Moycarkey hold out for deserved U17A football final win over JK Brackens

Mid U17A Football Championship Final

Moycarkey Borris 1-7

JK Brackens 1-6

Despite dominating matters for the majority of the game Moycarkey/Borris endured a tense finish before deservedly claiming the Mid U-17 A football title at the expense of a gallant JK Brackens side.

There was plenty of early endeavour but we had to wait until the 8th minute for the opening score when Liam Corcoran obliged from play to get Moycarkey up and running. The same player landed a free in the tenth minute to double the lead before Jamie Ormond opened Brackens' account with a nice point from play following a quick break from Michael Cahill. Good approach work from Ormond and Cormac Foy set up Paddy Hickey for the equaliser a minute later.

Another Corcoran free nudged Moycarkey back in front before Cahill and Hickey attacked with pace to tee up Foy for a good point in the 18th minute. Brackens were finding holes in the Moycarkey rearguard but some poor finishing let them down.

Sean Walsh replaced Sean Purcell for Brackens in the 20th minute before Corcoran’s fourth point of the evening restored the Moycarkey lead in the 24th minute.

A good team move saw Cillian Doran land an excellent point from play and Moycarkey retreated to the warmth of the dressing rooms with a two point half-time lead, 0-5 to 0-3. The scoreboard was a fair reflection of the opening half with Moycarkey slightly more economical in front of goal. Brackens had spurned a host of excellent chances and needed a good start to the second half. It didn't materialise however and we had to wait nine minutes for the opening score.

And when it came it proved decisive. Moycarkey intercepted a poor Brackens free and within seconds midfielder David Costigan fired past Cian Sheedy in the Brackens net to extend the lead to five. On a low-scoring night this was a big lead and it gave Moycarkey a huge boost.

They defended tigerishly from here on with Darragh O’Dwyer and Sean Hayes very strong in defence. Brackens were in no mood to throw in the towel however and a good fisted point from Ciaran O’Shea in the 40th minute closed the gap to four. It was down to three five minutes later when Dylan Quinlan popped over a point from play.

A number of poor wides from Moycarkey kept Brackens in the game before Costigan got their first point of the second half when he landed a 51st minute free. A good run from Ned Delaney in the 54th minute resulted in a Brackens free which Quinlan converted to leave just the goal in it with time running out.

Moycarkey pushed for home and it was that man again, Liam Corcoran, who came up with the insurance point from play in the 56th minute.

Another excellent move saw Costigan through on goal but an excellent Cian Sheedy save denied him a second major. A high ball into the Moycarkey square in the 61st minute saw Brackens corner back Dayle Hogan punch the ball to the net to close the gap to the minimum.

Three frantic minutes of added time failed to yield a Brackens equaliser and Joe Leahy’s final whistle sealed a deserved Moycarkey victory.

Moycarkey/Borris: Francie Butler; Patrick Dowling, Darragh O’Dwyer, Rhys McCarthy; Louis Coughlan, Sean Hayes, Killian Cantwell; Joe Egan, David Costigan (1-1, 0-1f); Mikey Carroll, Liam Corcoran (0-5, 0-3f), Tom Ryan; Eamon Ryan, Bill Flanagan, Cillian Doran (0-1).

JK Brackens: Cian Sheedy; Eddie Corcoran, Daniel Joyce, Dayle Hogan (1-0); Josh Quinlan, Jamie Bergin, Tom Corcoran; Ned Delaney, Michael Cahill; Ciaran O’Shea (0-1), Jamie Ormond (0-1), Patrick Hickey (0-1); Cormac Foy (0-1), Dylan Quinlan (0-2, 0-1f), Sean Purcell.

Subs: Sean Walsh for Purcell, Purcell for Josh Quinlan (inj).

Referee: Joe Leahy (Moyne Templetuohy)