Galtee Rovers edge their way past battling Éire Óg Annacarty to pick up seventh title

Shane Hennessy Agri-Advisor West Junior B Football Championship Final

Galtee Rovers 1-9

Eire Og Annacarty Donohill 0-7

John O’Shea at New Inn

Galtee Rovers, appearing in their first final since 2015, are the Shane Hennessy Agri Adviser West Junior B Football champions for the seventh time following their five-point victory over Eire Og Annacarty Donohill at New Inn on Tuesday night.

Played before a good attendance on a yielding surface, there was very little between the sides, except for a two-minute spell coming up to half time, when Galtee crashed home the only goal of the game and followed up immediately with two points in quick succession.

This was the turning point of the game, and from which Eire Og never recovered. Tony Egan was the goal scorer when he blasted home a rebound after Danny Ryan’s initial shot was blocked down. This burst of scoring had the Bansha side four up at the break, 1-5 to 0-4.

The second half was even enough, but Eire Og were unable to eat into the Galtee lead as the Bansha side were content to sit back and defend in numbers when required. Eight minutes after the break, Eire Og had reduced the deficit to a goal, but this was as close as they would get, with Galtee outscoring them by three points to one over the remainder of the contest.

The game started at a slow enough pace with Cathal Coughlan getting the scoreboard moving after two minutes and Philip McGrath kicking a second four minutes later. Galtee were guilty of some wayward kicking in front of goal, both from open play and placed balls early on, and also were finding it hard to breakdown a hard tackling Eire Og defence.

However, Tony Egan opened their account at the village end after thirteen minutes with a point from a placed ball. Chris Higgins followed up from the kick out with an up-field run that finished in a good point to draw level. Around the quarter mark Tony Egan eased Galtee to the front, but a Philip McGrath point from a free tied the game for the second time with seven minutes remaining.

The game turned on its head in a two-minute spell coming up to the break. Galtee attacked from around midfield and following a good move Danny Ryan’s goal-bound shot was initially blocked, but Tony Egan was on hand to blast first time to the Eire Og net. From the kick out Shane Egan gathered and his well-struck shot split the posts. Chris Higgins followed up, on the stroke of half-time, with his second point of the game to give his side a four-point advantage.

It took five minutes after the break to get the scoreboard moving again. Dan O’Dwyer cut through the centre to register his opening score of the game. Eire Og got briefly back in the game when Cathal Coughlan got onto the end of a move to register his second and Willie O’Neill then cut the deficit to a goal with a well-taken point.

Tony Egan, again, eased Galtee back to a four-point advantage with nine minutes gone. Eire Og made a few changes to their attack but were unable to breach the Galtee defence.

Scores were hard to come-by with neither side yielding. The final five minutes plus added times saw Galtee outscore their opponents by two points to one. Tony Egan and Philip McGrath traded points from placed balls and Colin Morrissey closed out the scoring with a point in added time.

This was Galtee’s seventh title in all and their first since 2015 and after the game West Board chairman Tommy Hayes presented the O’Connor Cup to victorious captain Shane Egan. They now play Ballina in the County quarter-final, while Eire Og will take on North winners, Shannon Rovers.

Scorers: Galtee Rovers: Tony Egan (1-4, 0-4f), Chris Higgins (0-2), Shane Egan (0-1), Dan O’Dwyer (0-1), Colin Morrissey (0-1).

Éire Óg: Philip McGrath (0-4, 0-2f), Cathal Coughlan (0-2), Willie O’Neill (0-1).

Galtee Rovers: Eoin Gallagher; Emmet Ryan, Davy Byron, Tadhg Gubbins; Eoghan Byrnes, Chris Higgins, Ciaran McCarthy; Kieran Marnane, Shane Egan; Ian O’Brien, Dan O’Dwyer, Danny Ryan; Callum McCarthy, Colin Morrissey, Tony Egan.

Subs used: Denis Peters for Emmet Ryan (HT); Eoin Brennan for Eoghan Byrnes (45); Mark O’Brien for Callum McCarthy (54); Sean Dowdall for Ian O’Brien (60).

Éire Óg: Raymond Barry; Peter O’Dwyer, Dan Hogan, Adam O’Dwyer; Jordan Hayes, Cathal Coughlan, Dan Kelly; Eoin Kennedy, Richard O’Doherty; Willie O’Neill, Cian Mooney, Tommy Quinn; Pat Aherne, Philip McGrath, Alan Shanahan.

Subs used: Stephen McDonald for Jordan Hayes (40); Ronan O’Brien for Tommy Quinn (40); Michael Buckley for Richard O’Doherty (48); Jack Kingston for Alan Shanahan (53); Jeremy Furlong for Peter O’Dwyer (60).

Referee: Richie O’Connor (Arravale Rovers)