Shelmaliers retain their county title.
SHELS HOLD OUT AGAINST GAME STARLIGHTS
Reigning County Champions Shelmaliers were put to the pin of their collar to see off a determined challenge from Starlights before retaining their Premier under 12 football title at sunny Piercestown on Saturday morning September 15th.
The Shels were rocked back on their heels in the first couple of minutes when the Starlights plundered 2 early goals through outstanding midfielder Kevin Foley and James Walsh.
However the Shels' nerves were settled by a superb goal from Colin Cleary after being fed a delightful pass from Kevin O’Connor.
Shortly afterwards parity was restored when John Forde kicked home from close range. These early scores, allied to magnificent play from the midfield powerhouse of Graham Staples and Eoghan Nolan saw the Shels dominate the remainder of the first half, their cause also helped by a strong wind.
Further goals were added by master opportunist Colin Cleary and Captain Kevin O’Connor also bagged a brace of first half goals, the first a superb strike with his trusty left foot.
The Shels half back line of Conor Forde, masterful James Cash and the tenacious Aaron Murphy were helping to launch a lot of first half attacks, and in addition to the goals, Stephen Maguire score 2 fine points and the rampant Kevin O’Connor added 4 points to his brace of goals.
In a breakaway attack before the interval ,Starlights midfielder Liam Ryan scored a fine goal to leave the half time score 5-6 to 3-1 in favour of the Shels.
The Shels were forced to make a half time positional switch, due to Eoghan Nolan taking a heavy knock before the interval. Lionheart Nolan went to full back with Simon “Dooley” Donohoe moving to full forward.
The half time pep talk obviously lifted the Enniscorthy boys and they launched attack after attack. 2 goals from Liam Ryan and a succession of points brought Starlights back into the contest and only 2 points down at one stage.
Indeed only for some heroic defending from Glen Malone, Ryan Donnelly and substitute Larry Stoute the damage could have been worst.
Evan Devereux was particularly solid in the Shels goal and was supremely confident under the high ball.
Shels showed their true mettle by rising to the Starlights' challenge and magnificent goals from Stephen Maguire and the hard working Simon Donohoe and a couple of neat points from trick corner forwards Gavin Potter and John Forde secured Shels victory on a final scoreline of 7-9 to 5-8.
There were jubilant scenes on the pitch afterwards as Des Croke presented the winning trophy to Shels captain Kevin O’Connor.
| SHELMALIERS UNDER 12 FOOTBALL PANEL COUNTY FINAL 2007 | 1EVAN DEVEREUX BALLYBOGGAN | FINAL SEPTEMBER 15TH SEPTEMBERVsSTARLIGHTSPIERECETOWN | |
| 2GLENN MALONE | 3 SIMON DONOHOE (1-0) | 4RYAN DONNELLY | |
| OLDTOWN | BALLAGHABLAKE | BALLYFARNOGUE | |
| 5CONOR FORDE | 6JAMES CASH | 7AARON MURPHY | |
| BALLINESKAR | BALLINRA |
GARRYLOUGH |
|
| 8GRAHAM STAPLES | 9EOGHAN NOLAN | ||
| GALBALLY | ARDCAVAN | ||
| 10STEPHEN McGUIRE (1-2, 1 point free) | 11KEVIN O’CONNOR (2-5, 1 point free) | 12CONOR DAVIDSON | |
| BALLINA | GARRYLOUGH | CASTLEBRIDGE | |
| 13JOHN FORDE (1-1) | 14COLIN CLEARY (2-0) | 15GAVIN POTTER (0-1) | |
| FERRYBANK | GALBALLY | CURRACLOE | |
| 16 AARON HEARNE | 20 AODHAN FOLEY | 24 DANIEL MURPHY | |
| GALBALLY | ARDCAVAN | BALLYBOGGAN | |
| 17 AARON RYAN | 21 STEPHEN CARR | 25 MICHAEL FEENEY | |
| GLASGANNY LOWER | CASTLEBRIDGE | ||
| 18 LUKE JACKSON | 22 EOIN LAMBE | 26 JODY DONOHOE | |
| GALBALLY | BALLYCRANE | BALLAGHABLAKE | |
| 19 KEVIN KEHOE | 23 BRIAN KEHOE | 27 LARRY STOUTE (On for Donnelly) | |
| BALLYHOO | BALLYMURN | ||
StarlightsCraig Kinsella, Conor Breen, David O’Brien, Kieran Hourihan, Sean Cloughtery, Colin Nolan, Fion Carty, Kevin Foley (1-2), Liam Ryan (3-2, 1 point free), Darragh Pepper (0-2, 2 points frees), Aaron Sinnott, Peter O’Rourke (0-1), Ryan Mahon (0-1), James Walsh (1-0), Conor Farrell.