Clinical O'Dempsey's cruise to ACFL Division 5 title
Pat Maher (O'Dempsey's) goes on the attack with Patrick Hyland (Clonaslee/St Manmans) giving chase as referee JJ Kirby keeps a close eye on the action Photo: Denis Byrne
Laois Shopping Centre ACFL Division 5 Final
O’Dempsey’s 6-10
Clonaslee/St Manman’s 0-10
AS the old saying goes, goals win games, and this was certainly the case as O’Dempsey’s hit six goals to clinch the Laois Shopping Centre ACFL Division 5 title in the LOETB Centre of Excellence on Sunday afternoon.
The victors were full value for their win as the cruised home in the end despite the fact they played the majority of the second half with 14 men as Lorcan Coleman was sent off for a high tackle. It mattered little as O’Dempsey’s built up an impressive lead with Robbie McNeill and Eoin Finlay on fine form to lead their side to the title.
The game was over by the 12th minute as O'Dempsey's came roaring out of the blocks and would score a brilliant 3-7, before their opponents got off the mark in the 27th minute.
Dan McCormack got the scoring underway after fielding a brilliant catch after a long ball in which he blazed over the bar.
Captain Eimhin O'Neill doubled the lead, before Eoin Finlay and Robbie McNeill came to the fore to extend their advantage.
Finlay would hit a brace of points, before he turned provider and set up Robbie McNeil who finished the ball to the net for their first goal of the game.
Finlay was causing all sorts of problems up front which was then followed up with goal number two.
This time it was a great finish from Eimhin O'Neill after he went on an individual run and he finished brilliantly and there was only ten minutes on the clock with O’Dempsey’s leading 2-5 to 0-0.
Thomas Kehoe then got in on the act and hit a brilliant point and disaster struck again for Clonaslee-St Manman's as Finlay found McNeill once again and he grabbed his second goal of the game.
Daire Hogan who was brought on as a Clonaslee-St Manman's in the first half finally got a point from a free in the 27th minute.
Conor Kearney would finish the half with a brilliant point as O'Dempsey's had a handsome lead of 3-8 to 0-1.
It was a case of damage limitation for Clonaslee-St Manman's in the second half. McNeill would add the first point of the half as there was no let up from O’Dempsey’s.
They were then awarded a penalty after Finn Craig was taken down, with Eoin Finlay finding the back of the net for their fourth goal.
Clonaslee-St Manman's were given some hope as Lorcan Coleman was sent off after a high tackle on Paddy Hyland.
They did hit four in a row through a brace from Daire Hogan, Ger Dunne and Paddy Hyland also got on the score sheet.
They were then awarded a penalty after a foot block by an O’Dempsey’s defender, but Peter O'Leary made a brilliant save to deny Joe McRedmond.
Ger Dunne got his second of the day as they battled hard and got a hold of possession having the extra man.
McNeill would then grab his hat trick with another brilliant finish to give his side their fifth goal of the game.
Conor Thornton and Hogan hit two points in a row to try and put a gloss on the score board.
McNeill was in ruthless form and capped off a brilliant display by getting his fourth of the game as the Clonaslee-St Manman's were struggling to mark him.
Ger Dunne would trade points with Dan Donoher as the game was nearing an end. Dunne finished the scoring with a point as O'Dempsey's claimed the Division 5 title and promotion to Division 4 in 2027.
SCORERS:
O’Dempsey’s: Robbie McNeill 4-1, Eoin Finlay 1-3 (1-0pen), Eimhin O'Neil 1-1, Dan McCormack, Finn Craig, Thomas Kehoe, Conor Kearney and Dan Donoher 0-1 each.
Clonaslee/St Manman's: Daire Hogan (0-3fs) and Ger Dunne 0-4 each, Paddy Hyland and Conor Thornton 0-1 each.
O'DEMPSEY'S: Peter O'Leary, Kevin Garry, Lorcan Coleman, Adam O'Leary; Eimhin O'Neil, Thomas Kehoe, Gerry Carlin; Pat Maher, Conor Kearney; Finn Craig, Eoin Finlay, Ben Stapleton; Ross McMahon, Dan McCormack, Robbie McNeil.
Subs: Daithi Kehoe for McMahon (35m), Jim Holland for Carlin (43m), Dan Donoher for Craig (52m), Rian Brereton for Stapleton (52m), Darragh Fox for Adam O'Leary (55m).
CLONASLEE/ST MANMAN’SST MANMAN'S: Darragh Mulhall; Michael Hyland, Noah Flynn, Peter Foynes; Conor Thornton, Darragh Scully, Shane McCann; Seamus Rosney, Shay Foynes; Paul Mulhall, Paddy Hyland, Fionn Owens; Joe McRedmond, John Rigney, Jack Conroy.
Subs: Oisin Keating for Conroy (26m), Daire Hogan for Mulhall (26m), Ger Dunne for M Hyland (26m), Ruairi Sweeney for Owens (26m).
Referee: JJ Kirby (The Heath)
