Knockbeg stage brilliant comeback to lift Leinster 'A' Junior Football crown
Rory Kinsella representing Leinster Schools GAA presents the South Leinster 'A' football trophy to Knockbeg joint captains Mark Dowling and Conor Murphy. Photos: Pat Ahern
A brilliant final quarter where they outscored the opposition by 0-10 to 0-2 saw Knockbeg College lift the South Leinster Schools Junior Football final at Bunclody on Wednesday. In that time Tadhg O’Gorman registered two two-point frees while Cormac Murphy also raised an orange flag which had a huge impact on the contest.
That first two-pointer which O’Gorman curled inside the right-hand post acted as a huge momentum creator as it turned a one point deficit into a narrow lead. After a tight opening 45 minutes, the odds of an eight point victory for either side would have been long.
Both teams went head to head particularly in the opening half. Against the wind, Knockbeg stole into an early lead with points from Eoghan Harris and Tadhg O’Gorman. A number of misplaced passes brought the opposition onto them and Sean Galway and Jack Cullen replied for Good Counsel. Sandwiched in between those two points, Mikey Regan raised a white flag for Knockbeg.
With just over ten minutes to half-time, Good Counsel attacked down the right. The defence seemed to have the situation under control but the ball was delivered into the edge of the small square where Galway had the simple task of poking home. When Sean Doyle converted a long-range free, the Wexford school were three points to the good.
It was important for Knockbeg to find something and they did when O'Gorman added a point to his side’s total to leave Good Counsel leading 1-4 to 0-5 at the break.
Seconds into the second half, Good Counsel looked certain to goal when Cathal Redmond shot from inside the big square but Knockbeg keeper, Mark Dowling, dived to his right to make the save. The loose ball ran in favour of Knockbeg with the defence coming out on top to clear the danger.
Good Counsel continued to drive forward and Scott Doyle raised a white flag. The eventual winners found something more and while the scores were slow in coming, they had plenty of the ball. There was only the narrowest margins between the sides when O’Gorman landed his first two-pointer.
Suddenly the game changed. Michael Brennan scored the second of his two points but this was cancelled out by a converted free from Caylum O’Sullivan.
Knockbeg turned the screw with another O’Gorman two-pointer and from there to the finish they drew away from their opponents. Also on target was Cian Howard before Cormac Murphy made his mark on the final scoring three points which included a two-pointer from play.
It was a tidy performance by the winners. It is hard at this stage of the competition to know what future opposition will be like but the school who beats this Knockbeg side (if that happens) could well be the overall provincial winners.
T O’Gorman 0-6 (2-2pfs 1f), E Harris, C Murphy 0-3 each D Brennan, M Brennan 0-2 each, G Kelly, C Howard, M Regan 0-1 each.
S Galway 1-1, J Cullen 0-3 (2fs), B Foley, C O’Sullivan (f), D Doyle (f), S Doyle 0-1 each.
Mark Dowling (Crettyard); Nisun Balogun (Killeshin), Nathan Walsh (Palatine), Podge Brennan (Graiguecullen); Tadhg Murnane (Castledermot), Harry O’Gorman (Castledermot), Cian Howard (Asca); Dale Heffernan (Killeshin), Darragh Brennan (Crettyard); Cormac Murphy (Éire Óg), Greg Kelly (Castledermot), Michael Brennan (Crettyard); Mikey Regan (Killeshin), Tadhg O’Gorman (Castledermot), Eoghan Harris (Arles Killeen). Subs: Cathal Harris (Arles Killeen) for Heffernan (h/t), Will Duffy (Ballylinan) for Walsh (41), Senan Sheehan (Éire Óg) for Regan (57), Brendan Byrne (Michael Davitts) for Howard (59).
Elliott Barrett; Eoghan Doyle Cian Kelly, Barry Foley; Harry Keating, Sean Doyle, Darragh Ross; Joey Tobin, Peadar Browne; Robbie Kehoe, Jack Cullen, Cathal Redmond; Scott Doyle, Sean Galway, Caylum O’Sullivan. Subs: Fionn Mac Eochaidh for Redmond (42), Kian Murray for Ross (42), Jamie Walsh for S Doyle (54).
Kieron Kenny (Wicklow).
