All too easy for Davins in South Junior ‘C’ football final win over Clonmel ÓG
South Tipperary Junior ‘C’ Football Final
CARRICK DAVINS 4-16 CLONMEL OG 0-9
Carrick Davins were comfortable winners of the South Tipperary Junior ‘C’ Football Final when accounting for Clonmel Og by a margin of 19 points in a one-sided decider played at Kilsheelan on Saturday evening. Quickly into their stride from the throw-in the Carrick-on-Suir side were 1-8 to 0-1 ahead within 18 minutes thanks in the main to a third minute goal from John Murphy. However, it was in the second half that they really kicked on with three further goals while cruising to victory by 4-16 to 0-9 at a sensibly blown-early final whistle.
The sides had met earlier in the competition when the Reds prevailed by six points but a much closer final was expected this time around with silverware on offer. However, as it transpired the destination of the trophy was known all too early in what proved to be a disappointing divisional final. Following Conor O’Leary’s game-opening point, it only took two and a half minutes for the first goal to arrive when John Murphy scored for Davins with a rocket low past Johnny Cagney. Over the next 15 minutes, in a dominant performance, the Davins out-pointed their rivals by seven to one, all scores coming from open play.
With the skilful Carrick Davins captain Adam Foran directing affairs from midfield, their seven points were scored by John Murphy (2), Mikey Ryan (2), Ray Cooke, Mark Roche and Kevin Butler. In the opening 18 minutes Clonmel Og’s solitary white flag was raised by midfielder Griffin O’Keeney.
The second quarter saw the Eoin Fallon managed Clonmel side enjoy their best spell of the hour and in the run-up to half-time they added five points to just two conceded.
In the 19th minute corner-back Alex Greene joined the Clonmel Og attack to send over a point and soon afterwards Jake O’Donnell with a free made it 1-8 to 0-3. Davins centre-forward Mikey Ryan then had his third point of the final when finishing a move which involved Patrick Harris and Kevin Butler in the making. The lead was back out to eight points by the 23rd minute when John Murphy tagged on a free.
Three unanswered points went the way of ‘The Óg’ in the final five minutes of the first half including two excellent efforts from centre-forward Dean Kelleher who took on the Davins defence twice with incisive running and finished both efforts well. In between that Kelleher brace, Jake O’Donnell added a free.
At half-time Carrick Davins were still comfortably seven points up and looking all-over winners when leading 1-10 to 0-3.
Referee Paddy Ivors had to restart the second half a second time after just 20 seconds when Clonmel Óg goalkeeper Johnny Cagney was late for the throw-in. The former county senior footballer’s first action was retrieving the ball from the back of his net when a move up the right wing by Davins’ Kevin Butler fed Mark Roche and he cut in along the end line to find the net. Now ten points to the good, the Stephen Cronin managed Davins were home and hosed.
Man of the match Adam Foran and the influential Patrick Harris extended the advantage to a dozen with a point apiece before Clonmel Og hit back with two points in a minute from Alex Slattery and Simon Ahearne from a tight angle.
Davins’ third goal – and Mark Roche’s second of the final – came at the end of the third quarter to stretch the lead out to 13 points. Clonmel Og had their final score of the game in the 46th minute, a free from Sean Cagney won by the lively Johnny Stokes who was proving a handful since his second half introduction.
Down the stretch it was all one-way traffic with further points from Lee Mackey, Adam Foran (a free off the ground from 45 metres) and Alan Redmond after good work by Jake Maher.
There was a somewhat poignant conclusion to the game, in what was a sad week for the Faulkner family and the Davins club in general. Just two days after the funeral of the highly regarded and well respected Alan Faulkner, a stalwart for the club over his lifetime, his son Luke banged home the Davins fourth goal. His late father would have loved to have seen it and share in the win. The final score of the game was a sweet point from an angle scored by Alan Redmond.
Prior to the throw-in for the final, a minute’s silence was observed as a mark of respect to the late Alan Faulkner, Carrickbeg, who died on 31st August. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.
Carrick Davins: Anthony Keyes, Liam Butler, Willie O’Dwyer, Conor Corcoran, Patrick Harris (0-1), Ray Cooke (0-1), Aaron O’Halloran, Adam Foran (capt., 0-2, 0-1F), Lee Mackey (0-1), Conor Mackey, Mikey Ryan (0-3), Kevin Butler (0-1), Conor O’Leary (0-1), Mark Roche (2-1), John Murphy (1-3, 0-1F).
Subs: Alan Redmond (0-2) for O’Leary (44 mins); Charlie O’Sullivan for Butler (48 mins); Conor O’Shea for Corcoran (53 mins); Shane Cronin for L. Butler (53 mins); Luke Faulkner (1-0) for K. Butler (53 mins).
Clonmel Og: Johnny Cagney, TJ Quigley, Sean Barrett, Alex Greene (0-1), Dean Slattery, Marc Ahearne, Alex Slattery (0-1), Simon Ahearne (0-1), Griffin O’Keeney (0-1), Max Ryan, Dean Kelleher (0-2), Kyle Grant, Karl Kearney, Jake O’Donnell (0-2F), Cian Hogan.
Subs: Eoin Condon for Hogan (21 mins); Sean Cagney (0-1F) for O’Donnell (35 mins); Johnny Stokes for Grant (40 mins); Noel Walsh for Kearney (48 mins); Jack Sweeney for Ryan (55 mins); Eoin Fallon for Greene (57 mins).