St Colmcilles 6-8 Duleek-Bellewstown 3-8

Sunday past saw St Colmcilles boys of 2003, bridge a 15 year gap to land the Meath U15 Division 1 Title in front of a big crowd in Dunganny and in doing so Jude McNabb and Tom Maguires managed charges landed their incredible 6th Division 1 Title in a row spanning 4 years.

Pretenders to their crown on this occasion was near neighbours Duleek/Bellewstown who throughout the U15 League  had only lost once and where the most fast improving side under the guidance of Arthur Duffy in the League.    In truth this was a wonderful contest from start to finish and the underdogs Duleek/Bellewstown eye balled the 5 time champions throughout and contributed to a stellar contest.

The game opened with a fine score from Ian Byrne to see Duleek/Bellewstown grab the lead before a great ball up field from Sean O'Donoghue picked out Fiachra Mac an Aba and his off load to Luke Hanan saw him in turn find Liam Stafford and the Dublin Road player proceeded to sprint in on goal and fire to the back of the Duleek/Bellewstown net to see St Colmcilles wrestle the lead. It was a big signal of intent from the 5 time champions and the same player was at it minutes later this time taking a pass of Oisin Murphy before kicking a wonderful point  to see the East Coast boys go 3 clear.

However if St Colmcilles thought they were going to have it easy, they got a prompt and immediate response from the underdogs as some brilliant play saw Duleek/Bellewstown hit 1-3 without replay to turn the 3 point deficit into a 2 point lead by the 20th minute.  Firstly slopping play at the back from St Colmcilles and the lively Sean Courtney pounced to fire over to reduce the margin to two points.

A fine run them from the dangerous Craig Moore then saw him feed young Courtney who was lively throughout and he fired low past Stefan Bors to put his side a point clear.  Duleek/Bellewstown now were playing great football and a brilliant run up field from Alan Bowden  saw him free himself  of the tight marking O'Donoghue and he found Craig Moore and he in turn fired a stunning point to see his side now two clear having been 3 down.

In keeping with what was a terrific encounter , the Champions kept finding a response.  More intricate play up front saw Godfrey Ehichoya break free and a combination of passes between himself, Sean O'Donoghue and Fiachra Mac an Aba saw the latter released Adam Daly and he fired over to reduce the margin to one.    Minutes later the game was all square as Luke Hanan released Adam Daly after some great work from Ben Maguire and  again he split the posts to tie up the game at 1-3 a piece.

Not to be outdone Duleek/Bellewstown replied and after a foul on Dylan Collins he slotted over the resulting free to see his side retake the lead.  However the game was ebbing and flowing now and a great ball from Cillian Quigley released Godfrey Ehichoya and a foul on him saw Luke Hanan fire over the resulting free to once again tie up the scores at 1-4 a piece  in what was now a pulsating encounter.

Ebb and flow the game continued and the brilliant Bowden then wrestled himself free from Sean O'Donoghue and proceeded to fire a stunning 35 yard point which lit up the large Duleek support and fire his team back into a one point lead.   It was an inspirational score to fire up many a team but  it was St Colmcilles who were not to be outdone and they closed the half with the telling score and the lead.

A great ball up field from O'Donoghue found Fiachra Mac an Aba out in front and his quick off load played Luke Hanan through on goal only for him to hit the cross bar.   The resulting rebound saw Liam Stafford first to the ball and he fired low to the net to see his side grab a critical 2 point lead in what was to be a key score in the game as the half closed St Colmcilles 2-4(10) V Duleek/Bellewstown 1-5(8).

The 2nd half opened with a great individual score from Fiachra Mac an Aba as he took a great ball from Conor Power to skip past his marker and fire over to see his sides lead pushed out to 3 points.   A poor kick out then saw Luke Hanan pounce and he fired over a wonderful point to extend the lead to 4.   But back came Duleek/Bellewstown with two wonderful scores, first Dylan Collins fired over his 2nd of the game before another great point from  Sean Courtney reduced the margin back to two points as the Duleek side battled for everything and continued to stay in the game.

However the 5 time champions then stamped their class on proceedings to wrestle control of the match.   An outrageous turnover by Godfrey Ehichoya on the brilliant Alan Bowden as he turned and twisted whilst  attacking up the pitch saw the Cilles centre back release Cillian Quigley and he then sent Adam Daly through on goal and he duly fired to the net to push the lead out to 5 points.    It was a huge moment in the game and minutes later Luke Hanan was first to pounce on the subsequent Duleek kick out and he  fired to the roof of the net to extend the lead further out to 8 points.

In keeping with the great contest though  Duleek/Bellewstown then replied firstly with a goal from Glen Egers as his shot from  distance sailed over Stefan Bors to the net before a stunning pointed free from Robbie Duff reduced the margin back to 4 points and still St Colmcilles were finding it difficult to put the challenge of the Duleek side away.

