Two outa Three aint Bad!
U16 A Football County Final – Cratloe 1-10 v 1-6 St Josephs Doora Barefield
In 2005 Cratloes U/14 Footballers brought their supporters into unknown territory. Playing in the A grade only after much canvassing with Bord na N-Óg, the blues proved their worth by reaching the County Féile and Championship finals. The opposition on both occasions were St Josephs Doora Barefield and after two nailbiting contests Cratlonians were arguably happy enough with their lot following two narrow defeats. The team had performed heroically apparently above their station.
Colm Collins had different ideas. With largely the same band of players, Cratloe have since contested three Under 16 A finals on the trot and last night in Shannon captured their second title when they defeated those same former conquerors, St Josephs.
After weeks of sunshine the Spring rains arrived in time for this final and a wet but hard surface at Wolfe Tones in Shannon propped a greasy sod, ideal for direct football but one which would have both defences cautious. Josephs and Cratloe also had to contend with a strong wind, which cut right down the centre of the pitch against Cratloe in the opening half.
Cratloe started the contest unphased by the elements and points from Eoin Commane, Cathal McInerney and Conor McGrath etched them a point ahead of ‘The Parish’ who opened their scoring with two frees from Cathal Nolan.
Cratloe dropped Padraic Collins from corner forward into a sweeping midfield roll to combat the breeze and while there the Brickhill man vied with Niall Crosbie for Cratloes most effective defender. Neither player nor their colleagues in the full back line could do much about St Josephs goal after a quarter of an hour however. A looping high sideline kick from Ian Lyons swung in from the right flank and was parried into Dean De Loughreys net putting Josephs two points to the good.
The mid Clare outfit grew in confidence thereafter and stretched their lead when another pointed free from Nolan and a Niall De Loughrey effort put them three infront of Cratloe who kept in touch before the break with a Conor McGrath point and a left footed free from Cathal McInerney.
With the wind to their backs Cratloe opted for more direct football after the interval and long balls from Conor Ryan and Shane Golden at midfield and Wesley De Loughrey at left half back split the St Josephs defence from early on. Wayward shooting delayed Cratloe’s comback however and it took ten minutes of unsettled attacks before McGrath, McInerney and Collins pegged the Blues back on level terms. With nearly a quarter played McGrath, who enjoyed more space with the quick ball, turned his opponent Andrew Kenny and blasted to Shane Collins’ net to put Cratloe three infront, a lead they never shortened their grip of. St Josephs did press hard in the final ten minutes but blanket defending from Enda Boyce, Joe Conroy and Patrick Carey made passing the ball into the stiff breeze an even bigger chore.
A late kick from McGrath stretched Cratloes lead to four and led them to the clubs much deserved second A underage football title in three years at this level. On accepting the Fergus Credit Union Cup, Conor Ryan paid tribute to Colm Collins and Jerome De Loughrey who left no stone unturned in avenging last years defeat to Milltown and the many more patrons in Cratloe who have spent countless hours working with this team. An early title in 2007 then for Cratloe who look to have the cut of a team who wish to carry on as they’ve started. Well done to all involved!
Cratloe;
Dean De Loughrey, Patrick Carey, Joe Conroy, Enda Boyce, Niall Crosbie, Trevor Purcell, Wesley De Loughrey, Conor Ryan, Shane Golden, Patrick Sheehan, Cathal McInerney, Eoin Commane, Kevin Lynch, Conor McGrath, Paraic Collins ~ David Collins, Aodhgán Gleeson, Stephen Manton, Tommy Ryan, Stuart Cahill, Tomás Ryan, Diarmuid Fitzgerald, Jack McCourt
Ar Aghaidh Linn.
U16 A Football County Final – Cratloe 1-10 v 1-6 St Josephs Doora Barefield
In 2005 Cratloes U/14 Footballers brought their supporters into unknown territory. Playing in the A grade only after much canvassing with Bord na N-Óg, the blues proved their worth by reaching the County Féile and Championship finals. The opposition on both occasions were St Josephs Doora Barefield and after two nailbiting contests Cratlonians were arguably happy enough with their lot following two narrow defeats. The team had performed heroically apparently above their station.
Colm Collins had different ideas. With largely the same band of players, Cratloe have since contested three Under 16 A finals on the trot and last night in Shannon captured their second title when they defeated those same former conquerors, St Josephs.
After weeks of sunshine the Spring rains arrived in time for this final and a wet but hard surface at Wolfe Tones in Shannon propped a greasy sod, ideal for direct football but one which would have both defences cautious. Josephs and Cratloe also had to contend with a strong wind, which cut right down the centre of the pitch against Cratloe in the opening half.
Cratloe started the contest unphased by the elements and points from Eoin Commane, Cathal McInerney and Conor McGrath etched them a point ahead of ‘The Parish’ who opened their scoring with two frees from Cathal Nolan.
Cratloe dropped Padraic Collins from corner forward into a sweeping midfield roll to combat the breeze and while there the Brickhill man vied with Niall Crosbie for Cratloes most effective defender. Neither player nor their colleagues in the full back line could do much about St Josephs goal after a quarter of an hour however. A looping high sideline kick from Ian Lyons swung in from the right flank and was parried into Dean De Loughreys net putting Josephs two points to the good.
The mid Clare outfit grew in confidence thereafter and stretched their lead when another pointed free from Nolan and a Niall De Loughrey effort put them three infront of Cratloe who kept in touch before the break with a Conor McGrath point and a left footed free from Cathal McInerney.
With the wind to their backs Cratloe opted for more direct football after the interval and long balls from Conor Ryan and Shane Golden at midfield and Wesley De Loughrey at left half back split the St Josephs defence from early on. Wayward shooting delayed Cratloe’s comback however and it took ten minutes of unsettled attacks before McGrath, McInerney and Collins pegged the Blues back on level terms. With nearly a quarter played McGrath, who enjoyed more space with the quick ball, turned his opponent Andrew Kenny and blasted to Shane Collins’ net to put Cratloe three infront, a lead they never shortened their grip of. St Josephs did press hard in the final ten minutes but blanket defending from Enda Boyce, Joe Conroy and Patrick Carey made passing the ball into the stiff breeze an even bigger chore.
A late kick from McGrath stretched Cratloes lead to four and led them to the clubs much deserved second A underage football title in three years at this level. On accepting the Fergus Credit Union Cup, Conor Ryan paid tribute to Colm Collins and Jerome De Loughrey who left no stone unturned in avenging last years defeat to Milltown and the many more patrons in Cratloe who have spent countless hours working with this team. An early title in 2007 then for Cratloe who look to have the cut of a team who wish to carry on as they’ve started. Well done to all involved!
Cratloe;
Dean De Loughrey, Patrick Carey, Joe Conroy, Enda Boyce, Niall Crosbie, Trevor Purcell, Wesley De Loughrey, Conor Ryan, Shane Golden, Patrick Sheehan, Cathal McInerney, Eoin Commane, Kevin Lynch, Conor McGrath, Paraic Collins ~ David Collins, Aodhgán Gleeson, Stephen Manton, Tommy Ryan, Stuart Cahill, Tomás Ryan, Diarmuid Fitzgerald, Jack McCourt
Ar Aghaidh Linn.
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