Cadburys GAA Football All Ireland Under 21 Championship Final – Galway 1-14 Cork 1-11

Rebel woe as U21 crown goes west

By John Fogarty GAA Correspondent for the Irish Examiner newspaper

Galway 1-14 Cork 1-11

Galway’s All-Ireland U21 football winning captain Fiontan Ó Curraoin is confident the county’s starlets will shortly convert under-age success into triumph at senior level. In front of a 4,324 Gaelic Grounds crowd on a dreary Saturday, Galway sparkled to win their second Clarke Cup in three years as they held out in a hugely entertaining affair. They did so having led Cork by nine points on one occasion and despite failing to score for the final 18 minutes of the game. For the inspirational Ó Curraoin, this was a second U21 medal and the senior midfielder senses big things from those who are already in Alan Mulholland’s plans or will be in the next year or two. He reasoned: “We have two weeks to look forward to Mayo and hopefully this success will start translating into senior. It’s a boost for the seniors to see the U21 side win the All-Ireland. “But for myself and the rest of the lads who will be involved, it’s about time now we started to push on. “There’s a real sense in this team that we are able to do that and hopefully we will see it in the next couple of years. “Mayo have set the standard in Connacht for the last few years, it’s up to us to push up to that standard. It’s going to be a full house in Pearse Stadium and we are looking forward to it now.”

Having been a part of Mulholland’s team that beat Cavan in the final two years ago, Ó Curraoin revealed he had taken down a collage from his bedroom wall made by his mother to celebrate that achievement. “I took it down at the start of the year, just to focus on this year. It was a new team with a new identity.” Ó Curraoin was a force throughout the 60-plus minutes and behind him Mark Loughnane was terrific in keeping Cork at bay in the first half when, despite Cork’s dominance of possession, they trailed 0-9 to 0-5 at half-time.

As exciting as this game was, Galway led from start to finish and some of their first half points were outrageously good, three of them pearls from a sharp Ian Burke. Cathal Mulryan’s kicking was almost as good whereas Cork’s build-up play against the wind was relatively laborious although a couple of Dan Mac Eoin points towards the end of the half settled them somewhat. Cork had been superb in the third quarter against Tipperary and Cavan and began the second half positively with two Brian Hurley points. But the gap had returned to four by the 37th minute before Damien Comer’s goal threatened to kill the game off as a contest. On the back of it, Varley’s twin brother Paul and another defender David Cunnane pointed and Cork looked all at sea. With little foothold at midfield and no shape to their half-back line, they were struggling badly.

Cunnane’s point turned out to be Galway’s last, though, and an Alan Cadogan point was followed by a wonderful Hurley goal as he fired past Thomas Healy. Points from sub Cathal Vaughan and a Mac Eoin free reduced the margin to three by the 47th minute but the final 14 minutes of action were scoreless as Galway held their heads above the tide. They may have gained a little fortune too with David Gough’s allocation of just one minute of injury-time but it was Alan Flynn’s team who were the more impressive. “Cork threw everything at us and there was a tendency to look after the lead. These guys were involved in a scenario three years when they were nine points up. A couple of goals went in that day and they came out the wrong side of it. Maybe that was coming back into them a little bit.” Flynn said there could be more to come from several of this Galway panel. “Nineteen of the 33 are underage next year, another challenge. That’s the beauty of this competition. It’s nearly a brand new group every year.”

Scorers for Galway: S Walsh (frees),I Burke 0-4 each; D Comer 1-0; C Mulryan 0-3; A Varley, P Varley, D Cunnane 0-1 each.

Scorers for Cork: B Hurley (1f) 1-4; D MacEoin 0-3; D Cahalane (45), E Cadogan, J Wall, C Vaughan 0-1 each.

GALWAY: T Healy (Corofin); D Cunnane (St Michael’s), J Shaughnessy (Ballinasloe), M Loughnane (St Gabriel’s); P Varley (Cortoon), D Burke (Corofin), E Walsh (Moycullen); F Ó Curraoin (Micheal Breathnach), T Flynn (Athenry); C Mulryan (Cortoon), S Moran (Claregalway), D Comer (Annaghdown); S Walsh (Kilkerrin-Clonberne), A Varley (Cortoon), I Burke (Corofin).

