New Oak reach fifth Shield final in a row
New Oak’s Jordan Harmon celebrates after hitting the net. Photo:© Michael O'Rourke Photography 2025
New Oak reached their fifth consecutive KCLR Shield Final on Sunday morning with relative ease in the end as they beat their old rivals, Crettyard. Whilst the scoreline suggests a rather one sided game, it was anything but. Both teams cancelled each other out in the early stages with Crettyard having the better of the early chances but two defensive mistakes gave New Oak an early 2-0 lead.
That left Crettyard chasing the game then and struggling to find a way back which always leaves gaps in defence which allowed New Oak to capitalise. Crettyard were also lacking depth on the bench to go and change things with several players still out due to Gaelic Football commitments. Crettyard showed great signs of promise and if they can tighten up defensively, they’ll be legitimate challengers with the depth they possess in their squad, in particular up front.
Five minutes into the game, a Cian Cleary effort was saved for New Oak with the resulting corner from Luke Ramsbottom from the right being cleared. Four minutes later, a Jamie Maher effort from distance was hit wide on the right. With 12 minutes gone, another Maher effort was hit wide on the left.
Three minutes later, Gearoid Cuddihy who made his return to the Crettyard team for the first time since October 2023 after breaking his leg fired in a free but hit it wide on the left. A minute later, New Oak took the lead through Cleary who scored his seventh goal in three Shield games this season. Midway through the half, Shane Barnes pounced on a loose ball in the Crettyard box and all he had to do was tap it home to make it 2-0.
On the half hour mark, a Craig Comerford free from the right on the edge of the box was sent towards the bottom left hand corner and it required a great save from Corey Harmon to stop it going in. The ball was played back in and Riogan Doran’s effort was also saved, leading to a corner on the right but Comerford’s effort was hit straight into Harmon in the goal.
With ten minutes to go until half-time, a cross from the right was played in to Cleary at the back post but he couldn’t beat John Dunphy in the Crettyard goal back after a season away. Two minutes later, Doran went close but couldn’t control his effort and it was hit over the bar. Cleary hit an effort from the left across the box.
With five minutes to go until the break, a Kelly free from the edge of the box on the right was hit over. Cuddihy went close for Crettyard, hitting an effort first time but it wouldn’t curl in and went wide on the far side. In stoppage time, a Cuddihy free on the left was hit wide on the far side.
A minute after the break, a Cuddihy free from the edge of the box was hit into Harmon. Three minutes later, Barnes hit an effort into Dunphy.
A Cuddihy free from the left was cleared. A Ramsbottom corner from the left was cleared. Just shy of the hour mark, Cleary down the left fed David Doyle but he couldn’t find the back of the net.
Midway through the half, a Jack Brady free was hit off the wall. 20 minutes into the half, a cross from the left found Doran whose flick was saved. Two minutes later, Cleary broke down the left and 1 on 1 with Dunphy, fired in an effort but hit it across the box with no support in the middle. Cuddihy went close with an effort that curled off the right hand post.
With 20 minutes to go, Dean Kelly made it 3-0 when his effort from the right sailed past Dunphy. Ten minutes later, Jordan Harmon made it 4-0 when he got on the end of a cross just inside the box and buried it past Dunphy in the goal. New Oak went close in the last few minutes as a Jamie Murphy header was hit straight at Dunphy, a Harmon free was hit straight at Dunphy and a Dylan Keightley effort from the right was hit across the box.
Speaking afterwards, New Oak Assistant Manager, Jamie Lawler said that their main focus is the league, and Crettyard manager Cristoir Maher said that he’s not worried and that he’s still waiting on players to get back from GAA commitments.
John Dunphy, Mark Lyons, Dara Dunne, Craig Comerford, Ross FitzGerald, Jack Brady, Gearoid Cuddihy, Jamie Maher, Anthony FitzPatrick, Riogan Doran, Ryan Byrne. Subs: Patrick Fox, Billy O’Neill, Fionnan Brennan, James Love, Russell Kealy, Orrie Doran, Jeff Moran.
Corey Harmon, Dylan Keightley, Luke Ramsbottom, David O’Shea, Kyle Foley, Jordan Harmon, David Doyle, Dean Kelly, Shane Barnes, Daryl Coleman, Cian Cleary. Subs: Lee Murphy, Jamie Murphy, Cormac Murphy, Ben Lawler, Craig Kearney.
Pat O'Connor
