Mighty MICC crowned Munster champions

MICC Dunmanway 3

St Joseph’s, Tulla 0

CHRIS MELNYK REPORTS

MAGNIFICENT MICC Dunmanway were crowned U17 Munster junior schools soccer champions after a comprehensive victory against St Joseph’s Secondary School, Tulla. 

A brace from Padraic Hegarty and a goal from the excellent Brian Horgan sealed the victory for the West Cork side at a wind and rain-swept Charleville AFC ground. 

This is the school’s second U17 Munster Junior Trophy success in recent years, having won the competition previously in 2019.

Eight minutes in, MICC’s Brian Horgan rose well, rattling the crossbar with a fine header after an excellent delivery from the lively Euan Lehane. Moments later, the former Cork City player Keith McCarthy, who now plays for club side College Corinthians, shot narrowly over the top with a fine free-kick effort. Eoin Hurley then had a chance for MICC, but his shot was saved. 

The mounting pressure from the West Cork side soon told as the best player on the pitch, Brian Horgan, opened the scoring on the 30-minute mark. Horgan coolly slotted home a rebound after a fine save on the line from Padraic Hegarty’s initial shot. 

Soon after, MICC Dummanway doubled their lead with an excellent team goal. Euan Lehane, Keith McCarthy and Padraic Hegarty interlinked well down the left wing before Padraic Hegarty rattled the net with a well-taken effort. Dunmanway controlled the remainder of the first half and took a deserved 2-0 lead into the break.

In the second half, Clare side St Joseph’s came out with renewed vigour, but Tulla hearts were broken as MICC Dunmanway scored a third and decisive goal. The excellent Hegarty got his second with a thunderous volley from a Euan Lehane pinpoint delivery. Game, set and match.

Winning manager Adrian Hurley bristled with enthusiasm about his team's performance, praising the MICC Dunmanway players stating ‘they are a terrific bunch of players who represented the school with pride, trained hard all year and got their reward today’.

MICC Dunmanway: Shane O’Sullivan, Conor Horgan, Caolan O’Driscoll, Adam Lordan, Jamie Dullea, Caolan O’Donovan, Euan Lehane, Brian Horgan, Eoin Hurley, Keith McCarthy, Padraic Hegarty, Ryan Daly, Luke McCarthy, Patrick Collins, Ben Coughlan, Ryan O’Leary, Matt Hurley, Kenny Kingston, Callum Murray, Niall Owens.

St Joseph’s SS: Owen McGann, Sean Cunningham, Glen McNamara, Conor Walsh, Ben Kelly-Greene, Ben Maxwell, Callum Casey, Adam Kilker, Cormac Hale, Darragh Baker, Mark Davoren, Emmet Mulcahy, Conor McFadden, Harry Mulqueen, Alan Glowski, Cathal Culloo, Frankie O’Sullivan, Jack Lovett.

Referee: John McNamara.