Moycarkey Borris leaves no doubt about the result in easy U17 final win over Boherlahan

B&T Sports Mid U17B Football Championship Final

Moycarkey Borris 5-12

Boherlahan Dualla 2-7

By Michael Dundon

Three goals in the opening quarter sent Moycarkey-Borris on their way to a comfortable win over Boherlahan Dualla in the B&T Sports Mid Tipp under 17B Football Final at Morris Park last Thursday evening.

Played in unseasonably mild conditions on a perfect surface, both sides adopted a positive approach but Moycarkey carried the greater threat in attack and this was readily reflected in a scoreline that left no room for speculation. The best team won handsomely but Boherlahan were game to the finish and worthy opponents.

Goals from Tom Ryan after two minutes, and Sean O Dwyer five minutes later, put Moycarkey in the driving seat and they never looked back subsequently. Boherlahan got moving with points from Conor Kennedy and Charlie Ryan but Louis Coughlan’s goal for Moycarkey at the end of the first quarter gave them a 3-2 to 0-2 advantage and basically decided the issue.

It wasn’t that Boherlahan were over-run; they simply had too much ground to make up and while they had some excellent players, they didn’t have enough of them to change the shape of this game. Boherlahan did get a life-line when, in injury time of the first half a speculative shot from Charlie Ryan slipped from Odhran Lamphier’s grasp and ended in the Moycarkey net but they were still 3-5 to 1-3 adrift at the interval.

A brace of Ryan Bargary points at the start of the second half hinted at a Boherlahan recovery and brought them within two goals of their rivals but that’s as good as it got for them. David Costigan, the outstanding player on the field, had  Moycarkey’s fourth goal after 40 minutes as they pulled steadily clear of their rivals and he crowned his performance with Moycarkey’s fifth goal minutes from the end.

Beaten but unbowed, Boherlahan showed commendable resilience. They kept plugging away even though the game was well beyond their reach and got their reward in injury time when Charlie Ryan netted their second goal, but it was far too late to make any difference.

This was an impressive showing by a Moycarkey-Borris side that would not be out of its depth in the A championship and who should make a bold bid to add county honours to the divisional title. They have great strength in all the key positions and use the ball intelligently, with the towering Costigan lads dominating midfield. 

David in particular had a stormer and they, along with Tom Ryan and Eamon Ryan who orchestrated much of the winners’ attacking moves, Daniel Hayes and Cillian Clancy did most to achieve this success for the club.

Boherlahan-Dualla could not be faulted for endeavour and despite the morale-sapping scoreline, kept chasing the game to the very end. 

The early goals scuppered their chances though it has to be acknowledged that Moycarkey were the more efficient and clinical when scores were on offer. Key influencers in Boherlahan’s challenge were Conor Kennedy, Charlie Ryan, Eoin Kennedy, Ryan Bargary, Conor O’Donnell, and Jack Hickey.

Moycarkey Borris: Odhran Lamphier; Mark Drohan, Daniel Hayes, Ethan Dawson; Cillian Doran, Killian Cantwell, Cathal Clancy; David Costigan (2-6), Louis Costigan (1-1); Sean O’Dwyer (1-0), Tom Ryan (1-0), John Fitzgerald (0-1); Conor Donnelly (0-1), Eamon Ryan (0-2), James Danagher (0-1).

Subs used: Daniel Butler; Rory Heffernan; Fiachra Johnson; Richie Maher; Sean Maher.

Boherlahan Dualla: Aaron Toomey; Jack Hickey, Brian Gleeson, Conor O’Donnell; Eoin Kennedy (0-1), Conor Kennedy (0-1), Conor Fogarty; Ryan Bargary (0-3, 0-2f), Tadhg O’Donnell; Cian Lawrence, Charlie Ryan (2-1), Rory Crosse; Cillian Nash, Paddy Gahan, Colm Toomey.

Subs used: Fionn Ivors; Ronan Graham (0-1).

Referee: Tom McGrath (Loughmore Castleiney)