Clarinbridge 5-11 Turloughmore 1-2
Clarinbridge decisively won the county U-13 county title in Ballinasloe on Saturday evening. Clarinbridge were worthy winners as they build a big lead with the aid of the first half wind as Turloughmore struggled to stay in the game. The winners opened up space to good effect in attack and in Mark Kennedy they had the star man as he scored a huge personal tally of 5-7. This is their second U13 title in a row to add to their County & Feile U-14 titles won this year.
Clarinbridge got off to a flier and in their opening two attacks, Kennedy bagged two goals. That lightening start really set the winners on their way. Conor Walsh did have the ball in the Clarinbridge net soon after but was harshly pulled back by the referee. However, centre back Tiernan Collins and Barry Callanan did well to set up Shane Burke for a Turloughmore goal on 5 minutes to leave Turloughmore 2-1 to 1-0 in arrears.
From there to half time though their was only one team in it as Clarinbridge shot 2-5 to build a substantial half time lead of 4-6 to 1-1, with full forward Mark Kennedy very much to the fore shooting 4-4 in the opening period. Karl Conneely shot the Turloughmore point. Indeed, only some fine saves from goalie Ronan McDonagh and the woodwork denied the lead from being bigger.
By the three quarters stage the bridge, backboned by key members of their U14 panel, had built a 5-9 to 1-1 lead before Conor Walsh and Conor Campbell set up Barry Callanan for a neat point. By the long whistle, Clarinbridge had secured the title on 5-11 to 1-2 final scoreline and their performance on the evening was extremely impressive.
While the performance in the final will leave the Turloughmore camp most disappointed, their progress in reaching the final has to be acknowledged, and there will be better days ahead. Well done to the management, panel and all concerned.
Turloughmore:
Ronan McDonagh,
Diarmuid Mullen, James Burke, Kevin Keane,
Kevin Daly, Tiernan Collins, Sean Lyons,
Karl Conneely (0-1), Daniel Loftus,
Conor Walsh, Conor Campbell, Brion Connolly
Shane Burke (1-0), Barry Callanan (0-1), Oisin Fahy.
Subs: Joseph Morris for Daly, Kevin Wilde for Connolly, Sean Coakley for S. Burke, Darragh Wilde for Fahy. Adam Hession, Ollie Delaney, Tom Quirke, Robert Dunleavy, Aaron Shaughnessy, Conor Fahy, Jack Glynn, Padraic Connolly.
Management: David Collins, Tom Burke, Gary O Shaughnessy, Kevin Conneely & Matthew Keating