Galtee Rovers shrugs off stubborn Golden Kilfeacle effort to clinch U19A football title

Tipperary Print & Design West U19A Football Championship Final

Galtee Rovers/St Pecaun 3-7

Golden Kilfeacle 2-8

By John O’Shea

Galtee Rovers are the Tipperary Print & Design West Under 19A Football champions for the first time as they held off a brave Golden Kilfeacle last quarter fight-back at a damp and windy New Inn on Wednesday night.

Ten points clear at the break, having played with the aid of the elements for the opening thirty minutes, they were forced to withstand an injury time onslaught from their neighbours. Their ability during the opening half to vary their play was a telling factor. They were able to make good use of the long ball at times while also using the short hand pass to get them out of trouble.

Their first telling brake came around twenty minutes of the opening half when leading 0-4 to 0-1. Half back Emmet Bonnar made a surging run through the Golden defence and as he was splitting the posts with point bound shot, was the subject of an infringement in the square. Dan O’Dwyer slotted home the resulting penalty, giving them a six-point lead. 

Two minutes before the break Cian O’Dwyer was again on the mark with a major when he got on the end of a cross field ball from Conal Grogan before finding the net with a powerful shot. Their third green flag came on the stroke of half time when, again, Emmet Bonnar split the defence before parting to Dan O’Dwyer, who made no mistake. 

Their ability to move the ball at pace was certainly a telling factor during those opening thirty plus minutes, which saw them lead 3-5 to 0-4.

Eight minutes after the restart, Galtee were reduced to fourteen players after Cian O’Dwyer was red carded following a melee involving up to a dozen players. The expected Golden come-back materialised with Aaron Colohan leading the way, and Sam Hall crashing home a goal from the penalty spot. 

At the three-quarter stage Golden were also down to fourteen after Ryan McNight was black carded. The final two minutes plus five minutes of injury time were full of drama, with Golden bombarding the Galtee defence. Aaron Colohan kicked two great points and Ben Currivan got in for a late goal. However, Galtee held out for a famous victory.

The game started with the Bansha side defending the village goal and playing with the aid of a sharp wind. Two converted frees, inside four minutes, from Conal Grogan setting the tone. Dan O’Dwyer and captain Eoin Halpin doubled their advantage before Lee Hayes opened Golden/Kilfeacle’s account after 12 minutes.  

Dan O’Dwyer was on the button after twenty minutes when he struck a penalty low and hard to the Golden net after Emmet Bonnar was impeded in the square.

Bonnar himself followed up with a point almost immediately before San Hall, from a free, and Lee Hayes got in for minors for Golden. Galtee’s second goal came two minutes before the break. Conal Grogan got a ball on the far side and his perfectly judged long diagonal ball found the unmarked Cian O’Dwyer, who made no mistake. 

Goal number three came on the stroke of half time when following another defence splitting run from Emmet Bonnar, he found the inform Dan O’Dwyer who slotted home his second of the night., to put the Bansha side ten points to the good.

Conal Grogan kicked his third free of the night, inside the opening minute after the restart. Golden were slow to make use of the elements as Galtee held firm under pressure and a couple of wayward shots didn’t help their cause. 

What looked like a goal-bound shot also came back off the upright and was cleared to safety. Galtee were then reduced to fourteen following the dismissal of Cian O’Dwyer after 38 minutes. His dismissal came after referee Richie O’Connor had a long conversation with his umpires following a melee that involved up to at least twelve players.  

The Golden fightback came after twelve minutes when Sam Hall struck from the penalty spot, before they were also reduced to fourteen after Ryan McNight was black-carded. The next ten minutes saw Galtee defend in numbers, with Golden unable to make inroads into the lead.  Cian Ryan reduced the deficit to six with five minutes remaining, but Cian Collins ended a Bansha attack with a vital point at the other end. 

The final two minutes of ordinary time plus five minutes of injury time were full of drama as Golden went on all-out attack. Aaron Colohan kicked over two points and Ben Currivan goaled. In a last attack the Galtee defence held firm and now advance to meet Ballina in a County semifinal.

This group of players, on both sides, have certainly given their followers plenty of entertainment over the past few years, and certainly bodes well for the future of both clubs.

Following the final whistle, West Board chairman Tommy Hayes presented the Willie O’Dwyer Cup to winning captain Eoin Halpin.

Galtee Rovers: Robbie McGrath; Eoghan Byrnes, Ciaran McCarthy, Tadhg Gubbins; Emmet Bonnar (0-1), Evan Kennedy, Cian Collins (0-1); Bill Quirke, Liam Finnane; Joe O’Callaghan, Conal Grogan (0-3f), Cian O’Dwyer (1-0); Jack Crowe, Eoin Halpin (0-1), Dan O’Dwyer (2-1).

Subs used: Josh O’Dwyer for Evan Kennedy (42); Dermot McCarthy for Eoghan Byrnes (55); Lucas Bowles for Jack Crowe (60).

Golden Kilfeacle: Tyler Barry; Eanna Ormond, Cian Ryan (0-1), Brian Marnane; Ben Currivan (1-0), Gavin Dalton, Jack Lonergan;  Bobby Smith, Jack Bergin; Sam Hall (1-1, 1-0 pen, 0-1f), Ryan McNight, Jason Morey; Aaron Colohan (0-3), Lee Hayes (0-3), Aiden Tuohy.

Subs used: Colin Tuohy for Bobby Smith (42); Kevin Hogan for Jason Morey (50); James McLoughlin for Ryan McNight (55).

Referee: Richie O’Connor (Arravale Rovers)