Timoleague and Kilmeen complete doubles on a day of drama in the West Cork Sciath na Scol boys' finals, as TOM LYONS reports

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Roinn 1 (15 a-side)

St Patrick’s, Skibbereen 10-11

Scoil na mBuachaillí, Clonakilty 3-3

GIVING one of the best displays of football ever seen in a Sciath final, Skibbereen, playing in their fifth successive final and attempting back-to-back titles, proved far too good for a Clonakilty side that gave their all throughout but just came up against a team of exceptional standard.

Skibb had class footballers who played lovely combined football at a fierce pace. Leading the way was centre forward Adam O’Shea, who kicked 3-5, with Jack O’Brien scoring 3-3. 

Darragh Galvin and strong full forward Eoin Kelleher got a pair of goals each, with Andrew O’Donovan and Ellis Wilson also raising white flags. Aaron Donoghue and Eryk Collins also shone. 

Clon were well in the game in the first half (20 minutes) and led following two fine goals from full forward Keith Mazibeli, but a burst of scoring by Skibb before the break saw the Reds leading by 3-8 to 2-2 at the break. 

Cork footballer David Buckley with the St Patrick Boys NS Skibbereen team that won the Roinn 1 Boys' final. (Photo: Paddy Feen)

Seán Kennedy and Luca O’Donovan kicked the points for Clon. Kennedy added 1-1 in the second half but there was no catching this Skibb outfit. Daniel Dempsey, Max O’Keeffe and Séimí Forristal also tried hard for Clon. 

Skibbereen: C O’Regan, D O’Callaghan, A Donoghue, J Herlihy, N O’Callaghan, K O’Regan, A Donelan, A O’Donovan, E Collins, J O’Brien, A O’Shea, E Wilson, D Galvin, E Kelleher, L Cahalane. Also, R Holland, E McCarthy, I O’Driscoll, C Leung, O Daly. 

Clonakilty: D Dempsey, A O’Sullivan, D Hennessy, J Rea, A Kingston, L O’Donovan, C O’Mahony, S Kennedy, M O’Keeffe, S Forristal, A Nash, T Lowney, M Murphy, K Mazibeli, R Finn. Also, H Lyons, C Quirke, E Lyons, H McAuley, C Gallwey.

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Timoleague NS, winners of Roinn 2, with Cork ace Ruairí Deane.  (Photo: Paddy Feen)

Roinn 2 (13 a-side) 

Timoleague 3-11

Kealkill 3-5 

Having won the Sciath hurling final in Cork two weeks previously, Timoleague were on a mission to complete the double but came up against a determined Kealkill outfit, who were appearing in their first final in four years and had come up several grades in the meantime. 

It was a cracking contest with little between the teams. The sides matched each other with a pair of goals in the first half – Jack and Dylan Harte for Timoleague, and Liam O’Sullivan and Conor Collins for Kealkill. But Timoleague proved slightly better in scoring points and led by 2-7 to 2-4 at the break. 

Ciarán Wilcox and Dan Sheehan swapped goals in the second half and Timoleague doubled their lead, finishing six points to the good. 

Danny Connolly, Wilcox and Harte kicked some fine points for the winners, while the Sheehans and Collins did likewise for a battling Kealkill side. The Deasys, Mikey and James, and Cian O’Sullivan also starred for Timoleague, with Shay Leahy, Dylan Crews, Fionn O’Halloran and, especially, Tommy O’Sullivan, also trying hard for Kealkill.

Timoleague: A Walsh, C Coomey, J Keohane, M Deasy, Z Murphy, B Dineen, J Deasy, D Connolly, C O’Sullivan, J Harte, C Wilcox, R Daly, D Harte. Also, S Kelly, J Long, C Burns, C Griffin, A Bialas, B Ikwanty, J Ikwanty, J Zeleznik, C Bessier. 

Kealkill: Z Carey, G O’Sullivan, S Leahy, T O’Sullivan, W Kearney, D Crews, C Collins, D Sheehan, F O’Halloran, L O’Sullivan, M Carey, B Collins, J Cullinane. Also, D Zemarek, E Goggin, B Sheehan, B Cronin, S Murphy, T O’Neill, S Moran.

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Rath NS, winners of Roinn 3 Boys, with Cork footballer Ruairí Deane. (Photo: Paddy Feen)

Roinn 3 (11 a-side) 

Rath 4-17

Scoil Naomh Seosamh Laragh 2-2

This was a top-class display of football by the lads from Rath as they got on top from the start and never relaxed their grip. Laragh never stopped trying but were outgunned by a stronger opposition. 

The winners really upped their game for this final with Darragh Murphy in defence showing great leadership. Captain Ian Fitzgerald and Oran Keane were also outstanding, with most of the scores coming from Jimmy McDonagh, Liam O’Neill and Ferdinand O’Driscoll. 

For Laragh, James O’Flynn and Harry O’Leary scored goals and Liam O’Keefe and Darragh Coomey kicked points. Goalkeeper Colm O’Sullivan and O’Keeffe were their best players. 