Subs for Galway: C Rabbitte (Kilkerrin-Clonberne) for Moran (47); J Healy (Annaghdown) for Healy (inj 50); P Ezergailis (Moycullen) for Cunnane (54); G Kelly (Williamstown) for Burke, S Maughan (St Michael’s) for A Varley (both 59).

CORK: D Hanrahan (Douglas); C Dorman (Bishopstown), D Cahalane (Castlehaven), A Cronin (Nemo Rangers); B O’Driscoll (Tadhg MacCarthaigh), T Clancy (Clonakilty), J Wall (Kilbrittain); S Kiely (Ballincollig), I Maguire (St Finbarr’s); A Cadogan (Douglas), J O’Rourke (Carbery Rgs), M Sugrue (Bandon); D MacEoin (Ilen Rovers), B Hurley (Castlehaven), L Connolly (Nemo Rangers).

Subs for Cork: J Burns (St Finbarr’s) for Kiely (36); C Vaughan (Iveleary) for Sugrue (39); TJ Brosnan (Newmarket) for Wall (43); K Hallisey (Eire Og) for Cadogan (57).

Referee: D Gough (Meath)

Joy for Galway in U21 decider

Cadbury GAA Football All-Ireland U21 Championship Final: Galway 1-14 Cork 1-11

Report from the GAA.ie web site

Galway won their second All-Ireland U21 title in three years with an exciting victory over Cork in a highly entertaining final at the Gaelic Grounds on Saturday night. The young Tribesmen emerged victorious at a wet Limerick venue, surviving a Cork fightback in the second half, and coming through a scoreless final quarter to lift the Clarke Cup. Galway led by four points at the break after a very impressive first half display, and then 10 minutes after the restart they took control of the game following Damien Comer’s well-taken goal. That score made it 1-12 to 0-8 and when it was followed by two Galway points immediately afterwards, the Connacht champions led by nine points with less than 20 minutes to go.

Cork quickly got back into the game when the outstanding Brian Hurley, who finished with a tally of 1-4, scored a brilliant goal to cut the deficit. Further Cork points from Cathal Vaughan and Dan MacEoin left just three between them with 15 minutes left, and a thrilling final quarter in prospect. However, no more scores were registered in the game, as Galway saw out the victory. The result means Galway captain Fiontán Ó Curraoin, midfielder Thomas Flynn and goalkeeper Thomas Healy all now have two All-Ireland U21 medals, having been part of the team which defeated Cavan in the final at Croke Park two years ago.

Ó Curraoin was immense in the middle for Galway, winning primary possession time after time, and using his physical prowess to superb effect. Cathal Mulryan and Ian Burke were Galway’s next best performers, and they finished with a combined tally of 0-7 from play. Galway led by four at the break, 0-9 to 0-5, after an opening half in which they displayed the full array of their talents. They dominated the first quarter, and led 0-4 to 0-1 at the midway point of the first half. It was only in the final 10 minutes of the half that Cork began to settle into the game, create clear chances from play, and take some scores.

Galway had wind advantage in the first half, and took an early lead when Shane Walsh knocked over two frees. Damien Cahalane got Cork off the mark with a superb 45 into the wind, but two excellent points in quick succession from Mulryan, one with either foot, quickly put Galway in charge. Galway were defending extremely well, getting back in numbers and forcing Cork to kick from unfavourable angles and situations. As well as that, Alan Flynn’s side were getting a number of key blocks in and frustrating their opponents, the pick of which was a brilliant diving block from the impressive Mulryan.

Cork, despite the fact that they were struggling to cope with Galway’s potent combination of hard work and clinical finishing, carved out the only real goal chance of the half. It fell to Luke Connolly, who charged at goal and saw his low shot cleared off the line by Galway full-back James Shaughnessy. While the opening 15 minutes were relatively cagey, both sides found their range in the second quarter. Corner-forward Burke kicked three magnificent points from play for Galway, but Cork kept in touch with scores from Hurley and MacEoin, whose two points both came from play.

Burke had edged Galway 0-9 to 0-4 ahead just shy of the break with an elegant score off his left, but MacEoin had the final say in the half, firing over when cutting in from the left wing. The lead remained four after a blistering opening 10 minutes of the second half, in which the sides exchanged three points each. Hurley kicked two super scores for Cork immediately after the restart to cut the gap to two, but Galway responded with two fine points from the impressive duo of Burke and Mulryan.

