Moate All-Whites (Westmeath) 1-11 Straffan (Kildare) 0-10

Moate All-Whites became only the second Westmeath winners of the Leinster club JFC title when they withstood a second half fight-back by Straffan at a wintry Cusack Park, Mullingar.

Paul Conway's charges looked to be home and hosed when John Corbally's penalty eased them into a 1-8 to 0-3 lead just after half-time. But the highly-rated Kildare champions refused to wilt and closed the gap to four points before Moate could celebrate an historic victory.

Last year's county minor Corbally finished as the game's top-scorer with 1-3 (0-2 from frees), while the experienced Rob Kelly hit 0-4 (0-1 free) for the pre-match favourites.

Favoured by the wind in the opening half, Moate dominated proceedings to lead 0-8 to 0-3 at the break. The eight-time Westmeath senior kingpins had six different scorers, among them being young Billy Berry who notched 0-2.

The decisive score came immediately after the restart when Nigel Adamson won a contentious penalty which Corbally converted to put eight points between the sides. Kelly led the Straffan comeback, but they left themselves with too much to do as Moate emulated fellow county men Ballinagore's achievement of nine years to claim provincial honours and progress to an All-Ireland semi-final meeting with John Mitchel's of Liverpool early in the New Year. 

Moate All-Whites - D McArdle; C Bracken, D Buckley, A Claffey; B Arigho, R Gorman, D Bracken; E Dalton (0-2), J Madden (0-2); G Murray (0-1), B Berry (0-2), D Minnock; D Adamson, N Adamson (0-1), J Corbally (1-3, 1-0pen, 0-2f). Subs: S Bracken for B Arigho, C Bradley for N Adamson, J Linnane for G Murray.

Straffan - M Duggan; N Gaynor, B Ashe, P O'Neill; K Mullahy, C Gaynor, R Byrne; P Donovan (0-2), J Hanafin (0-1); E Neenan, J Devane, R Kelly (0-4, 1f); N Devane (0-1), A Allen (0-2), A O'Neill. Subs: P Coleman for A O'Neill, D Ashe for E Neenan, J Tracey for J Devane.

Referee - S Johnson.

Tweet

Most Read Stories