Underage Finals 2023
June 21, O’Loughlin Shield (U18 Football) Final: Ferns St. Aidans 6-10, St. Joseph’s 0-11
FERNS ST. Aidans responded in decisive fashion to an early second-half St. Joseph’s surge as the red and whites captured the O’Loughlin Shield Minor football league title in Wednesday’s decider at a pleasant St. Patrick’s Park.
Having shipped a goal just before half-time to break in arrears by 1-6 to 0-5, St. Joseph’s had their opponents on high alert when dominating the first six minutes of the second period to tie on 0-9 to 1-6.
But roving Ferns number six James Murray dashed forward to stitch a dream 39th-minute goal as the winners re-asserted themselves with force.
Indeed, they capitalised upon St. Joseph’s losing bright defender Logan Byrne to the sin-bin to dominate proceedings to the tune of 3-2 to 0-1 before he returned.
Ferns possessed an interchangeable diamond of Murray, midfielders Stephen O’Toole and Danny Dreelan, along with centre-forward Charlie Roark, and Murray certainly wasn’t shy about getting forward to pose a serious threat.
Roark together with Seán Gahan were each denied goals at the country-end while St. Joseph’s profited in between, with Dean Hillis (free) and Cian O’Dowd pointing on five and six minutes respectively.
Ferns soon translated their rich promise as Murray and Dreelan levelled by the eleventh minute, before Lukas Kinsella (free) and Roark made it 0-4 to 0-2 midway through the half.
St. Joseph’s, with Logan Byrne prominent and Dean Hillis a superb target-man up front, were anything but intimidated, and Lee Byrne cut in from the end-line to angle a classy 18th-minute score, before Hillis had a goal-bound shot cleared by Jack Curran.
Hillis responded with a pointed free, only for Ferns to drive on with singles from Murray and Oisín Cronin, before overcoming another near-goal miss – Murray being denied – for Roark to feed Stephen O’Toole for a sweet 29th-minute finish to the net.
Tommy Hillis pointed off a Ryan Gavin assist to keep St. Joseph’s within range at the break (1-6 to 0-5).
And the Wexford town boys simply flourished on the resumption as Tommy Hillis, Logan Byrne, Ryan Gavin and Dean Hillis tied matters within six minutes (0-9 to 1-6).
Ferns soon began to hum again though, and Seán Murphy had a goal chance scrambled clear, before he sent James Murray haring in from the right to put an angled missile to the far top corner of the net on 39 minutes (2-6 to 0-9).
A brief flare-up interrupted proceedings, before an exchange of points was followed by Logan Byrne being left with little option but to haul down Roark as he bore down on goal in the 44th minute.
Byrne was sin-binned while Jack Young netted indirectly from the resultant penalty – spot-taker Seán Murphy seeing his effort saved by Ben Mallon before Murphy broke the ball for Young to crash home (3-7 to 0-10).
With their numerical advantage, Ferns simply soared. Dreelan and Kinsella (free) each pointed, before Charlie Roark buried 52nd- and 54th-minute goals – gathering from Seán Murphy and shaking off some close attention for the first, while being fed by Jack Brennan to cut in from the left end-line for the second.
It was 15 v. 15 again after that, but after another exchange of scores, Jack Brennan put the cherry on Ferns’ cake with a chipped finish to the net a couple of minutes into added-time.
Ferns St. Aidans: William Kavanagh; Jack Curran, Charlie Murphy (capt.), Matthew Hanley; Jack Brennan (1-0), James Murray (1-3), Jerry Sheridan; Stephen O’Toole (1-0), Danny Dreelan (0-3); Lukas Kinsella (0-2 frees), Charlie Roark (2-1), Jack Young (1-0); Seán Murphy, Seán Gahan, Oisín Cronin (0-1). Subs. – Kenny Murphy for Kinsella (52), Darragh Breen for Curran (52), Liam Redmond for Young (59), Daniel Nolan for Cronin (59), Peter Logan for S. Murphy (59), also Niall Logan, Freddy Davis.
St. Joseph’s: Ben Mallon; Dougie O’Dowd, Shane Curran, Logan Byrne (0-1); Josh Casey, James Whelan, Josh Frayne; Cian O’Dowd (0-1), Ryan Gavin (1-1, 1-0 pen.); Conor Shortall, Eoin Murphy, Lee Byrne (0-1); Conor Galvin, Dean Hillis (capt., 0-5, 3 frees), Tommy Hillis (0-2). Sin-bin: Logan Byrne (44).
