NEWCESTOWN 3-7
IBANE GAELS 1-9
GER McCARTHY REPORTS
NEWCESTOWN denied Ibane Gaels a second consecutive Clóna Milk Carbery U21A football championship title under floodlights in Dunmanway on Friday evening.
This year’s finalists were no strangers to one another. Ibane defeated Newcestown after extra-time to win the U21A championship 12 months ago.
The Gaels also registered a one-sided 4-10 to 0-2 victory over Newcestown in the opening round of this year’s competition.
Ahead of Friday’s decider, Ibane had to twice overcome Carbery Rangers in the penultimate round. That’s because the Cork county board’s CCC ordered Carbery GAA to replay the semi-final following an appeal by Rangers following the confusion over the full-time score had been registered after 60 minutes of the initial last-four encounter.
Goals from Dan Flanagan, Ciarán O’Donovan and Eddie Kenneally helped Newcestown overcome their great rivals to capture the U21A title at the conclusion of a thrilling contest. Flanagan and O’Donovan’s first-half goals were answered by Olan O’Donovan as Ibane trailed 2-4 to 1-6 at the break.
This U21A final was decided by a third quarter Newcestown surge in which Eddie Kenneally converted a penalty after goalkeeper Cormac McCarthy was black carded for bringing down Ciarán O’Donovan in the square.
The cushion of that goal allowed Newcestown to keep a battling Ibane at arm’s length.
Scorers - Newcestown: E Kenneally 1-3 (1-0 pen, 2f), D Flanagan, Ciarán O’Donovan (1-0 each), R O’Sullivan 0-2, S O’Sullivan, D McSweeney 0-1 each. Ibane Gaels: O O’Donovan 1-4, R O’Donovan 0-3 (2f), L O’Leary 0-2.
NEWCESTOWN: E McSweeney; C Hurley, C O’Sullivan, R Sweeney; C Wilson, J Burrows, P Kelly; J Kenneally, R O’Sullivan; D McSweeney, E Kenneally, D Flanagan; C O’Donovan, S O’Sullivan (captain), R McSweeney. Subs: Colm O’Donovan for C O’Sullivan (ht), N Kelly for P Kelly (48).
IBANE GAELS: C McCarthy; M Walsh, S O’Riordan, F Walsh; T Ó Buachalla, J Moloney, S Henchion; C Dineen, P Flynn; D McCarthy, S Walsh (joint-captain), A McSweeney; R O’Donovan, O O’Donovan, L O’Leary. Subs: G Wycherley for D McCarthy (36, black card), J Lawton for D McCarthy (50, injured).
Referee: Brian Crowley (Castlehaven).
