Classy Carroll leads Clonoulty to first ever U19B West title in classic final win over Golden
Clonoulty Rossmore defeated Golden Kilfeacle on Wednesday evening
Cooper Fencing Ltd. West U19B Hurling Championship Final
Clonoulty Rossmore 3-20
Golden Kilfeacle 3-18
By John O’Shea
Clonoulty Rossmore are the Cooper Fencing West U19B Hurling Champions for the first time, following their added-time two-point victory over Golden Kilfeacle in the final at Pairc Ciocaim Dundrum on Wednesday evening.
Played before a large crowd, on a greasy surface following a torrential downpour thirty minutes before the throw-in, both teams served up a hugely entertaining game, devoid of any rancour, and it took three late points in added time for Clonoulty Rossmore to eventually get over the line.
Golden Kilfeacle got the better start, with two rather fortuitous goals within the opening 20 minutes, after which they led by five points, 2-7 to 0-8.
Clonoulty Rossmore hit back with a goal from captain Alex Carroll and were on level terms for the first time six minutes before the break. Golden upped it again to go two points to the good by half-time, 2-10 to 1-11.
After the break, the crowd got value for their money, with three goals in four minutes between the fourth and eighth minute, with the sides level for the fifth time by the tenth minute. Golden responded in triplicate and hit three minors on the bounce to go three up by the end of the third quarter.
The final quarter was tense, exciting and energetic, with some great scores by both sides. Clonoulty Rossmore were back on level terms for the sixth time by the 51st minute after firing over three unanswered points inside four minutes. Once more, Golden bounced back and led by the minimum as the clock reached 60 minutes.
The large vocal crowd were on the edge of their seats as the game entered added time. Alex Carroll brought the sides level for the eighth and final time on 61 minutes before substitute Michael Ryan edged Clonoulty Rossmore ahead with a super point from out near the Station Road corner.
Four minutes into added time, top scorer and player of the match Alex Carroll sealed the game from a converted placed ball as Clonoulty Rossmore ran out two-point winners after a thoroughly entertaining game.
Clonoulty Rossmore won the toss and elected to defend the Railway end. Conor Kennedy got the scoreboard moving on the first attack with a point from out around the middle third. Following the restart, Golden attacked at the other end and when a speculative shot that dropped short into the goalmouth wasn’t adequately dealt with, Jimmy McLoughlin forced the ball over the line from close in.
Shay Carroll and Ciaran Byrnes, from inside his own half, exchanged minors before Charlie Hall put over his opener after four minutes. Alex Carroll got his account moving from a placed ball and Conor Kennedy doubled his tally to cut the deficit to a minimum.
At this early stage, both sides were at the pitch of the game, with play moving from end to end. Charlie Hall and Ciaran Byrnes were again on target, either side of a minor from Kaelem Maher, as Golden kept their nose in front. Ryan O’Keeffe hit the first of his three long-range points, but Sam Hall replied.
Alex Carroll doubled his account from a placed ball before Ciaran Byrnes put over his third long-range point from open play within eighteen minutes on the clock. Golden’s second goal came after they were awarded a free kick to the right of the goal, and quick-thinking Charlie Hall blasted home when the Clonoulty defence were caught napping, with only two defenders on the goal line.
This was a big score in a tight game, easing the lead out to five. Alex Carroll and Charlie Hall traded minors before Carroll blasted a low twenty-metre free to the net from the left of the posts.
Shay Carroll and Conor Kennedy followed up with two minors to bring the sides level for the first time after twenty-four minutes of play. At this stage, it had all the signs of being a close encounter, following up on their earlier round game when sixty minutes of hurling failed to separate the sides.
Charlie Hall, from a free, and Conor Kennedy had the sides level for the second time before two late scores from Harry Fogarty and Sam Hall put Golden Kilfeacle two up at the break, 2-10 to 1-11.
After the restart, the intensity moved up a notch, giving the crowd value for money. Ryan O’Keeffe hit his second long-range free before Cian Lonergan came upfield to split the posts, having been set up by Sam Hall. What followed then was three goals in a four-minute spell.
First, Alex Carroll finished a move involving Conor Kennedy and Shay Carroll with a low shot past Jamie Moloney to put Clonoulty Rossmore ahead by the minimum for the first time in the game.
This lead was short-lived, as Charlie Hall put over at the other end following the restart. The second goal came when Jimmy Finn was first to a breaking ball, following a defensive error by Clonoulty. The third major in this sequence was worked when Alex Carroll and Conor Kennedy interchanged following a quickly taken free by Carroll.
This brought the sides level for the third time in this ever-changing contest. A converted free from Hall was cancelled out by Conor Ryan (Rue) before Golden hit three on the bounce, Harry Fogarty with his second and Charlie Hall with a brace.
Golden were three up as the game entered the final quarter, but the sides were back on level terms by the fifty-fifth minute after Clonoulty hit back through Danny O’Keeffe, Shay Carroll and Seamus Kennedy.
Sam Hall hit his third from open play before Ryan O’Keeffe cancelled from a placed ball. Level for the seventh time, before Charlie Hall hit his eighth minor from a placed ball as the clock neared the end of 60 minutes.
This was to be Golden’s final tally as Clonoulty Rossmore hit three in added time, the equaliser from an Alex Carroll free before Michael Ryan eased them in front in the sixty-third minute. Top scorer Alex Carroll had the final say from a placed ball as Clonoulty Rossmore ran out two-point winners after an intriguing game.
As there is no U19B Hurling competition in the Mid, Clonoulty Rossmore now advance to the County Final, where they will play the winner of the South versus North semi-final.
After the game, West Chairman Andrew Fryday presented the Loughman Centenary Cup to winning captain Alex Carroll in the presence of Liam Ryan (Cooper), who represented the sponsors Cooper Fencing Ltd.
Scorers: Clonoulty Rossmore: Alex Carroll (3-5, 1-3f), Conor Kennedy 0-4, Ryan O’Keeffe 0-3f, Shay Carroll 0-3, Conor Ryan (Rue), Seamus Kennedy, Danny O’Keeffe, Kaelem Maher, Michael Ryan all 0-1 each.
Golden Kilfeacle: Charlie Hall (1-9, 1-8f), Jimmy McLoughlin, Jimmy Finn 1-0 each, Sam Hall, Ciaran Byrnes 0-3 each, Harry Fogarty 0-2, Cian Lonergan 0-1.
Clonoulty Rossmore: Gavin Ryan (Lanty); Luke O’Neill, James Murphy, Mark Kinane; Ryan O’Keeffe, Jack Heffernan, Shane Davern; Danny O’Keeffe, Robert Ryan; Kaelem Maher, Conor Kennedy, Alex Carroll; Shay Carroll, Seamus Kennedy, Conor Ryan (Rue).
Subs used: Frank O’Dwyer for Kaelem Maher (40); Michael Ryan for Conor Ryan (Rue) (56).
Golden Kilfeacle: Jamie Moloney; Ivor Ryan, Cian Lonergan, Jack Donnelly; Conor Marnane, Ning Brennan, Ciaran Byrnes; Harry Fogarty, Sean White; Sam Hall, Kevin Hogan, Charlie Hall; Jimmy McLoughlin, Evan Ryan, Jimmy Finn.
Subs used: Nick O’Toole for Ivor Ryan (46); Ian Ryan for Evan Ryan (56).
Referee: Fergal Horgan (Knockavilla Kickhams)