St Colum’s 2-9
Ahán Gaels 0-7
TOM LYONS REPORTS
THIRTY years since last winning the title, St Colum’s were thoroughly deserving winners of the Clona Milk Carbery U21B football championship in windy Drimoleague on Saturday.
Incredible work rate and a physical advantage were the key elements of this win but at the end of the opening quarter one wouldn’t have given tuppence for St Colum’s chances of winning.
Opting to play with the strong wind, they struggled badly in the first 15 minutes against a lively and hungry Ahán Gaels. They actually trailed by a point, having scored only a single point themselves, as the second quarter began.
It was looking ominous for the Kealkil side until they began to get a grip at midfield in the second quarter and the scores finally began to come. An opportunist goal by Gearóid Cronin and two two-pointers saw Colum’s in front by six points at the break, but was it enough in light of the strong wind?
The St Colum's team celebrates after defeating Ahán Gaels in the Clona Milk U21B FC final at Drimoleague.
The game was won and lost in the third quarter when St Colum’s showed incredible work rate against the wind to pin Ahán back in their own half. Blocking, chasing, harassing and using the ball extremely well, Colum’s struck for a second goal, by ace forward Thomas O’Donoghue, in the 41st minute. There was no way back for Ahán subsequently.
‘Yes, we were worried in that first quarter. We have been very slow to start in our games, so we opted to play with the wind, hoping to get off to a good start,’ said a delighted St Colum’s manager Mike O’Connell.
‘It didn’t look good for us when we scored only a point in the first quarter but a great goal by Gary (Cronin) settled us and gave us some breathing space.
‘We were a bit worried at half time and we knew we’d need a big third quarter. The players knew it themselves and their work rate was savage after the break. To a man they stood up in the second half, they were mighty.’
St Colum's captain Gearoid Cronin raises the Matthew and Margaret O'Sullivan Cup.
The strong wind straight up the pitch was the dominating feature of this game, or should have been.
Ahán Gaels, against the elements, proved in the first quarter that the wind on its own never wins games for a team. Playing smart, possession football, they held the upper hand.
With William Hennigan, Eoin Keohane and Conor O’Sullivan driving them on from the back, they dictated the pace of the game. In the difficult conditions, scores were not easy to come by as James Fleming kicked the opening points for the Gaels in the ninth minute. Two minutes later, St Colum’s opened their tally with a point from the lively DJ O’Brien but that was their only score of the quarter as Ahán regained the lead with an Olan Corcoran point.
It certainly wasn’t looking good for Colum’s at that stage but with Robert and Gearóid Cronin getting a grip at midfield, they began to get their game together. A superb two-pointer from play by DJ O’Brien from play, followed by a two-pointer from a free by Thomas O’Donoghue set them on their way with Alan Kelleher, Dan Andrews, Thomas O’Donoghue and, especially, DJ O’Brien all sparkling in attack.
The crucial score came in the 24th minute when a mishit shot by Anthony O’Sullivan was gathered by Gearóid Cronin, who raced through to billow Ahán’s net. O’Brien added a point and the gap was now a healthier seven points for Colum’s.
Ahán had gone almost 15 minutes without a score before Jack Eady closed the first-half scoring with a point.
It was 1-6 to 0-3 at the break but was it enough of a lead as Ahán turned with the wind to their backs?
Amazingly, it was St Colum’s who again dominated the third quarter through their incredible work-rate as they took control of midfield with Robert Cronin lording the skies. With Killian Hurley, Shane Murnane, Liam Hourihane and Cathal McCarthy closing down the Ahán attack, depriving Ahán’s most dangerous forward Olan Corcoran of possession, Alan Kelleher and Thomas O’Donoghue (free) nullified a Corcoran two-point free.
St Colum’s delivered the fatal blow in the 41st minute when Kelleher’s pass to O’Donoghue broke in the goalmouth and O’Donoghue reacted quickest to finish to the net.
Ahán Gaels' Conor O'Sullivan is challenged by St Colum's Gearod Cronin.
Nine points in front, it was a timely score in more ways than one as Colum’s lost Kelleher to a black card a minute later but by sheer hard work they made up for the loss of a player as they comfortably held the Ahán forwards at bay.
A pointed free by Corcoran and one from play by sub Nick Bourke was all Ahán could muster in the middle of the half, with the wind. It was St Colum’s who, fittingly, finished the scoring with a point from an O’Donoghue free, following a three-up transgression, as the club won their first U21B title since 1995.
‘We’re hanging our hats on this bunch of lads, they are going to be the future of the club,’ said O’Connell.
‘The secret is to hold onto them over the next few years. We haven’t won this since 1995, a lot of us were U21 at the time. That’s a long time ago. We’re absolutely delighted with this as we’re not exactly going great at the moment and this will be a huge boost to all our teams.’
The Matthew O’Sullivan Cup, which commemorates a St Colum’s man, was presented to the winning captain Gearóid Cronin by chairman of the SW Board, David Whyte. Full marks to the board, celebrating its centenary, for the parade, Amhrán na bhFiann and musical entertainment by piper Gobnait Ó Laoire of Béal Atha’n Ghaorthaidh and to the Clann na nGael club on top-class arrangements.
OUR STAR: St Colum’s midfielder Robert Cronin was named the official man-of-the-match, sponsored by Clash Trophies, and fully deserved the honour for his total domination of midfield, especially in the second half, his driving solo-runs and his fine distribution of the ball.
Scorers
St Colum’s: Thomas O’Donoghue 1-4 (2f, 1 2pf); DJ O’Brien 0-4; Gearóid Cronin 1-0; Alan Kelleher 0-1.
Ahán Gaels: Olan Corcoran 0-5 (1f, 1 2pf); James Fleming, Jack Eady 0-1 each.
St Colum’s: Christopher O’Shea; Killian Hurley, Shane Murnane, Anthony O’Sullivan; Liam Hourihane, Cathal McCarthy, John Bryden O’Connell; Gearóid Cronin, Robert Cronin; Alan Kelleher, Dan Andrews, Seán Cronin; DJ O’Brien, Cian Kelleher, Thomas O’Donoghue.
Subs: Donnacha Murnane for S Cronin (58), Fachtna O’Connell for C Kelleher (58), Michael O’Sullivan for T O’Donoghue (58).
Ahán Gaels: Diarmuid O’Driscoll; Jack Hillard, William Hennigan, Eoin Keohane; Matt Daly, Conor O’Sullivan, Eoin Mangan; Eoin Cullinane, Michael O’Sullivan; Patrick Collins, James Fleming, Stephen O’Driscoll; Jack Eady, Michael Bradfield, Olan Corcoran.
Subs: Nick Bourke for S O’Driscoll (45), Harry Fleming for M Bradfield (54).
Referee: Conor McCarthy (Carbery Rangers).
