Durlas Óg produce scintillating performance to edge brave Brackens in a Mid final thriller
Durlas Óg defeated JK Brackens after extra time in the Mid U14A Football final on Monday
Mid Tipperary U14A Football Championship Final
Durlas Óg 5-10
JK Brackens 3-5
After extra time
By Michael Dundon
Three goals in the second half of extra time by Cillian Murphy steered Durlas Óg to victory over JK Brackens in a thrilling Stakelum’s Home and Hardware Mid U14A Football Championship final at Holycross on Monday evening.
The scoreline does a great injustice to the JK Brackens boys, who contributed hugely to a gripping encounter. They were right in the game all the way to the second half of extra time, but the loss of Charlie Doyle in the first half of extra time was a big blow to them. They were a point down at the time, 1-9 to 2-5, and his absence at the heart of their defence was sorely felt subsequently.
That said, Durlas Óg made all the running and, while they bagged five goals, they could have had a couple more, but the excellence of Adam Cleary between the Templemore posts and some slack shooting denied them green flags.
Durlas Óg got the ideal start with a Dáithí Dunne goal after just two minutes and they had the better of things in the first half. A pair of Cillian Murphy points, to which Mark Barrett, Mason Butler and Conor Guinan added, gave them an interval lead of 1-5 to 0-2, with Dara Naughton kicking both Brackens points. Brackens had a penalty awarded just before the break, but Joey Stapleton in the Durlas Óg goal made a great save from Dara Naughton’s well-struck effort.
Brackens had work to do facing into the second half and they went about it with gusto. Mark Marnell and Dara Naughton points inside four minutes had them flying, but Noah Sweeney countered for Durlas Óg. In the tenth minute, Dara Naughton’s shot for goal took a deflection and ended in the Durlas Óg net to cut the lead to 1-6 to 1-4.
JK Brackens’ tails were up and they applied intense pressure. Durlas Óg missed two goals on counter-attacks, but as the game drifted into injury time Barney Murphy netted for Brackens to put them ahead for the first time in the game. Durlas Óg never faltered and Cillian Murphy levelled for them from the kick-out to send the game to extra time, 1-7 to 2-4.
Two tiring sides resumed and Durlas Óg goalie Joey Stapleton had to be alert to deny Tommy Doyle a Templemore goal. Noah Sweeney and Dara Naughton exchanged points, but the Thurles lads finished the half well, a point by Michael Fahey followed by a great Shea Fogarty goal after a driving run into the heart of the Templemore defence, sending the Thurles boys 2-9 to 2-5 clear at the break.
The second half was all about Cillian Murphy. He got his first goal soon after resuming, which was followed by a Mason Butler point. Dara Naughton netted for Brackens after eight minutes to leave them five points adrift, but in the closing minutes, Cillian Murphy netted twice more to leave Durlas Óg deserving winners of a fine contest.
Cillian Murphy’s hat-trick of goals was the standout performance for Durlas Óg, but Shea Fogarty, Mason Butler, Frank Mockler, Cathal Walsh, Noah Sweeney and goalie Joey Stapleton also had big games.
Dara Naughton worked his socks off for Brackens, with Charlie Doyle, Eoghan Slevin, Alex Russell, Mark Marnell, Tom Kinane and Charlie Scully also catching the eye.
Scorers: Durlas Óg: Cillian Murphy 3-3, Daithi Dunne, Shea Fogarty 1-0 each, Mason Butler, Noah Sweeney 0-2 each, Mark Barrett, Conor Guinan, Michael Fahey all 0-1 each.
JK Brackens: Dara Naughton 2-4, Barney Murphy 1-0, Mark Marnell 0-1.
Durlas Óg: Joey Stapleton; Bob Stakelum, Noah Sweeney, Cathal Walsh; Adam McLoughlin, Shea Fogarty, Danil Meinychuk; Mason Butler, Daithi Dunne; Daniel O’Grady, Frank Mockler, Conor Guinan; Danny Ely O’Dowd, Mark Barrett, Cillian Murphy.
Subs used: Evan Bourke, Shay Mockler, Michael Fahey.
JK Brackens: Adam Cleary; Charlie Scully, Ultan Jones, Aidan Ivers; Paul Clarke, Charlie Doyle, Eoghan Slevin; Tom Kinnane, Dara Naughton; Dara Feehan, Alex Russell, Mark Marnell; Barney Murphy, Aaron Owens, Jake McGuinness.
Subs used: Tommy Doyle.
Referee: David Ryan (Boherlahan Dualla)