Then on 39 minutes came the Galway goal. It started from a move down the right, with Shane Walsh feeding the ball across towards Mulryan. Mulryan’s kick at goal fell to the lively Adrian Varley, and he handpassed to Damien Comer. Comer found himself at point-blank range with the goalkeeper, and he made no mistake, crashing the ball high to the roof of the net. That put Galway seven ahead, and they immediately added points from defenders David Cunnane and Paul Varley to go nine ahead. But Cork showed great spirit, and following a well taken score from Alan Cadogan, got right back into the game when Hurley found the net.

It was a superb goal from the Castlehaven man. A long free from his clubmate Cahalane broke to him close to goal, but he made the absolute most from what was a mere glimmer of a chance, battling past his man and finishing brilliantly across goal into the top right hand corner of the net.

Cathal Vaughan followed up the goal with a point to leave just four in it, and then a fantastic free from MacEoin from way out the field on the right wing put three between the sides with just under 15 minutes left. An injury to Galway goalkeeper Thomas Healy saw him being replaced by his cousin James in the second half, and the young keeper did well when he came on, showing a cool head under a couple of high balls, and catching a crucial ball under the crossbar towards the very end. Cork kept battling in the final quarter, but neither side registered another score, as Galway deservedly took the win, their fifth in total the the U21 grade.

Scorers for Cork: B Hurley 1-4 (1f), D MacEoin 0-4 (1f), D Cahalane 0-1 (1 45′), A Cadogan 0-1, C Vaughan 0-1

Scorers for Galway: S Walsh 0-4 (4f), I Burke 0-4, D Comer 1-0, C Mulryan 0-3, A Varley 0-1, D Cunnane 0-1, P Varley 0-1

Cork: D Hanrahan; C Dorman, D Cahalane, A Cronin; B O’Driscoll, T Clancy, J Wall; S Kiely, I Maguire; A Cadogan, M Sugrue, J O’Rourke; D MacEoin, B Hurley, L Connolly.

Subs: J Burns for S Kiely (34), C Vaughan for M Sugrue (38), TJ Brosnan for J Wall (42), K Hallissey for A Cadogan (57).

Galway: T Healy; E Walsh, J Shaughnessy, D Cunnane; M Loughnane, D Burke, P Varley; T Flynn, F Ó Curraoin; C Mulryan, S Moran, D Comer; S Walsh, A Varley, I Burke.

Subs: C Rabbitte for S Moran (47), J Healy for T Healy (49), P Ezergailis for D Cunnane (53), G Kelly for I Burke (58), S Maughan for A Varley (58).

Referee: David Gough (Meath)

Team News

The Cork U21 Football team will line out as follows:

1. David Hanrahan

2. Conor Dorman 3. Damien Cahalane 4. Alan Cronin

5. Brian O’Driscoll 6. Tom Clancy 7. Jamie Wall

8. Sean Kiely 9. Ian Maguire

10. Alan Cadogan 11. Mark Sugrue 12. John O’Rourke

13. Dan MacEoin 14. Brian Hurley 15. Luke Connolly

16. Patrick Kirby Tadhg Mac Carthaigh

17. Conor O’Sullivan Clyda Rovers

18. Kevin Crowley Millstreet

19. T.J. Brosnan Newmarket

20. Kevin Fulignati Nemo Rangers

21. Jamie Burns St. Finbarr’s

22. Kevin Hallissey Eire Óg

23. Cathal Vaughan Iveleary

24. Thomas Hegarty O’Donovan Rossa

John Cleary and his selectors have kept faith with the same fifteen that defeated Cavan in the All-Ireland Semi-Final.

The Galway Under 21 Football team as follows –

Thomas Healy

Eoin Walsh

James Shaughnessy

David Cunnane

Mark Loughnane

Daithi Burke

Paul Varley

Thomas Flynn

Fiontáin Ó Curraoin

Cathal Mulryan

Sean Moran

Damien Comer

Shane Walsh

Adrian Varley

Ian Burke

James Healy

Gearóid Canavan

Philip Ezergailis

Liam Silke

Eoghan Commins

Conor Rabbitte

Padraig Cunningham

Garry Kelly

Shane Maughan

The team shows one change from the semi-final as Eoin Walsh comes back in at corner back, replacing Gearoid Canavan.