Rath: R O’Neill, H O’Driscoll, W O’Neill, C Ronan, D Murphy, I Fitzgerald, O Keane, L O’Neill, H Perry Clarke, J McDonagh, F O’Driscoll. Also, M Musgrave, Z Kulvinskyi, S O’Mahony, S O’Regan, C O’Neill, M Marchenko, E O’Donovan, L P Brady, Q Breen, G O’Mahony, J O’Mahony, J Hurley. 

Laragh: C O’Sullivan, O Linehan, F Coughlan, R Bambury, C Kelly, L O’Sullivan, L O’Keeffe, J O’Flynn, D O’Callaghan, H O’Leary, D Coomey. Also, J O’Connell, F Francis, C Harrington, J Heaney, E Bonar, N Korkosz.

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Kilmeen NS, winners of Roinn 4, with Cork footballer Ruairí Deane. (Photo: Paddy Feen)

Roinn 4 (9 a-side) 

Kilmeen 2-10

Scoil Chúil Aodha 3-5

The Kilmeen girls had already won their final so the boys were under pressure to complete the double, both games against Cúl Aodha. What a thriller this final turned out to be. 

Kilmeen looked the better side in the first half and led by 1-6 to 0-3 at half time. Any ideas of celebrating the double then were cut short by a gallant Gaeltacht side who staged a great rally in the second half to draw level with time running out. 

It was the Kilmeen lads who finished stronger with two winning points. Heartbreak for Cúl Aodha, a double final defeat, and delight for Kilmeen as they celebrated the double. 

Paudie O’Donovan was excellent at midfield for the winners with Daithí Malone, Oisín Madden and Seán Collins also starring. Madden and Collins kicked the Kilmeen goals, with Collins (5), O’Donovan (2), Malone, Matthew Woods, Morgan Beer and Rhys Hopkins kicking points. 

Seán Collins and his twin sister Eadaín, were winning their last Sciath medals with Kilmeen. Fuair an captaen, Conor Ó Céilleachair cúl iontach do Chúl Aodha, 2-2 ar fad, Tomás Óg Ó Duinnín 1-0, Darragh Ó Duinnín 0-2, agus Tommy Mullins 0-1. 

Kilmeen: R Hopkins, D Burke, C Coakley, D Lyons, S Collins, P O’Donovan, D Malone, M Woods, O Madden. Also, M Beer, M O’Driscoll, I O’Driscoll, S Hurd, A Bennett, D McCarthy, M Harte, D Bennett. 

Cúl Aodha: T Óg Ó Duinnín, Ciarán Ó Céilleachair, M Ó Tuama, D O’Driscoll, T Ó Mulláin, Darragh Ó Duinnín, Diarmuid Ó Duinnín, Conor Ó Céilleachair, E Ó Cuill, Colm Mac Coitir, Cian MacCoitir, P Ó Cuill, D Ó Cuill, S Ó Duinnín, S MacCárthaigh.

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Roinn 5 (7 a-side) 

Union Hall 8-6

Glandore 8-4

This clash of neighbours produced a marvellous contest full of great goals. There was hardly a kick of a ball between the sides all through, with both sides displaying tremendous team work, skills and respect for the opposition. This win produced back-to-back titles for the winners. 

Union Hall: Z O’Donoghue, C O’Dea, J Limrick, M Cleary, J Woods, J O’Mahony, R Cronin Also, C Kearney, P O’Driscoll, O O’Donoghue, T Hayes, B Collins, D Kearney, F Casey, E Abaley, M O’Donovan, C Cronin, C O’Donovan.

Scoil Naomh Bhríde, Union Hall, winners of the Roinn 5 Boys title. (Photo: Paddy Feen)

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Roinn 6 (7 a-side) 

Coomhola 6-9

Lisheen 2-5 

Coomhola dominated this game from the start with Danny Murphy and Finbarr O’Shea taking charge at midfield, feeding great ball to free-scoring Tyler O’Sullivan and goal-scoring Paddy Healy. 

It was 2-9 to 0-1 at the break but Lisheen gallantly fought back in the second half, kicking 2-4 to Coomhola’s four goals. 

Every player on the winning side contributed greatly to this fine win, while Jack O’Driscoll, Danny Coakley, Conor O’Sullivan, Seán Duggan and Shane Duggan tried hard for Lisheen, who had already seen their girls also losing a final. 

Coomhola: S Culloty, T Breen, J Lynch, F O’Shea, D Murphy, T O’Sullivan, P Healy Also, J Hurley, B Triggs-Sharkey, M Lynch, A Hurley, D McSweeney. 

Lisheen: Shane Duggan, D Carroll, Seán Duggan, C O’Sullivan, J O’Driscoll, C Crowley, D Coakley Also, M Whooley, D Swanton.

Coomhola NS, winners of Roinn 6 Boys, with Cork footballer David Buckley. (Photo: Paddy Feen)