All-Ireland club JFC final: Glory for Castlegregory

February 15, 2010

Castlegregory's Alan McNamara gets in his shot despite the best efforts of Kiltimagh's Philip Larkin during the All Ireland Club JFC Final at croke Park
Castlegregory (Kerry) 1-14
Kiltimagh (Mayo) 0-15 aet

Kerry champions Castlegregory claimed the All-Ireland club junior football championship crown after a riveting final at Croke Park yesterday, where they over came Kiltimagh of Mayo after extra-time.

In an airtight decider, Kiltimagh had edged proceedings until the 60th minute when a goal from Colm O'Mahony helped save extra-time for Castlegregory, who went on to edge their Connacht opponents in the added periods and claim the title.

Kiltimagh led by 0-6 to 0-4 at the break during normal time as wing forward Ciaran Charlton led the way in the scoring stakes and after the restart the westerners moved four clear when Brian Gallagher and Noel Lydon raised quick white flags.

For Castlegregory it was Man of the Match, Shane Hennessey, that would prove pivotal from here on in, as the half-forward's brilliant ability to pick off scores ushered his team into a 0-8 to 0-7 lead with a quarter of an hour remaining. That seemed to signal a wake-up call for Kiltimagh and they moved back into a two-point lead, which was erased by O'Mahony's fisted goal - created by Hennessy - on the hour mark, before Charlton rescued a draw for his team with an injury-time free.

Into extra-time and the Kerry side has their noses in front at the midway point thanks to the scores of Hennessey and O'Mahony. Their opponents battled back in the second period though with a fantastic long-range point from Paul Regan and another free from Charlton to cut the deficit to just a point.

The chance to level the game fell short from a Charlton free though, and it provided Alan Fitzgerald with the chance to kick the insurance point down the other end, which he duly did to send Castlegregory towards coveted All-Ireland glory.

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