Galtee Rovers round off successful season with west Tipperary Under 21 B title

Galtee Rovers 2-11 Aherlow 2-8 (after extra-time)

Galtee Rovers claimed the last west Tipperary honours for 2022, defeating Aherlow after extra-time in the McGrath Oil West Under 21 B Football Championship final on a wet Friday evening in Golden.

Rain from just before the throw-in continued right through the encounter and made underfoot conditions slippery and hard for free-flowing football.

Credit is due to both teams, as they adapted well for a tough, well-contested meeting of the sides that could have gone any way right up to the end.

It has been a huge season already for Galtee Rovers, claiming the County Minor A Football Championship title six days previously at the same venue, while they also claimed west and county honours in Under 19 B football towards the back end of 2022.

After a low scoring first quarter, the sides were level at two apiece. The defining score of the half came seven minutes before the half-time whistle when Ben Carey goaled for Aherlow. Conal Grogan replied immediately for Galtee Rovers with a point.
Aherlow, though, finished the half stronger, helped by Stevie Carey placed balls to lead 1-5 to 0-4 at the break.

Galtee Rovers were a different side on the resumption and by the eighth minute Eoin Halpin’s goal had nudged them one up. Immediately Aherlow responded with Ben Carey’s second goal. Aherlow were expected to push on now but were outscored 0-3 to 0-1 from here to the end of normal time.

Both sides will have felt they had chances to secure the honours in normal time but in the end substitute Jack Crowe’s goal with a minute and a half of extra-time to play ensured the Crowley Cup was heading to Galtee Rovers.

Aherlow had two points on the board in the first four minutes, with Michael Elligott and Stevie Carey off the mark. Aherlow looked more assured in possession for the most of that half while Galtee Rovers struggled early on to find a way through the Aherlow defence and to find their range.

Jim Quirke had the ball in the Aherlow net early on after a Conal Grogan free fell short but it was ruled out for a square infringement. It was the tenth minute before a Conal Grogan free got Galtee Rovers off the mark. For the next few minutes Aherlow struggled to get out of their half but looked very comfortable in passing the ball around.

Galtee Rovers missed a number of opportunities during this spell. It was six minutes later before another Conal Grogan free tied the game. Aherlow had gone almost twenty minutes without scoring but that changed when Ben Carey collected possession in behind the defence facing goal, and he made no mistake when one on one with Galtee goalie Robbie McGrath.

Galtee Rovers’ response was immediate when Conal Grogan ran at the Aherlow defence before kicking their first point from play. Eamon Quirke followed with his first of three points.

It was Aherlow, however, who finished stronger, kicking three unanswered points in the final three minutes of the half. Stevie Carey pointed two frees either side of a great effort from a 45 by Diarmuid Looby. Aherlow held a four-point interval advantage, 1-5 to 0-4.

Galtee Rovers were a more determined team in the second half. Conal Grogan continued his good free-taking form before Eoin Halpin opened his account from a 45. Galtees were again guilty of missing a number of scorable chances. Eoin Halpin and Cian O’Dwyer were now more in the game as an attacking threat.

Halpin reacted quickest when Eamon Quirke’s effort for a point came back off the post to find the net. Quirke had made a powerful run at the Aherlow defence, only to see the post intervene.

It was a huge boost to Galtee Rovers but the lead lasted less than two minutes. A high free from Stevie Carey dropped short and when the defender lost possession, Ben Carey got a boot to the ball to send it to the bottom corner of the net.

Aherlow were back in the ascendancy but would score just once more in the second half. Galtee Rovers continued to create chances but the wides tally mounted.

It was a war of attrition, with conditions ensuring the teams had to work the ball through the hands, which resulted in more work to get ball into attacking positions and well as a large number of turnovers.

In the 25th minute substitute Daniel O’Dwyer cut the gap to the minimum and a minute later Eoin Halpin, who was now on free-taking duty, drew the sides level.

Eamon Quirke then put Rovers one up. With time running out, Rovers lost Liam Finnane to a black card. Aherlow were now trying to work an equaliser and five minutes into injury time Stevie Carey levelled proceedings, 2-6 to 1-9.

Extra-time was stop-start, with both teams feeling the effect of the draining conditions. Aherlow did have the ball in the net but it was ruled out for a square infringement.

The half saw just two scores. Eoin Halpin pointed a free while Diarmuid Looby pointed his second off the ground to make it 1-10 to 2-7.

Galtee Rovers continued to create more chances, though. Eamon Quirke was the only point-scorer, hitting his third in the second half of extra-time. Penalties now looked a distinct possibility.

However, the game’s twist came eight and a half minutes in when substitute Jack Crowe beat Jack Whelton for Galtee Rovers’ second goal. Crucially, it gave Galtee Rovers a four-point advantage for the first time in the game.

Aherlow were now forced to commit numbers to attack. Crowe was unlucky not to get back in for a second goal while Jack Whelton was also called into action with a fine save.

At the other end Jack O’Halloran was fouled near goal. Stevie Carey opted to point and cut the gap to three points.

The game was now in injury time and Aherlow had to gain possession from the kickout but their efforts were thwarted, and with that referee Richie O’Connor blew the final whistle, much to delight of the Galtee Rovers players, mentors and supporters.

While Jack Crowe’s goal was the turning point that sealed the win, Galtee Rovers created far more chances during the game than their opponents, kicking twelve wides to Aherlow’s four.

Aherlow had 1-5 on the board at half-time to Galtee Rovers’ 0-4 but for the remaining fifty minutes or so they were outscored, 2-7 to 1-3.

Both sides hit six points each from placed balls but it was Galtee Rovers who were better from play, with 2-5 to Aherlow’s 2-2.

Following the game, West Board Chairman Tommy Hayes presented the Crowley Cup to Galtee Rovers captain Robbie Byron. It was Rovers’ third title in the grade, following wins in 1998 and 2020.

Teams and Scorers:

Galtee Rovers: Eoin Halpin (1-3, 0-3 frees), Conal Grogan (0-4, 3 frees), Eamon Quirke (0-3), Jack Crowe (1-0), Daniel O’Dwyer (0-1).

Aherlow: Ben Carey (2-0), Stevie Carey (0-5, 4 frees), Diarmuid Looby (0-2 frees), Michael Elligott (0-1).

Galtee Rovers: Robbie McGrath, Eoghan Byrnes, Ciaran McCarthy, Eoghan Brennan, Sean Gubbins, Stephen Moloney, Robbie Byron, David Harold Barry, Bill Quirke, Cian O’Dwyer, Conal Grogan, Eoin Halpin, Callum McCarthy, Jim Quirke, Eamon Quirke.
Subs used: Daniel O’Dwyer, Liam Finnane, Joe O’Callaghan, Jack Crowe.

Aherlow: Jack Whelton, Shane Carew, Moss O’Brien, Niall O’Shea, Graham Bourke, Jack O’Halloran, Darragh O’Brien, Ray Hennessy, Tadhg Carew, Gary Quirke, Diarmuid Looby, Tony O’Neill, Ben Carey, Stevie Carey, Michael Elligott.
Subs used: Adam Lohan, Mikey Russell, Dylan Cunningham.

Referee: Richie O’Connor (Arravale Rovers).