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2010 - U20 'B' Championship Final Sligo IT Saturday 13th November 2010 Shamrock
Gaels 2-11 Shamrock Gaels captured the U20 'B' Championship title with an impressive win over neighbours Geevagh last Saturday evening under lights in Sligo IT. The Gaels had beaten Geevagh in the first round of the competition, however they went into this game as underdogs but as it turned out Geevagh despite their physical advantage, had no answer for a more skilful and hungrier Gaels side.
Geevagh's most impressive player on the night Pat Hughes opened the scoring with a point from a free after two minutes. The Gaels immediately responded with a point from Mark Boyd after good work from Liam O'Connell while Denis O'Rourke put Geevagh back in front with a great point from a free wide on the right. Geevagh then pressed home their advantage when Keith McGrath jumped highest to palm a high ball from Michael O'Rourke into the net. The following ten minutes were to prove to the turning point of the game. Geevagh were seeking to press home their advantage and they had a great chance of another goal however Thomas Lavin who was straight through on goals blasted the ball of the Gaels crossbar. This seemed to stir the Gaels into life and they responded immediately with a goal on nine minutes when after some great work from Paddy O'Grady coming in along the endline and picked out Donal Byrne who palmed the ball into the net to leave one point between the sides. The Gaels then followed this up with three points in quick succession from Kevin Barry, Joe Henry and a point from an acute angle from Mark Boyd. Geevagh were now shell shocked and in disarray - they should have gone seven points up but now find themselves two points down mid-way through the first half and under severe pressure. In the last fifteen minutes the Gaels were camped in the Geevagh half and despite recording three wides in quick succession, the Gaels finished strongly with four more points. The first was from a long range free from Paddy O'Grady while the lively Johnny Quinn also pointed from a free after good work from Liam O'Connell. Mark Boyd, who along with Quinn were causing the Geevagh defence all sorts of problems pointed on twenty six minutes when maybe a goal was on. Liam O'Connell rounded off a fine first half performance with a point for the Gaels on the stroke of half time to leave the Gaels six points up at half time 1-8 to 1-2.
The expected Geevagh revival looked on the cards when they started the second half in impressive fashion. Pat Hughes signalled their intent with a great run in the opening minute only to see his shot come off the upright - however it led to a free that was converted by Denis O'Rourke. Geevagh continued to dominate and following a wide they narrowed the gap to four points with another free from Denis O'Rourke after a great run from David O'Reilly - who was pulled down when it looked like he could have got in for a goal. It was now the Gaels turn to be in disarray and they seemed to have gone to sleep in the opening ten minutes as Geevagh dominated in all areas with Pat Hughes in particular leading the revival. Hughes had two wides in quick succession and Geevagh looked impressive as they chased every ball and had the Gaels defence under severe pressure - however the revival fizzled out and Geevagh missed their chance to get back into the game. Joe Henry settled the Gaels nerves with a point on eleven minutes after a great interception from Adrian McCann while Denis O'Rourke pointed for Geevagh from a free on sixteen minutes to narrow the gap to four points. The move of the match came a minute later when Joe Henry found man of the match Johnny Quinn with a long ball and after a great turn he set up Kevin Barry who found Donal Byrne and he blasted the ball to the net to put the Gaels back into a seven point lead. The Gaels were now well on top and dominating in all sectors with a solid Gaels backline absorbing all that was thrown at them. Geevagh struggled to make any breakthrough and despite isolating David O'Reilly in the full forward line to see if he could create anything they were not able to get the ball into him as the impressive Shane Barry dominated clearing up almost every attack that came in. Kevin Barry pointed on eighteen minutes to extend the Gaels lead to eight points and while Denis O'Rourke got a consolation score on twenty eight minutes the Gaels were now winding down the clock and had the luxury of four wides in the closing stages while Kevin Barry rounded off the scoring on the stroke of full time to seal an eight point win for the Gaels on a scoreline of 2-11 to 1-6. The Cup was presented to Gaels captain John Craig by County Board Chairman John Murphy. The teams were: Geevagh: Ben Hughes, David O'Reilly, Joseph Kilcullen, Peter Flynn, Shane Hargadon, Michael O'Rourke, Sean O'Rourke, Stephen Mullaney, Pat Hughes (0-1), Enda McManus, Denis O'Rourke (0-5), Keith McGrath (1-0), Thomas Lavin. Subs: Patrick McGoldrick for Sean O'Rourke, Michael Byrne for Michael O'Rourke, Sean Conlon for Thomas Lavin. Shamrock
Gaels: Ricky Johnson, John Craig, Shane Barry, Gavin McMorrow, Declan
Willis, Adrian McCann, Liam O'Connell (0-1), Joe Henry (0-2), Donal Byrne
(2-0), Paddy O'Grady (0-1), Kevin Barry (0-3), Johnny Quinn (0-1), Mark
Boyd (0-3).
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