Jones shoots the lights out for Arravale in exciting O'Donoghue Cup final victory

Michael Devlin Solicitors O’Donoghue Cup Final

Arravale Rovers 3-14

Aherlow 0-19

Two goals from Orrin Jones inside the final ten minutes gave Arravale Rovers their 12th victory in the Michael Devlin Solicitors-sponsored O’Donoghue Cup as they overcame the stern challenge of Aherlow at Canon Hayes Park, Bansha, on Wednesday evening.

Played in great conditions before a small crowd, both teams served up a game of fast, attacking, entertaining football, with Rovers finding the net on three occasions, while Aherlow split the posts four times with shots from outside the 40-metre arc.

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Aherlow defended the village end for the first half and went on the attack from the throw-in, with Tadhg Carew cutting the Rovers' defence wide open before offloading to Micheál Elligott, whose low shot was saved by Marcus Kinnane with just 20 seconds on the clock.

The town side attacked down the stand side and Eoin Doocey set up Ciarán Kelly for the opener. Kinnane again was called into action, this time saving from Aaron Brazil from close range. Ciarán Kelly doubled his tally from Rovers’ second attack before Diarmuid Looby offloaded to Liam Carew, who curled over from the left side.

Rovers then took a foothold, as Aherlow struggled around the middle third, with Jaye Cilvinas and John Paul Lohan finding the range from open play before Orrin Jones opened his account with a minor from a free, after the ball had been moved up to the 20-metre line for a technical infringement. This gave Rovers a four-point advantage, 0-5 to 0-1, after ten minutes.

Aherlow upped their game as Aaron Brazil took over, curling over a free before landing a two-pointer from outside the arc on the open side. The sides were on level terms following interchange play between Brazil and Elligott, as the former landed his fourth point of the evening.

Brazil, off his left foot, eased the Glen men in front, with seven minutes remaining to the short whistle, before the move of the first half, involving Tadhg Carew and Liam Carew, ended with Micheál Elligott putting two between the sides.

Liam Carew landed his second of the game when he got on the end of a cross-field ball, before Orrin Jones broke the sequence with a good score, Donagh Leahy being the provider. Micheál Elligott closed out the first half with his second point, as Aherlow led 0-9 to 0-6 at the break.

After the restart, Jones was on target inside the opening minute, but Aherlow replied with a Diarmuid Looby two-pointer, putting four between the sides. The opening major came when a long ball from the outfield by Ciarán Kelly into the goalmouth was broken down to Eoin Doocey, who fired home from close range. Jones tapped over a free before a shot from David Ryan rattled the crossbar on its way over.

This score gave the town side a one-point advantage, but Aaron Brazil fired over his second two-pointer on forty-three minutes following good work by Stephen Carey and Tadhg Carew. David Ryan and Elligott traded minors before Orrin Jones had the sides level for the third time on 45 minutes.

Niall Sharpe eased Rovers back in front, Jones with the assist, but Diarmuid Looby again kicked a huge two-pointer from all of 55 metres, as Aherlow got their noses in front for what would be the last time in the game. Rovers kicked the next three scores, a minor from play by Seán O’Mahony followed up with a converted free by Jones, before the latter found the net after intercepting an attempted short kick-out.

The final five minutes were all action, with Aaron Brazil cutting the deficit to three from a placed ball. Jaye Cilvinas got in two big defensive blocks as Aherlow went all out for a major. Brazil landed a 45 to put two between the sides, but Orrin Jones finished an upfield move of interplay with Seán O’Mahony with a cracking low drive that beat Jack Whelton.

Rovers were then reduced to fourteen players following the dismissal, in added time, of John Paul Lohan on a second yellow card before Aaron Brazil landed his tenth minor of the game to close out the scoring, 3-14 to 0-19.

Scorers: Arravale Rovers: Orrin Jones (2-6, 0-3f), Eoin Doocey 1-0, Ciarán Kelly, David Ryan 0-2 each, Sean O’Mahony, Jaye Cilvinas, Niall Sharpe, John Paul Lohan all 0-1 each.

Aherlow: Aaron Brazil (0-10, 0-2f, 1x2ptf, 1x2pt, 1x45), Diarmuid Looby (0-4, 2x2pt), Micheál Elligott 0-3, Liam Carew 0-2.

Arravale Rovers: Marcus Kinane; Tommy Lowry, Shane Leahy, Alex Webster; David Ryan, John Paul Lohan, Jaye Cilvinas; Noel O’Mahony, Eoin Doocey; Donncha Quigley, Cormac Maher, Sean O’Mahony; Orrin Jones, Donough Leahy, Ciarán Kelly.

Subs used: Darragh Bresnan for Cormac Maher (40); Niall Sharpe for Donnacha Quigley (40); Eoghan Lonergan for Donagh Leahy (46); Brendan Delaney for Tommy Lowry (49, inj); Caleb Hickey for Noel O’Mahony (52).

Aherlow: Jack Whelton; Adam Lohan, Raymond Hennessy, Moss O’Brien; Tadhg Carew, Diarmuid Looby, Paddy Chapman; Stephen Carey, Gary Quirke; Ben Carey, Liam Carew, Max Reardon; Seán Bourke, Micheál Elligott, Aaron Brazil.

Subs used: Jack O’Halloran for Max Reardon (43); Padraic O’Brien for Adam Lohan (44); Laurence Coskeran for Stephen Carey (46).

Referee: Donie Horan (Eire Óg Annacarty Donohill)

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