Shamrocks hold off St Manchan's Gaels in terrific decider

ST MANCHAN'S Gaels and Shamrocks served up a terrific Minor “B” Football Championship final in O'Connor Park on Saturday morning. Shamrocks got on top in the second half to just edge it, getting into a winning position in the closing quarter and then holding on for dear life as St Manchan's Gaels threw the kitchen sink at them.

EJ Minor “B” Football Championship final

Shamrocks 1-8

St Manchan's Gaels 0-10

Both sides deserve great credit for both the way they played and the manner in which they tried to play. It was “B” football but it was still a very decent standard with plenty of good fielding and moves. Both sides had some fine, athletic footballers and a compelling tussle emerged. The two sides showed a great work ethic and also had a handful of exceptional individual performances.

It made for very enjoyable viewing, it went right down to the wire and it could have swung either way. Indeed, extra time loomed large late on as Shamrocks lost their way after getting into a winning position and St Manchan's Gaels, an underage amalgamation of Ballycumber, Doon, Erin Rovers and Tubber clubs, hunted an equaliser.

The Rahan-Mucklagh outfit just about deserved to win and would have had only themselves to blame if they didn't take it. They played some great football for a good 20 minutes of the second half and they won the game in that spell, though they should have killed it off. It was low scoring and every score was very hard earned. The commitment was heart warming as every player showed great desire and this factor made it very entertaining.

There may well be a higher standard of player on show in the A grade but there was something pure about this and the way the teams attacked the game - they did pull players back at times but they did allow the ball to do the work in general and played to their strengths. The game really opened up in the second half and it was great to see two sides going at each other hell for leather.

Shamrocks started very well with Eoghan Meacle and Conor Egan firing over quick points in the opening two minutes but didn't score again in the first half. They were playing against the wind in the first half but even at that, they struggled to get within the scoring zone and St Manchan's were full value for their 0-4 to 0-2 half time lead.

They didn't score until the 13th minute, a free from the excellent Colm Egan but they were well on top in the second quarter. They managed to score four points, the pick of them a beautifully curled left footed shot from the magnificent Conor Daly in the 26th minute – his raids up the left wing were a big asset to St Manchan's in the first half.

With the wind to come, Shamrocks still had a chance and they got on top for a prolonged spell in the second half.

It was nip and tuck in the third quarter. Shamrocks got back on terms with two quick frees from Michael Lambe, Colm Egan edged St Manchan's back in front and then Brooke Healion equalised with a point that really should have been a goal in the 41st minute. Healion and another half time sub, David Coughlan made a big impact for Shamrocks and Healion's chance came when he blasted over the bar from ten metres after a great break forward by Conor Egan and pass from Dara Bates sent him through at full pace.

The sides were level twice more in the next few minutes before Shamrocks did get a goal and it was worth the admission fee alone. Brilliant centre half back Conor Egan made a fanastic run forward, lost the ball, regained it and hammered an unstoppable shot to the roof of the net from 15 metres in the 47th minute.

That was a huge score and both sides swopped points to leave Shamrocks 1-8 to 0-8 ahead with eight minutes left. They should have been able to close out the deal from here but instead they didn't score or really attack much after this, panicked a bit and lost their way with the winning post in sight. As often happens teams in this position, they became cautious on the ball, channeled players back instead of doing what had been working for them and St Manchan's did not need to be asked twice to accept the invitation to attack them with all guns blazing.

Mark Bryant, younger brother of 2021 All-Ireland U-20 winning hero Jack, missed a 54th minute scoreable free that would have put four in it and would surely have ended it – Bryant had played well in the second half as Shamrocks got on top.

Even at that we thought St Manchan's would have to get a goal to salvage it but they almost got there with points. Senan Hanniffy floated over a free and the excellent Colm Egan pointed from play to make it a one point game with four minutes left. There was ample time for St Manchan's to force extra time and they camped in the Shamrocks half. Shamrocks lived on their wits a bit but defended tenaciously and with discipline as they tried not to concede a free – St Manchan's also struggled to hold onto the ball, spilling some under pressure. Shamrocks forced Senan Hanniffy to shoot in the 61st minute and it was a good chance but just went wide and Shamrocks were very relieved to hear the final whistle about 90 seconds later – the last action was a '45' that St Manchan's worked into the scoring area and they had their hands on the ball out on the left when referee Paurig Gallagher rightly blew the final whistle as it was now well over the announced two minutes of injury time and it would have been wrong to play any more. The match did have an unsatisfactory end as three St Manchan's players, Callum Kelly, Brandon Delaney and Tadgh Trainor were red carded just after the final whistle by the referee for words they said to him.

