Ability to find the net naps Mountmellick Parish Gales the title

U/15 FC Final 

Mountmellick Parish Gaels 3-6 

Crettyard-Spink 0-9 

Mountmellick Parish Gaels found the net three times as they overcame Crettyard-Spink to claim U/15 ‘A’ Football Championship glory in the LOETB Centre of Excellence on Friday evening.

Undoubtedly the two best teams in this year’s championship finally came face to face in a highly anticipated clash and despite a slow start in which they only scored one point, Mountmellick Parish Gaels came out on top by six.

Both sides cruised through the league stage of the competition by winning all three of their games and finishing top of their respective groups. They each put up some huge numbers in those games with Mountmellick Parish Gaels landing 5-24 against Ballyfin while Crettyard-Spink hit Portlaoise for 9-11, a testament to just how talented both of the finalists are.

Mountmellick Parish Gaels captain Tadhg Hughes was the standout player as his work rate and tenacity kept his side on track in the second half when it looked as if Crettyard-Spink were starting to claw their way back into contention and his goal in the 57th minute put the result beyond doubt.

It wasn’t all plain sailing for Mountmellick early on however as they were only able to muster up one score in the opening 20 minutes of the contest and their opponents slotted four in that period to take the advantage. They did find an extra gear in the final 10 minutes of the first half and hit their opponents for 1-5 to take a four point lead at half time.

An early second half goal from Charlie McEvoy saw the Mountmellick lead increase to six points and it gave them a lead to hold on to, which they did despite the best attempts of Crettyard-Spink.

Jamie Fitzpatrick kicked Crettyard-Spink ahead initially with a well taken score before Hughes tested Mark Dowling at the other end but the goalkeeper stood strong.

The excellent Aaron Brennan doubled the Crettyard-Spink lead after a marauding run down the right wing and Mountmellick got on the board in the seventh minute as Nathan Lenihan swung one over off his left in response. Fitzpatrick got his second for Crettyard-Spink after getting on the end of a great passing move by Fionnan Brennan and Cian O’Sullivan to fist over.

Scores dried up for the proceeding 10 minutes as both sides proved to be wasteful in front of the posts and it took until the 20th minute for the next score to come by way of a brilliant strike by O’Sullivan. The scored appeared to light a fire under Mountmellick Parish Gaels as they went on a rampage before half time beginning with an Eoin Lalor free and he was almost in for a goal minutes later but Charlie McEvoy was there to point after the rebound.

Lalor did get his goal minutes later when he gathered a long ball in from Brennan and fired home from close range to put them in front. He added to his tally again when Hughes played a clever free to his feet which allowed him the opportunity to turn and split the posts, and their lead was increased to 1-5 to 0-4 just before halftime by way of a Frank Delaney point from distance.

Aaron Brennan notched the opening score of the second half just moments after the restart with another driving run down the right flank before kicking wonderfully over the bar, but Crettyard-Spink would soon be dealt another blow.

An effort from Lalor flashed across the goals into the hands of Charlie McEvoy and he made to mistake in lacing the ball low into the far corner for a vital goal.

Lenihan added another point from a free for Mountmellick Parish Gaels and seven points now separated the sides with 20 minutes left to play.

To their credit, Crettyard-Spink were able to shake off the early setbacks and they got to work on whittling down the gap with an excellent scores from O’Sullivan, but 10 scoreless minute ensued until O’Sullivan got another in the 50th minute and five still separated them with time running out.

The game was put to bed when Tadhg Hughes gathered a free fired in by Lalor and turned to drive it home and put daylight between the teams once again.

Crettyard-Spink kept up their work rate and pressed for a goal, but they were forced to settle for O’Sullivan and Brennan points before time eventually ran out and the jig was up.

SCORERS:

Mountmellick Parish Gaels: Eoghan Lalor 1-2 (0-1f), Charlie McEvoy 1-1, Tadhg Hughes 1-0, Nathan Lenihan 0-2 (0-1f), Frank Delaney 0-1.

Crettyard-Spink: Cian O’Sullivan 0-4 (0-1), Aaron Brennan 0-3 (0-1) and Jamie Fitzpatrick 0-2.

` MOUNTMELLICK PARISH GAELS: Senan O’Mahony; Conor Bergin, Ryan Feery, Aodhan Sherwin; JJ Reddin, Frank Delaney, Cathal Gorman; Dylan Smith, Billy Byrne; Darragh Delaney, Eoghan Lalor, Dean Comerford; Nathan Lenihan, Tadhg Hughes, Charlie McEvoy.

Subs: Shay McEvoy for Bergin (26m), Conor Heffernan for Sherwin (38m), Ryan Weston for Reddin (47m).

CRETTYARD-SPINK: Mark Dowling; Jack Delaney, Ryan Tully, Daniel McGuire; Aaron Brennan, Darragh Brennan, Rian Dwyer; Fionnan Brennan, Cian O’Sullivan; Eoin Lynam, Michael Brennan, James O’Meara; Darragh Curran, Jamie Fitzpatrick, Oisin Dowling.

Subs: Sean Carroll for Curran (40m), Sean Miller for Dowling (40m).

Referee: Seamus Mulhare (The Heath)