Oliver Plunketts 2-6
Glen Emmets 0-9

Oliver Plunketts are celebrating a return to Intermediate football after holding off the challenge of a gallant Glen Emmets in the Junior Championship Final at Stabannon on Sunday afternoon.

Overall, there can be no argument about the merits of the Plunketts win but while Colm Coyle's side were the better team, they didn't convert that superiority onto the scoreboard and were almost made pay in the end.

Two first half goals from Cian Matthews and Stephen Keely, along with a superb midfield display from Robbie Brodigan combined to see the Drogheda men in charge for most of the hour.

However, having failed to put the game to bed they were almost punished late on and it took a splendid save from Colm Duffy in injury time to prevent the Emmets from snatching a dramatic draw.
Ultimately, they did hang on and allow captain Sean Brassil to take the Christy Bellew Cup back to Mell and finally put behind them a difficult time since returning to the junior ranks in 2011.

The Plunketts may have gone into the game as favourites but Glen Emmets proved they were up for the challenge as David Bracken opened the scoring after just 18 seconds.
Scores were hard to come by after that in a scrappy opening as a Frank Taaffe free levelled matters on five minutes.
The next score didn't arrive until the 14th minute but it proved to be an important one as Adam Brodigan set up Cian Matthews for a goal. Taaffe added another from a free before Stephen Keeley pounced on a defensive error to lash home a second goal and put the Plunketss 2-2 to 0-1 ahead on 23 minutes

It was looking good for the Drogheda men but the Emmets finished the half strongly and two points from Mark Noone saw them trail by 2-2 to 0-3 at the break.
The Emmets confidence increased at the start of the second half as Eamonn Mullen landed three points from placed balls inside 13 minutes to bring the gap back to 2-2 to 0-6.
The Plunketts needed inspiration and it came in the form of Brodigan who won possession in the middle to set up Stephen Keely for what was a crucial point, with sub Emmet Kelleher adding another on 45 minutes to make it 2-4 to 0-6.
Plunketts remained in control but couldn't shake off the Tullyallen men and points from Noone and Mullen either side of a Conor Early point left the Plunketts 2-5 to 0-8 in front on 23 minutes.

The tension increased in the closing minutes and when Ronan Grufferty landed a long range point there were plenty of anxious faces among the Plunketts support. That was eased slightly when Kelleher pointed but that wasn't the end of the drama.
The Emmets almost snatched a dramatic equaliser as the ball fell to Ian Cusack in a goalmouth scramble but from point blank range he was denied by a brilliant reaction save from Duffy to ensure the Plunketts held on to win.

OLIVER PLUNKETTS: Colm Duffy; Cillian Matthews, Davy McTeggart, Michael McDonald; Frank Daly, Sean Brassil, Gary Keogh; Robbie Brodigan, Conor Early 0-1; Adam Brodigan, Stephen Keely 1-1, Brian Fitzpatrick; Cian Matthews 1-0, Dean Carolan, Frank Taaffe 0-2. Subs: Emmet Kelleher 0-2 for A Brodigan, Ken Hurley for F Taaffe.

GLEN EMMETS: Fergus Barnett; Aidan Monahan, Andrew Mooney; Keith Boylan, Sean Byrne, Stephen Healy; Gordon Healy, Conor Grimes; Keith Rooney, Keith Lynch, James Butler; Mark Noone 0-3, David Bracken 0-1, Eamonn Mullen 0-4. Subs: Niall Hackett for J Farnan, Ian Cusack for J Butler, Tom Grimes for K Boylan, Ronan Grufferty 0-1 for K Rooney, Mark Garvey for G Healy, Conor Cusack for M Noone.

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