Football Championship Finals
Sunday 28th August, 2005

Boru Grind Down Celts to take Junior Football Honours
Junior Football Final
Sons of Boru 1-12 Celts 2-8

The exciting prospect of a young team of American-born kids taking the junior football title made this game a very exciting proposition. Boru hit the ground running getting the first three points without reply. They were blocking the Celts well. The Celts were getting as many shots, but the accuracy didn’t improve until later when got three of their own to equalize.

The larger size of the Boru players was a factor in their winning more breaking balls and relieving their younger opponents of it, but the Celts faught back to equalize again.

A Boru goal was retaliated for by Niall O’Flynn who punched the ball into the net a few minutes later. It was almost disallowed as a square ball, but after consultation with the umpires the goal was awarded.

Boru were taking scores from dangerously close range, with the Celt’s backs finding it very difficult to stop them getting through once they got their hands on the ball, and win the ball they did on a lot more of the breaks. In the dying minutes of the game the Celts were trailing by four points when Aidan O’Flynn ducked and weaved his way through a very crowded Boru goalmouth to put a bulge in the net and take them to within a point, but this turned out to be one of the last kicks of the game.

The Sons of Boru walked away with a very satisfying result in a hard won game against a fiesty young team that had truly put it up to them.

Referee: Hugh Duggan

Cusack’s Take Cup in Close Run Final
Intermediate Football Championship
Michael Cusack’s 0-13 Sarsfield’s 1-8 (11)

The difference in standard between Junior and Intermediate football was notcable in this very competitive and tight Intermediate Football Final. It took Cusack’s ten minutes to get a shot as Sarsfield’s outran them with high speed and superb fitness very much in evidence, but when they settled down and started taking their scores, Cusack’s clawed their way back into the game to equalise it.

The lead level scores were not secure though, as Sarsfields’ Seamus McCorry ran tantalisingly close to the net along the end line, and took a shot that rebounded off the far post to get cleared down the field. A Cusack’s point by Seamus O’Gara put them in the lead for the first time, and it looked like the shape of things to come until a blistering Sarsfield’s goal by Colm Brazil after a sprint from mid field put Sarsfield’s back on top.

Beginning the second half one point in the lead, Sarsfield’s looked very menacing with Seamus McCorry continuing his incursions inside the twenty-one. Cusack’s piled on the pressure and stayed level, but sloppy defending was letting them down.

A late Cusack’s rally saw three consecutive points without reply as Sarsfield’s began to panic and start giving away frees. The penninsula team looked like regaining the high ground when a fourteen yard free was awarded to them, but it was put over the bar at a time when many would have expected a goal. Cusack’s carried on regardless, weaving through the Sarsfield’s backs and taking handy points.

In the last few minutes, Sarsfield’s put on some pressure and kept play confined to the Cusack’s end of the field in search of a goal scoring opportunity, but it was not to be. It was along awaited victory for Cusack’s.

Referee: Bertie Penny, Sons of Boru / Fog City Harps

Clan na Gael Just Fall Short of Causing an Upset
Ladies’ Junior A Football Championship
Fog City Harps 0-19 Clan na Gael 2-9 (15)

Fog City settled into the game right away, Clan na Gael did not. The Clans were suffering from failure to get the ball into the hands of key players like Michelle O’Leary and Olive Ennis. That said, they were making a valiant effort but just appeared to be outclassed. There was a potential goal scoring opportunity, but the ball was kicked straight at the goalie and promptly returned down the field. This was one of few moments of hope for Clan na Gael in what was shaping up to be a devastatingly one-sided game.

By the second half Fog City's mastery of the game had them leading by 0-12 to 0-3. There was a sharp U turn in the match when Clan na Gael’s Anna Glennon got an opportunistic goal that put a whole new complexion on things. It was followed up by six consecutive Clan na Gael points that made the crowd sit up and take notice the Clans’ bold refusal to take a beating.

Fog City looked rattled as Clan na Gael’s Helen Fenton took a long range shot that bounced high and skipped over the goalie’s fingers for goal number two. Clan na Gael were on fire now, but Fog City did not give up and put together some beautiful plays, the best of which was finished off by a point from an overhead kick by Sharon Edgecomb.

A goalmouth tussle at Fog’s end of the field resulted in a late penalty that had everyone on the edge of their seats. Could it be that Clan na Gael were going to repeat their comeback of the previous year? In the end the shot was saved and cleared down the field, and the Fog City tally points was enoough to carry them through at the final whistle.
It certainly wasn’t the lopsided affair that some people had been predicting, and it was a credit to both teams.

Referee: Anne Morrisey, Saoirse

Reports and video from the Hurling and Senior Football finals to follow