Our Juniors captured the Division 5 title in Darver on Tuesday night after a play-off versus St. Fechins. Both teams ended the season on 21 points from 11 games, the only point dropped was the draw match between the sides in Termonfeckin. In fact it was on that night that this team really won the title as they showed unbelievable character to come from six points down in the dying minutes to snatch a draw in added time.
The play-off was an equally tight and tense affair with the Joes up by a point at the break by 1-3 to 0-5. The Fechins were on target in the first minute with a point, the Joes equalising from an Oisin McGuinness 13m free after being fouled himself. Robert Sansoms palmed effort was well saved by Niall McDonnell in the Fechins goal. Then in a fine team move from the Joes half back line, Killian Staunton linked with David Kieran and Oisin McGuinness and back to David Kieran whose fisted effort gave the Joes their second point of the game on 4mins. The Joes struck the first goal on 5mins when Alan McKennas long delivery was knocked down by Robert Sansom to Shane McQuillan who crashed the ball to the roof of the Fechins net. The Joes attack continued to create goal chances with Killian Staunton and Oisin McGuinness both opening up the Fechins defence. The Fechins reshuffled their defence with immediate impact and dominated the scoring in the second quarter with four unanswered points to level the match. In between the Fechins created goal chances with superb blocks by David Kieran and Aidan Shaw in the Joes goal. The Joes went in at the break in the lead by 1-3 to 0-5, thanks to a 45 converted by Alan McKenna.
The second half started in whirlwind fashion with the Fechins in on goal in the first minute with Aidan Shaw superbly saving in a one on one with the Fechins forward. The Joes immediately broke forward, Oisin McGuinness found Robert Sansom who laid off to Alan McKenna and McKennas deft flick over the Niall McDonnell ended in the Fechins net. Killian Staunton skimmed the crossbar for another Joes point to put them ahead 2-4 to 0-5 with 35mins gone.
The sides exchanged points with Oisin McGuinness from a free and Killian Staunton on target for the Joes leaving the score at Joes 2-7, Fechins 0-5 on 46mins. The Fechins led by centre forward Colm O’Neill, Dermot O’Connell in midfield and Harry McArdle at centre back had the Joes defence under severe pressure with the Kieran brothers both excelling with timely last ditch tackles to deny the Fechins goal scoring opportunities. Alan McKenna had the Joes last score on 49mins with the Fechins responding with a point on 50mins. The Fechins finally hit the back of the Joes net on 52mins to leave just three points between the sides. In a tense last ten minutes with defences on top and some wayward shooting from both sides it was the Joes who held out to lift the silverware on a final score of Joes 2-8, Fechins 1-8.
St. Josephs: Aidan Shaw, Philip Kinahan, Philip Brennan, Aidan Kieran, Cian McGuinness, David Kieran (0-1), Gerard Hoey, Peter Brennan, Shane McQuillan (1-0), Jack McNamee, Killian Staunton (0-2), Robert Neary, Oisin McGuinness (0-3,2f), Robert Sansom, Alan McKenna (1-3, 2,45). Subs, Danny O’Brien & Gary Kinahan.
Congratulations to the team and team management of Aaron Smyth, Conor Murtagh, Alan McKenna Jnr. & Mark Dromgoole. Thanks to everyone involved, you have given the club and its supporters a wonderful year. Up the Joes.
(Report: Pat Coyne)
