Palatine complete clean sweep of underage titles
Matthew Farrell is thrilled after the final whistle Photo: Pat Ahern
A clean sweep of all underage A football championships. In Netwatch Cullen Park on Saturday Palatine completed the circle and with this victory over their old rivals, they have thrown down a challenge to Éire Óg.
So long the king-pins of Carlow football, if the Teach Asca club, didn’t know it by now then they can be quite certain that Palatine are looking to usurp them. A first under 20 football championship A success made up for their 2023 replay final loss to the same opposition After the game, Palatine people talked about the work being put in at the club over the last number of years. That labour of love is bearing fruit now and no matter what the competition is, the Bennekerry side look like they will be strong of strongest contenders forever more.
The eventual winners had to do it the hard way here. Against the wind in the first half, Palatine hung on. Eoin Myers opened the scoring with an Éire Óg point but two Dylan Doyle scores into the scoreboard end were a statement of intent from last year’s beaten finalists. For Éire Óg, Ronan Quinlan replied in kind with a brace. After fifteen minutes, the reigning champions led by two points.
They got a stroke of luck when a free came back off the crossbar and an alert Josh Brady found the net from close range.
Palatine didn’t even bat an eyelid. Three Brandon Cassidy points had them back in the game. It got better as a delicious short through pass from Doyle set Marc Mulhall off. He made about 15 metres and gave Ben McCarron no chance in the Éire Óg goal as his shot found the inside of the right hand upright.
Éire Og were rudderless at that stage. They lost their shape completely and persisted to fire in long ball to a Palatine defence who easily contained the smaller YI forward line. Doyle and Cassidy added further points while Quinlan brought his first half total to four points.
Just before half-time, Cillian Moore scored a second Palatine goal and a ten-point turnaround was complete with the Bennekerry side 2-8 to 1-6 ahead at the interval.
Two Jack Feehan points early into the second half signalled the attempted come-back. Kyle Nolan also found the posts for Éire Óg while Quinlan converted a free. With fourteen minutes to go, Palatine, who had hardly got their hands on the ball, found themselves only one clear. James Cranny’s point was needed for Palatine.
Quinlan and Cassidy exchanged points as nerves began to take a hold. Éire Óg lost Luke Murphy to a black card which was now a game of inches. With time ebbing away, McCarron brought off a great save from Josh Egan. Palatine dug a little deeper with Cassidy to the fore. He played an instrumental part as his side carved out a three-point lead.
The 14 men came in waves in the four minutes injury time. With the 29 players in the Palatine half, Éire Óg needed a break. An uncompromising defence didn’t budge and kept their shape. Only an unlucky moment could have deprived Palatine. That never happened.
While they may not be the new kings of Carlow club football, the Bennekerry based side is going in the right direction at fast pace. If not by now, interesting times beckon with Carlow football benefitting.
B Cassidy 0-6 (1f), D Doyle 0-4 (1f), M Mulhall, C Moore 1-0 each, J Cranny 0-1.
R Quinlan 0-6 (4fs), Josh Brady 1-1, J Feehan 0-2, Kyle Nolan, E Myers, 0-1 each.
Sean Buggy; Cian Campion, Sam McHugh, John Byrne; Ewan Breen, Brian Broderick, Josh Egan; Matthew Farrell, Jack Deacy; Aidan Ryan, Dylan Doyle, Marc Mulhall; James Cranny, Cillian Moore, Brandon Cassidy. Subs: Fionn O’Toole for Moore (38), Eoin Ryan for Doyle (52), Jack Doyle for Ryan (58), Sean Walsh for Farrell (63).
Ben McCarron; Luke Murphy, Kieran Nolan, Ryan Donnelly Finn; Cillian McGrath, Alex Delaney, Adam Shaw; Kyle Nolan, Eoin Myers; Tom Behan, Cialan Brady, Jamie Coakley; Jack Feehan, Ronan Quinlan, Josh Brady. Subs: Daire Dooley for Shaw (h/t), Ruarc Murray for Behan (38), Liam Ryan for C Brady (43), Aaron Bolger for McGrath (8), Dermot Lawlor for Feehan (59).
Sean McCormack (O’Hanrahans).
