Gerry’s Prepared Veg. Under-16 Football League Division One Final
Killanny 2-12 Scotstown 0-5 23/8/12
Killanny won the Under-16 Football League Division One for the first time in their history with a convincing win over Scotstown in the final at Blackhill on Thursday evening. Jack Kiernan and Aaron McMahon scored the goals as Killanny ran out surprisingly comfortable winners and although Scotstown kicked 11 wides, they could have no complaints about the score. Killanny had big performances from Conor Vernon, Dermot Leegan, Conor Russell, M.J. Callan and Caolán Brady among others, while Scotstown never hit top gear despite the best efforts of the likes of John Caulfield, Francis Maguire and Rory McCarthy.
Killanny made the perfect start when a Conor Russell shot dropped in on the edge of the square, where Jack Kiernan punched the ball to the net. Michael McBride added a point from play and Conor Vernon converted a 30-metre free for a foul on Mark Grimes to give Killanny a five-point lead, before Scotstown got off the mark when James Sherry linked up with Francis Maguire to kick a point. Dermot Leegan hit a point at the end of a strong run through the Scotstown defence and Vernon sent over another 30-metre free after a foul on MJ Callan to increase the gap to six points. Kieran Treanor replied with a point, but another foul on Callan allowed Conor Russell to convert a 25-metre free and Dermot Leegan quickly added his second point after a ’45 by Vernon dropped short. Shane McMahon hit Scotstown’s third point on 25 minutes, but Leegan won and scored a20-metre free to give Killanny a 1-7 to 0-3 lead at half-time.
Vernon popped up at the end of a well-worked Killanny move to kick a point from play in the fifth minute of the second half and although Scotstown produced a swift response through Kieran Treanor, the next 15 minutes remained scoreless until Vernon tapped over a 13-metre free for a foul on Mark Grimes. Even when Scotstown put together a good attack on 48 minutes, they could find no way past Shane Grimes, who denied Francis Maguire. Vernon booted over an inspirational score from a 40-metre free to stretch Killanny’s advantage further and they put the result beyond doubt with ten minutes remaining when substitute Aaron McMahon fired home their second goal after Kiernan broke a high ball down to him. Maguire kicked a consolation point for Scotstown, but a point from play by Russell and a close-range free by Callan gave Killanny a 13-point winning margin. Their captain Conor Vernon accepted the cup from Monaghan PRO John Kieran.
Killanny: S Grimes; J Berg, R Berg, C Brady; A Duffy, D Leegan (0-3, 1f), C Leegan; S McConnon, C Vernon (Capt., 0-4, 3f); M McBride (0-1), C Russell (0-3, 2f), MJ Callan (0-1f); M Grimes, J Kiernan (1-0), P McMahon.
Subs: A McMahon (1-0) for P McMahon (47 mins), C McConnon for Kiernan (54), S Gartlan for M Grimes (58).
Scotstown: C Toal; R McCarthy, C McElwain, P O’Connell; C McGonnell, J Caulfield, Kevin Treanor; J Turley (Capt.), B Boylan; Kieran Treanor (0-2), S McMahon (0-1), J Sherry (0-1); J McCarey, C McKenna, F Maguire (0-1).
Subs: C Bogue for McCarey, B McDevitt for McGonnell (both H-T), G Harraghy for Sherry (49), R Moyna for Kevin Treanor (52), E McAloon for O’Connell (55).
Referee: P Caulfield (Blackhill).
By michael Thu 23rd Aug
