An Tóchar vs Eire Óg Minor B Championship

 

Minor B Championship Semi Final

An Tóchar 0-8

Eire Óg 1-8

Dunbar Park

Eoin Horkan

 

A last gasp goal was enough to see Eire Óg get the better of An Tóchar in the Minor B Championship on Sunday morning in Wicklow.

The opening stages of this game was very evenly matched with both defences coming out on top with scores from play at a premium. An Tóchar opened the scoring in the game with a free from u15 player Éanna Nolan who fired between the posts. Eire Óg responded with another place ball from Oisin Shanahan. The opening score from play came from the boot of Ryan Coleville for Eire Óg whose effort from an angle flew over the bar.  The response from the opposition came from wing back Cameron Brady who made his way up the field to level the game. Eire Óg put pressure on the opposition goal after the levelling score this pressure resulted in two fine points from play. The first coming from midfielder Callum O’ Connor whose long-range effort sailed over the black spot, the second point was from full forward Taylor O’ Sullivan who turned on a sick pence and extended the lead for his side before the first water break.

The second quarter of this battle was much tighter than the first as scores became tougher to get as the battle for the ball in the middle third came to the fore. An Tóchar narrowed the gap with through centre forward Enda Byrne whose cultured effort from a narrow angle managed to dissect the post to narrow the gap. Both sides traded frees before the half time whistle with Nolan and Shanahan equalling each other out.

Both sides still found it difficult to make any headway after the resumption as both sets of defenders were winning their individual battles. That man Nolan added another place ball to level the game as the tension began to rise. Frees were the only way either team could manage to trouble the scoreboard as Shanahan slotted two more frees before the second water break

The final quarter saw the best score of the game from Enda Murphy who scored a point from an angle that deserved to win any game. Moments after this score the game changed as Eire Óg’s corner back made his way up the field. His effort on the posts landed short of a score but as the ball bobbled around Coleville managed to get his boot to the ball to fire into the empty net. The response of this major score was another fine solo effort from Brady again who slalomed his way to fire over the bar. As An Tóchar pushed forward, they lost the ball and on the counter, Darragh Shanahan did the needful for his side as he put the ball calmly between the sticks. The final score of the game was one final place ball from that man Nolan.

An Tóchar couldn’t get that major to level the game as much as they pushed forward Eire Óg held on for the win

 

 

 

 

 

An Tóchar: Lee Ireland; Killian Byrne, Aharon Smith, Matthew Fox; Evan Burke, Lorcan Smith, Cameron Brady (0-2); Enda Murphy (0-1), Éanna Nolan((0-4f); Sean McHugh, Enda Byrne (0-1), Alex Hassett; Josh Healy, Joe Haelty, Mikey Nolan

Sub Used: Conor Fee for Evan Burke

 

Eire Óg: Kevin Booth; Cian O’ Lionagh, Spenser O’ Connor, Gordon Bailey; Colin O’ Shea, Ruari Parker, Mark Hayden; Callum O’ Connor (0-1), Geroid Murphy; Darragh Shanahan (0-1), Ciaran Foley, Oisin Shanahan (0-4f); Chris Stewart, Taylor O’ Sullivan (0-1), Ryan Coleville (1-1).

Sub Used: William Mitchell for Spenser O’ Connor

Referee: Eddie Leonard