Referee: Ger Cullen (Ballyhogue).
FERNS ST. Aidans responded in decisive fashion to an early second-half St. Joseph’s surge as the red and whites captured the O’Loughlin Shield Minor football league title in Wednesday’s decider at a pleasant St. Patrick’s Park.
Having shipped a goal just before half-time to break in arrears by 1-6 to 0-5, St. Joseph’s had their opponents on high alert when dominating the first six minutes of the second period to tie on 0-9 to 1-6.
But roving Ferns number six James Murray dashed forward to stitch a dream 39th-minute goal as the winners re-asserted themselves with force.
Indeed, they capitalised upon St. Joseph’s losing bright defender Logan Byrne to the sin-bin to dominate proceedings to the tune of 3-2 to 0-1 before he returned.
Ferns possessed an interchangeable diamond of Murray, midfielders Stephen O’Toole and Danny Dreelan, along with centre-forward Charlie Roark, and Murray certainly wasn’t shy about getting forward to pose a serious threat.
Roark together with Seán Gahan were each denied goals at the country-end while St. Joseph’s profited in between, with Dean Hillis (free) and Cian O’Dowd pointing on five and six minutes respectively.
Ferns soon translated their rich promise as Murray and Dreelan levelled by the eleventh minute, before Lukas Kinsella (free) and Roark made it 0-4 to 0-2 midway through the half.
St. Joseph’s, with Logan Byrne prominent and Dean Hillis a superb target-man up front, were anything but intimidated, and Lee Byrne cut in from the end-line to angle a classy 18th-minute score, before Hillis had a goal-bound shot cleared by Jack Curran.
Hillis responded with a pointed free, only for Ferns to drive on with singles from Murray and Oisín Cronin, before overcoming another near-goal miss – Murray being denied – for Roark to feed Stephen O’Toole for a sweet 29th-minute finish to the net.
Tommy Hillis pointed off a Ryan Gavin assist to keep St. Joseph’s within range at the break (1-6 to 0-5).
And the Wexford town boys simply flourished on the resumption as Tommy Hillis, Logan Byrne, Ryan Gavin and Dean Hillis tied matters within six minutes (0-9 to 1-6).
Ferns soon began to hum again though, and Seán Murphy had a goal chance scrambled clear, before he sent James Murray haring in from the right to put an angled missile to the far top corner of the net on 39 minutes (2-6 to 0-9).
A brief flare-up interrupted proceedings, before an exchange of points was followed by Logan Byrne being left with little option but to haul down Roark as he bore down on goal in the 44th minute.
Byrne was sin-binned while Jack Young netted indirectly from the resultant penalty – spot-taker Seán Murphy seeing his effort saved by Ben Mallon before Murphy broke the ball for Young to crash home (3-7 to 0-10).
With their numerical advantage, Ferns simply soared. Dreelan and Kinsella (free) each pointed, before Charlie Roark buried 52nd- and 54th-minute goals – gathering from Seán Murphy and shaking off some close attention for the first, while being fed by Jack Brennan to cut in from the left end-line for the second.
It was 15 v. 15 again after that, but after another exchange of scores, Jack Brennan put the cherry on Ferns’ cake with a chipped finish to the net a couple of minutes into added-time.
Ferns St. Aidans: William Kavanagh; Jack Curran, Charlie Murphy (capt.), Matthew Hanley; Jack Brennan (1-0), James Murray (1-3), Jerry Sheridan; Stephen O’Toole (1-0), Danny Dreelan (0-3); Lukas Kinsella (0-2 frees), Charlie Roark (2-1), Jack Young (1-0); Seán Murphy, Seán Gahan, Oisín Cronin (0-1). Subs. – Kenny Murphy for Kinsella (52), Darragh Breen for Curran (52), Liam Redmond for Young (59), Daniel Nolan for Cronin (59), Peter Logan for S. Murphy (59), also Niall Logan, Freddy Davis.
St. Joseph’s: Ben Mallon; Dougie O’Dowd, Shane Curran, Logan Byrne (0-1); Josh Casey, James Whelan, Josh Frayne; Cian O’Dowd (0-1), Ryan Gavin (1-1, 1-0 pen.); Conor Shortall, Eoin Murphy, Lee Byrne (0-1); Conor Galvin, Dean Hillis (capt., 0-5, 3 frees), Tommy Hillis (0-2). Sin-bin: Logan Byrne (44).
Referee: Ger Cullen (Ballyhogue).
