Minor 'B' win brings curtain down on memorable week for Cloghan

Cloghan were crowned 2021 Offaly Minor ‘B’ Football Champions on Saturday morning with a 1-4 to 0-5 win over Kilcormac/Killoughey in Mucklagh. 

Offaly Minor “B” Football Championship final

Cloghan 1-4

Kilcormac/Killoughey 0-5

Played in difficult conditions, it was a tight affair but a Darragh Temple goal just after the half time break was the main difference between the sides as Cloghan battened down the hatches late in the second half and survived to claim the silverware – adding to the U-15 football title that they won on Wednesday evening.

It was a wet, windy start to the day as conditions deteriorated throughout a low-scoring first half. 

Kilcormac/Killoughey were the more dominant of the sides and they will rue numerous missed chances in the first half. They had a golden opportunity to raise a green flag inside the first two minutes when Richard Bracken burst through on goal, but his shot crashed into the side netting.

Battling a strong cross-field win and extremely wet conditions, it wasn’t the greatest spectacle and Bracken’s point for K/K in the 5th minute was the sole score in the opening quarter. 

It was a period that Kilcormac/Killoughey dominated, but they struggled to create shooting opportunities and were wasteful in possession at times. 

Cloghan held in against the K/K storm and they had a rare goal opportunity in the first quarter when Cathal Robinson raced through on goal, but he blazed his shot wide and into the side netting.

The second quarter was just as cagey with both sides keen to hang onto possession and K/K spent long periods of the second quarter in possession again but failed to capitalise on a shaky start from their opponents. 

Oisin Guinan doubled the K/K lead on the 20-minute mark, but Cloghan responded, and they eventually opened their account for the day through Shane Rigney after 21 minutes of play. An excellent Cathal Mahon long range free from the ground levelled proceedings at Robert Dunne’s half time whistle. 

Cloghan grew into the game and they carried the momentum through after the half time break. They got a dream start to the second half when they raised a green flag. Ruairi Kelly did brilliantly along the end line, and he cut in, laying it to Darragh Temple who buried to the back of the net to give Cloghan a three-point advantage early in the second half. 

Ciaran Scully reduced the deficit to two again but a Liam Hoare free just before the second water break made it a three-point game once again at the stoppage. 

Kilcormac/Killoughey did rally in the fourth quarter, but the game began to get extremely scrappy with both sides struggling to hold onto the ball. 

A long-range Adam Screeney free and Alex Kavanagh’s point reduced the Cloghan lead to the minimum as the game entered the final minutes.

It was a nail-biting finish with both sides desperately searching for scores. K/K hit two wides in a crucial period and in the end, it was the Cloghan men who got the all-important score through Liam Hoare and Hoare’s point proved to be the final score of the game as Cloghan held on to take home the silverware.

SCORERS

Cloghan: Darragh Temple 1-0, Liam Hoare 0-2 (0-1F) Shane Rigney 0-1, Cathal Mahon 0-1F. 

Kilcormac-Killoughey: Richard Bracken, Oisin Guinan, Ciaran Scully, Adam Screeney, Alex Kavanagh all 0-1 each. 

TEAMS: 

CLOGHAN: Cormac Butler; Aaron Clarke, Caoimhín Malone, Eric Rigney; Cathal Mahon, Paddy Mahon, Ronan Minnock; Darragh Temple, Shane Rigney; Paddy McGucken, Ruairí Kelly, Cathal Robinson; Kieran Clancy, Liam Hoare, Jake Slevin. Subs: Alex Flynn for Clancy (H/T), Aaron Molloy for Paddy McGucken (39), Paddy McGucken for Paddy Mahon inj (55). 

KILCORMAC/KILLOUGHEY: Michael Kelly; Donnachadh Kilmartin, James Mahon; Leigh Kavanagh, Ter Guinan, Brecon Kavanagh; Richard Bracken, Mark Mulrooney; Colin Spain, Adam Screeney, Oisin Guinan; Tyler Hannon, Daniel Hand, Ciaran Scully. Subs: Harry Sweeney for Daniel Hand (18), Alex Kavanagh for Tyler Hannon (H/T).