AIB All-Ireland Club Junior Football Championship final
Glenbeigh-Glencar (Kerry) 1-14 St Patrick's, Rock (Tyrone) 1-11
CROKE Park holds nothing but cold, bitter memories for the Rock club from Co Tyrone.
Back in 2008, they lost an All-Ireland Club JFC final, and yesterday they returned to Jones’ Road in confident search of redemption.
But it was not to be, and once again defeat returned to haunt them.
A controversial finish to a highly entertaining decider saw Rock reduced to 12 players, with two key men sent off in the closing stages for second card infringements.
The Munster champions men came strong in those defining late moments, kicking the points that maintained the proud record of Kerry clubs in this competition, taking a third successive title back to the Kingdom, following the successes of Brosna and Templenoe.
The Kerry men got in for a goal inside the opening two minutes, Gavan O’Grady making the incisive run to send Kingdom star Darran O’Sullivan through to hit the net.
They led by four when Conor McCreesh hit Rock’s opening score in the 10th minute, and as the Tyrone men found their feet, they narrowed the gap with a couple of Aidan McGarrity frees.
As Glenbeigh-Glencar went again on the offensive, Niall Mullan made a couple of vital interceptions and Niall McWilliams was strong in the tackle, helping their side to get through a difficult spell without excess damage.
Centre-back Stephen Mullan was forced out of the game by injury, but the Red Hand representatives continued to grow into the game, with midfielder Diarmuid Carroll pushing forward with conviction.
Fergal Griffin emerged as a leader at midfield, while O’Grady’s penetrating runs from deep troubled the St Patrick’s defence. Both men added scores as the Munster champions regained control.
But Rock hit back with scores from former Tyrone star Ciaran Gourley and McGarrity, despite losing Enda McWilliams to a second booking.
The Kerry side lost Daniel Griffin to a straight red for a heavy challenge on Girvan, and the sides were level on 0-9 to 1-6 at the break, after Girvan and McGarrity had sent over inspiring scores at the Canal End.
Rock went in front for the first time with a 48th minute goal, and the dream appeared to be very much alive.
It was the product of consistently outstanding ball-winning from McCreesh, who fetched from Eamon Ward and laid off to Paudie Ward, who gave Rory O’Connor no chance with a firmly struck shot to the roof of the net.
But O’Sullivan and O’Grady continued to menace, prompt and finish, and they were on target again to cancel out that major Rock score, the latter forced to wait for Hawk-Eye to confirm his fifth point of the game.
Another heroic fetch from McCreesh saw him hook over a point to bring the sides level for the fourth time with four minutes to play, and this game was hanging on a knife-edge.
Indeed, it appeared to be swinging gently in Rock’s favour at this late stage, and McCreesh was denied by a brilliant save from O’Connor, who dived to his left to keep out a punched effort which was heading for the bottom corner of the net.
But a couple of major refereeing decisions intervened. The Tyrone men lost two more players, Diarmuid Carroll (two yellows) and Niall Mullan (yellow/black), as Glenbeigh crossed the line with late scores from substitutes Bernard Murphy and Jason McKenna, while O’Sullivan capped a fine personal display by sprinting through to fist over the insurance score.
Rock: S Donaghy; M McAleer, N Mullan, N McWilliams; C Gourley (0-1), S Mullan, A Girvan (0-1); E McWilliams, D Carroll (0-1); T Bloomer, E Ward, C McWilliams; R Crilly, A McGarrity (0-5, 3f), C McCreesh (0-3).
Subs: P Ward (1-0) for Mullan (18), D Reid for N McWilliams (33), L Nugent for C McWilliams (52), C McWilliams for E Ward (64), S Litter for McGarrity (69)
Glenbeigh-Glencar: R O’Connor; S O’Sullivan, J Hoare, C Doyle; J Brosnan, P Kilkenny, C Teahan; C McGillycuddy, F Griffin (0-1); D O’Sullivan, F Griffin; Danny O’Sullivan, Darran O’Sullivan (1-3), T Cahill; K Courtney (0-2), G O’Grady (0-6, 3f), D Griffin.
Subs: B Murphy (0-1) for Cahill (49), J McKenna (0-1) for Danny O’Sullivan (60), V Hoare for F Griffin (60), P Griffin for Darran O’Sullivan (68), S Riordan for S O’Sullivan (69)
Referee: J Henry (Mayo)
