Clodiagh Gaels withstand brave Doon resistance to secure promotion

BEATEN by Rhode in last year's final, Clodiagh Gaels made life hard for themselves at times before securing promotion to intermediate with a deserved win over Doon in an entertaining Offaly Junior Football Championship final in O'Connor Park on Saturday.

Tullamore Court Hotel Junior Football Championship final

Clodiagh Gaels 3-12

Doon 3-8

Full credit to Doon who battled with everything they had and they did really well to get right back into contention in the closing quarter. They lost with their heads held high but have no complaints at the outcome and were fighting an uphill battle the whole way.

A pronounced dominance at midfield through Eoin Dunne and Clint Horan gave the Killeigh-Killurin amalgamation a real foothold on the game. It didn't always translate into scores and Clodiagh Gaels wasted a lot of hard won possession but they had so much ball that it would have been a calamity if they had lost it.

They never really looked like losing, though that possibility was very much on the table when Callum Kelly blasted home a stunning goal in the 51st minute, hitting the roof of the net from fifteen metres. That left Doon just 3-10 to 3-8 behind and they had a chance but they ran out of steam. They were not helped when Luke Kelly inexplicably went short with a 25 metre free to reduce the deficit to the minimum a minute later. It was into the wind but wasn't that difficult. Darragh Egan kicked wide under pressure after receiving it and that seemed to suck the life out of Doon.

Clodiagh Gaels' tendency to kick away chances manifested itself as Liam Langton under hit a couple of fairly straightforward ones and Emmet Curley and Clint Horan had wides but points from Aaron Rattigan and Langton gave the winners a four point cushion and Doon were beaten.

Playing against the wind in the first half, Clodiagh Gaels were in a winning position at half time. They completely dominated the early exchanges and Aaron Rattigan's 14th minute goal gave them a 1-3 to 0-1 lead.

Clodiagh Gaels were 1-5 to 0-2 ahead after 19 minutes but Doon knuckled down. An expertly taken penalty goal by Terry Byrne, awarded when Kevin Kinahan hauled down Luke Kelly, had Doon back to a point, 1-4 to 1-5 in the 25th minute.

Unfortunately for them, disaster struck in the next few minutes. Mark Dillon got a 27th minute goal when Doon goalie Mark Langtry knocked a Nigel Cunningham ball into his path and Clodiagh Gaels attacked from the next kickout, Aaron Rattigan scoring his second goal.

Clodiagh Gaels led 3-5 to 1-6 at half time and were 3-9 to 1-8 ahead after 40 minutes. Doon showed great character to hang in there and Terry Byrne's 43rd minute goal made it 3-9 to 2-8. Sean Dunne got a crucial point for Clodiagh Gaels before Callum Kelly's goal gave Doon a real chance but the winners controlled the last ten minutes plus to secure the win.

MATCH ANALYSIS

MAN OF THE MATCH

Eoin Dunne (Clodiagh Gaels): Liam Langton and Aaron Rattigan staked real claims in the attack. Rattigan had an excellent game, scoring 2-2 and using the ball very efficiently. The quality of some of Liam Langton's foot passing in the second half was a highlight of the game. He showed great vision and was instrumental in their win, even if he missed a couple of point chances that would have made it much easier.

Emmet Curley put in a great shift for Clodiagh Gaels. Operating in a sort of sweeper role, he mopped up a lot of ball and did the simple thing well.

Their midfield dominance was key for Clodiagh Gaels with Clint Horan and Eoin Dunne winning a huge amount of ball. They coughed up a bit of possession at times but their off ball blocking and running was as important as what they did on the ball. Dunne edges the selection ahead of Rattigan and Horan and he put in the hard yards all day, working tirelessly to make ammends when he did make an occasional mistake.

THE SCORERS

Clodiagh Gaels: Aaron Rattigan 2-2, Mark Dillon 1-2, Liam Langton 0-3 (1f), Sean Dunne 0-2, Eoin Dunne, Clint Horan, Sean Rattigan 0-1 each.

Doon: Terry Byrne 2-0 (1 penalty), Callum Kelly 1-1, Luke Kelly 0-3 (2f), Darragh Egan 0-3 (1 x 2p), Senan Hanniffy 0-1.

THE TEAMS

CLODIAGH GAELS: Kevin Kinahan; Ronin Daly, Aaron Flanagan, Diarmuid Walsh; Emmet Curley, Cathal Brady, Nigel Cunningham; Eoin Dunne, Clint Horan; Jack Burns, Liam Langton, Mark Dillon; Aaron Rattigan. Sean Rattigan, Sean Rattigan. Subs – Ruari Dunne for Dillon, inj. (34m), Jack Kelly for Burns (43m), Gavin Sheil for Sean Rattigan (51m),

DOON: Mark Langtry; Mark Gaffey, Conor Keenaghan, Callum Corcoran; Conor Mannion, Sean Og Foley, Luke Fitzgerald; Eoghan Hennessy, Callum Kelly; Ciaran Brazil, Conor Rohan, Darragh Egan; Kevin Martin, Luke Kelly, Terry Byrne. Subs - Luke Keenaghan for Martin (25m), Senan Hanniffy for Rohan (HT), Sean Keenaghan for Brazil (HT), Jason O'Shea for Mannion (37m), Paul Eoin Boland for Conor Keenaghan (55m),

Referee – Brian Gavin, Clara.

REFEREE WATCH

Brian Gavin refereed it well. He certainly didn't give handy frees but applied it both ways and it was a trouble free afternoon for the vastly experienced Clara man. Clodiagh Gaels goalkeeper Kevin Kinahan couldn't have complained if he got a black and not a yellow after deliberately fouling Luke Kelly for Doon's first half penalty.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH

The two goals Clodiagh Gaels got in the 27th-28th minutes were crucial to the outcome. They came just after Doon had got back into it with a penalty goal and after playing against the wind, Clodiagh Gaels had one hand on the Tom Quinn Cup when they led at half time.

VENUE WATCH

O'Connor Park looked very well with a decent crowd in for this curtain raiser – there was a particularly enthusiastic crowd from Doon present.

WHAT'S NEXT

This completes the year for both sides.

STATISTICS

Wides: Clodiagh Gaels – 11 (6 in first half); Doon - 5 (0 in first half).

Yellow cards: Clodiagh Gaels – 2 (Kevin Kinahan, Sean Rattigan); Doon – 1 (Conor Rohan).

Black cards: 0

Red cards: 0