MATCH ANALYSIS

MAN OF THE MATCH

Conor Egan (Shamrocks): It was a good sign of a game that there were some truly outstanding individual performances on both sides. For St Manchan's Gaels, Conor Daly was their best player, having a stormer on the half back line, scoring two points, attacking with great drive and defending well. He was superb on the ball while Colm Egan was also brilliant for them in the attack. He was a huge factor in St Manchan's going so close as he scored four of his six points from play and worked so hard.

Dara Bates put in a sensational shift for Shamrocks at midfield and was very close to man of the match. He started well, drifted out of it for a while in the first half but motored on full steam in the second half, driving forward relentlessly and getting back to help his defence. He was physically strong and used his strength fairly to turn over crucial ball as well as breaking tackles to get out of trouble. Shamrocks' full back Donal Dooley deserves special mention for the way he dealt with any ball that came in near the square and he was a major factor in St Manchan's not scoring and not threatening to score what would have been a decisive goal.

My choice is their centre back Conor Egan. He is not a big player but played the centre half back role almost to perfection. He oozed quality on the ball, had the ability to make space for himself, had pace and got two of the best scores of the game with his point and a goal. Athletic and composed on the game, he looked a real footballer.

THE SCORERS

Shamrocks: Conor Egan 1-1, Mark Bryant (1f), Michael Lambe (2f) and Brooke Healion 0-2 each, Eoghan Meacle 0-1.

St Manchan's Gaels: Colm Egan 0-6 (2f), Conor Daly 0-2, Luke Fitzgerald and Senan Hanniffy (f) 0-1 each.

THE TEAMS

SHAMROCKS: Killian Twomey; Eoin Monaghan, Donal Dooley, Liam Grennan; Niall Egan, Conor Egan, Jack Bannon; Dara Bates, Adam Keyes; Eoghan Meacle, Mark Bryant, Sean Kenny; Conor Thornton, Ger Keating, Michael Lambe. Subs – Brooke Healion for Keyes (HT), David Coughlan for Keating (HT), Conor Kinnarney for Kenny (50m).

ST MANCHAN'S GAELS: Jack Ryan; Hugh Murphy, Callum Kelly, Brandon Delaney; Tadgh Trainor, Jack Daly, Conor Daly; Enda McLoughlin, Adam Fox; Colm Egan, Sean Og Foley, Luke Fitzgerald; Callum Corcoran, Ciaran Murphy, Senan Hanniffy. Subs – Cian Duffy for Ciaran Murphy (38m).

Referee – Paurig Gallagher (Ballinagar).

REFEREE WATCH

Paurig Gallagher had a good game. He was consistent, his positioning was good and there were no big flash points during the game, though Shamrocks did appear to have to work a bit harder for frees in the second half. Having said that, it would have been very easy to give St Manchan's Gaels a soft late free to draw it and Shamrocks certainly played with fire in this regard but he didn't do that and there was no disputing his neutrality. He also gave St Manchan's the guts of a minute over the announced injury time and while they might be annoyed that they had the ball in their hands when the whistle was blown, the time was more than up and had they managed an equaliser then, Shamrocks' anger would have been more justified.

It was a shame that such a good, competitive, cleanly fought and fair game ended with three red cards shown just after the final whistle. However, if abuse was directed at the referee, Gallagher was 100% right. Referees don't get everything right and there can be some mediocre displays by them but there is a worrying increase of ire being directed at them – the whole thing of abuse of them on social media is creating a very unsavoury atmosphere but can't be controlled, apart from calling the culprits out on their comments. What happens at games can be controlled and the first part of this is for refereees to deal with incidents themselves and then the GAA to deal with it according to the rules. No one wants to see young players suspended and the trio played the game in a very sporting manner but respect for referees must be instilled from a very young age.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH

Conor Egan's 47th minute goal was a super strike and it was the score that won the day for Shamrocks.

VENUE WATCH

The O'Connor Park pitch looked heavy and slippy enough but it is that time of year and it was great to give these two sets of players the opportunity to play their final in headquarters. There was only one neutral linesman there and that was not good.

STATISTICS

Wides: Shamrocks – 5 (2 in first half); St Manchan's Gaels – 7 (5 in first half).

Yellow cards: Shamrocks – 0; St Mancan's Gaels – 2 (Brandon Delaney and Sean Og Foley).

Black cards: 0.

Red cards: Shamrocks – 0; St Manchan's Gaels (Callum Kelly, Brandon Delaney and Tadgh Trainor).