As the game entered the last 10 minutes, one sensed the experience of the Cilles side  was however beginning to tell.  A switch saw Liam Stafford go to midfield and Conor Power to wing forward and the change paid instant dividends as Conor Power sprinted up the field after  a great ball from Josh McLaughlin and he fired past the Duleek keeper to push the lead back out to 7 points.    A free kick from Luke Hanan then saw the lead further extended out to 8 as the champions really began to  turn the screw.

As St Colmcilles looked to be now on the home straight a penalty after a foul on Craig Moore saw him score the subsequent spot kick and reduce the margin once again back to 5 as Duleek/Bellewstown clung on.   But just as the Duleek side  seemed to still have a foot in the door, in the 54th minute  Fiachra Mac an Aba and Adam Daly closed it firmly shut.

A brilliant ball from Ben Maguire up to Luke Hanan saw him fouled and as young Hanan was getting up to get the ball,  young Mac an Aba had already taken the quick free  kick after  spotting the great run  of Adam Daly,  released him in on goal  and the Alverno player fired home his sides 6th goal of the contest to stretch the lead out to 8 once more.   It was brilliant opportunistic play and brilliant finishing which put paid finally to the wonderful Duleek/Bellewstown challenge.

To cap a fine individual performance Josh McLaughlin ended the contest and a fine point as he fired over to leave the final score St Colmcilles 6-8 (26) V Duleek/Bellewstown 3-8(17).

This was a wonderful U15 final that ebbed and flowed from end to end from the first whistle.   In boxing terms it was 12 rounds  of pulsating football where the Underdog eye balled the champions at every turn and had them on the ropes on a number of occasions.    However as the contest went on St Colmcilles experience and class began to wilt the wonderful Duleek/Bellewstown challenge and in the 54th minute they suffered the knockout blow when Adam Daly fired to the net having being setup by a  brilliant bit of play from Fiachra Mac an Aba.  On the day Duleek/Bellewstown had some great individual performances.  Sean Courtney was lively throughout whilst Sam O'Leary, Robbie Duff and Glen Egers were a constant threat.   At midfield Alan Bowden had a great game on Sean O'Donoghue who it must also be said was brilliant throughout in what was terrific battle between the two, whilst Dylan Collins and Craig Moore were immense from start to finish. 

For St Colmcilles it would be foolish not to appreciate the brilliant kick outs of  Stefan Bors who kept his side always on the front foot, whilst at  the back Ben Maguire , Caolon Nulty and Josh McLoughlin had great games.  At centre field Sean O'Donoghue put in a terrific shift on Alan Bowden and the Mornington players setup play at times was just a joy to watch and his industry just wonderful throughout.

Up front the St Colmcilles half forward line caused Duleek/Bellewstown all manner of problems and contributed 5-6 of their sides score of 6-8.  Liam Stafford was wonderful in the opening half and as the game went on the influence of Adam Daly and Luke Hanan grew as St Colmcilles turned the screw.    Inside Oisin Murphy was prominent in the first half in particular whilst Fiachra Mac an Aba played great and his ability to link the play, see the sharp off load and kick pass to his team mates was telling throughout.

However star billing in the end must go to the St Colmcilles Captain Godfrey Ehichoya.  His contribution was immense thoughout.   His big shoulder on Duleek/Bellewstowns danger man Robbie Duff in the opening minutes saw him go off injured and with it a major threat but it was his all round play that was just a joy to watch.

His ability to attack and keep his team on the front foot was a key to the Cilles win whilst his uncanny ability to keep the middle closed was no more evident when he picked the pocket of Alan Bowden with an outrageous turnover after he had been on a  rampaging run up field , one that, saw him setup Cillian Quigley and then Adam Daly for a massive goal at a key moment in the game.    It was moment of pure magic from the Mornington player, one worth paying to see, in what was a brilliant contest  throughout and one which the gallant losers Duleek can be well proud of their contribution to what was a marvelous match.  

St Colmcilles scorers: Adam Daly 2-2, Liam Stafford 2-1, Luke Hanan 1-3 (1 free), Conor Power 1-0, Fiachra Mac an Aba 0-1

Duleek/Bellewstown scorers: Sean Courtney 1-2, Craig Moore 1-1 (1 pen), Glen Egers 1-0, Dylan Collins 0-2, Robbie Duff 0-1, Iain Byrne 0-1, Alan Bowden 0-1

St Colmcilles:1.Stefan Bors, 2. Evan Morgan, 3. Caolan Nulty, 4. Euan Canniffe, 5.Ben Maguire, 6.Godfrey Ehichoya, 7.Josh McLoughlin, 8.Conor Power, 9.Sean O'Donoghue, 10. Luke Hanan, 11. Adam Daly, 12.Liam Stafford, 13.Cillian Quigley, 14.Fiachra Mac an Aba, 15.Oisin Murphy.  Replacements.  James French for Evan Morgan, Emmett Higgins for Oisin Murphy, Harry Wright-Byrne for Luke Hanan,  Josh Hayes for Josh McLoughlin.

 

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