Fighting Cocks edge out old rivals to taste Junior Football glory
Conor Ruane, Darragh Byrne, Billy Nolan and Billy Molloy celebrate with the cup after Fighting Cocks beat Leighlinbridge to win the JFC 'A' title. All Photos: Pat Ahern
The Fighting Cocks are the Carlow Junior Football A Champions. On Sunday in Netwatch Cullen Park, they edged out their old rivals, Leighlinbridge, to clinch a much coveted title.
It was a tight opening half with the eventual winners getting off to a great start. There seemed little on when Aaron Dowling floated a high ball into the O’Hanrahan end of the ground. Just like he has been doing for years, Alan Quigley improvised to flick the ball past Cian Kavanagh. Dowling added a point but Robert O’Byrne cancelled that out when, at the tunnel end, and from an angle he found the posts.
It was a rallying white flag and now Leighlinbridge were giving as good as they got. A foot-block earned the All-Blacks a penalty which Aidan Lillis expertly dispatched into the top right corner.
At half-time, The Cocks led 1-7 to 1-6. The second half was an intense affair. Another Dowling point eased his side ahead by two points. At the other end, keeper, Darragh Byrne, did well to deny Ros Dermody as the game lived on a knife edge.
The vital score came in the final quarter when Glenn O’Rourke bullied his way through. He was unable to get in a shot but the ball ran loose and Dowling was on hand to find the back of the net from close range.
Leighlinbridge dug deep scoring the final three points of the game through Lee Conran, Fiach O’Toole and Lillis but the final whistle brought welcome relief for the winners.
A Dowling 1-5 (1-2pf), A Quigley 1-1, C Fagan 0-2, D Ruane, T Watchorn, J McDonald 0-1 each.
A Lillis 1-5 (1-0 pen 3fs), F O’Toole 0-4 (1-2p), L Brennan, R O’Byrne 0-1.
Darragh Byrne; Conor Ruane, James Hickey, Dylan Ruane; Billy Molloy, William Kelly, Billy Nolan; Cormac McElligott, Liam Sheppard; Trevor Watchorn, Jack McDonald, Emmet Moran; Cillian Fagan, Alan Quigley, Aaron Dowling.
Matthew English Hayden for Molloy (44), Glen O’Rourke for Watchorn (44), Mattie Dowling for McDonald (44), Niall Fitzpatrick for Quigley (59), Cian O’Byrne for Moran (60).
Cian Kavanagh; PJ Haughney, Daniel Barron, Ros Dermody; Kacper Gniedziejko, Cathal Brennan, Joey Byrne; Liam Brennan, Aedan Byrne; Cian Brennan, Aidan Lillis, Robert O’Byrne; Fiach O’Toole, Charlie Nolan, Aidan Nolan.
Ciaran Nolan for O’Byrne (39), Lee Conran for Byrne (50), Alfie Barcoe for Cian Brennan (50), Jack McGeary for A Nolan (58).
Lar Murphy (Setanta).
