side could take those chances so they headed into extra time.
After equalising the game in normal time, St Cuthberts started extra time in determined fashion and within two minutes had the ball in the St Patricks net through Sean Condren. However before the celebrations had died down St Patricks had done the same at the opposite end. Not to be outdone St Cuthberts responded in emphatic style when they registered 2-1 in a 3 minute spell through Sean Power's two goals sandwiching a point from Glen Kavanagh. The St Patricks side scored the last point of the first period of extra time to leave the score at 4-14 to 3-11 in favour of the black and amber team. Playing on the big pitch of Pairc Tailteann in a 13 a-side competition for one hour is arduous enough but the additional time led to inevitable cramps for players. The exertions of the previous 70 minutes had taken its toll on both sets of players and with numerous substitutions from both benches, the second period was less intense than the rest of the game. St Cuthberts added three further points from Sean Power (2) and Glen Kavanagh to secure victory after an absorbing match.
St Cuthberts put in a great team performance and all played their part. After the match Coiste Fe 18 secretary Peter O'Halloran presented the Roinn F Shield to the captain of the victorious St Cuthberts team Glen Kavanagh.
St Cuthbert's - Cian Farnan, Cormac Farrell,Ronan Costello, Conor Rennicks, Leon Rogers, Gregory McKeever, Paidin Boggins (0-01), Sean Power (3-03), Sean Condren (1-06), David Rispin (0-03), Luke O'Reilly, Conor Whelan, Glen Kavanagh (0-04). Subs - Dylan Coyne, Cathal Ryan, Mark Ryan,Daniel Mulroe, Cormac O'Sullivan, Aaran Clarke, Shane O'Mahony,Ryan Tevlin, Thomas Fitzsimons, Sean Lawlor.
Most Read Stories