Connolly leads Drumlane to glory in excellent JFC final

Junior Football Championship final

Drumlane 1-12

Arva 2-8

Paul Fitzpatrick at Kingspan Breffni

A 65th minute free from Ryan Connolly was the difference between the teams as Drumlane claimed the Sean Leddy Cup in a classic Junior Championship final under lights at Kingspan Breffni.

The teams served up a brilliant first half, at the end of which the sides were level at 2-4 to 1-7. The second half was lower-scoring but remained close throughout.

In the end, Connolly was the hero. The Drumlane captain showed impressive composure as well as skill to send over two late frees which secured the title for the first time since 2018 and the fifth time in total.

A draw may have been a fair result and there would have been no quibbles had the sides gone at it again in a week but overall, Drumlane just about shaded things and were deserving winners, with Darragh Dolan on fire and Connolly, though he recorded half a dozen wides, the match-winner when it mattered. It was tough, though, on Arva, who contributed a lot to a superb spectacle.

All three goals were high quality; the first arrived after just 20 seconds and fell to Gabriel Keogan’s Arva. From the throw-in, Ciaran Brady sent a long ball goalwards; Kevin Bouchier laid off for Tristan Noach Hoffman and the midfielder buried it in the bottom corner with the left foot.

It was a dream start for Arva, who came into the game as favourites having beaten Drumlane in the first round, and they soon added a point when Brady picked out Peter Morris for a mark, which Morris nailed.

Drumlane, though, did not panic. It was clear that they were intent on running at the Arva defence and this tactic would pay dividends. A poacher’s point from Liam Belton, after a Ryan Connolly free dropped short, got the Sons of O’Connell off the mark and Connolly made amends for his miss with a brilliant effort from play on seven minutes.

Arva’s next score came in the 12th minute, captain Jonny McCabe escaping the sticky Mark Maguire to send over a super score off the left.

The tempo was frantic and remained that was throughout the half. An outstanding 45-metre free off the ground from Connolly was cancelled out by a left-footed Hoffman point.

Darragh Dolan’s pace was causing Arva a lot of problems; he won a free which Connolly knocked over and then, Drumlane hit the jackpot.

Dane O’Dowd flicked down a kick-out and Dolan scorched through the centre on a 50-metre run before laying off to Cormac Flynn, who blasted to the net.

Dolan set up the next score, Flynn belting over, before arrive replied with an important score from Ciaran Brady. And then, Arva came up a vital score when Brady picked out Kevin Bouchier, who wheeled away with his marker and sent a deft left-footed finish to the roof of the net.

Another Connolly free from 35 metres right on the stroke of half-time and a super score from Dolan, full of confidence, left it all square at the break.

On the restart, Arva hit the front again with an excellent point from McCabe before Conal Sheridan, who was carrying an injury into the game and got no change from Donal Monahan on the night, converted a free.

Connolly scored twice (a free, after a foul on Dolan, and a 45) levelled the match. Peter Morris tacked on a free which was cancelled out by Belton’s second which levelled matters again entering the last 10 minutes.

Morris sent over another free from the edge of the D to nudge Arva back in front but a magnificent 58th minute free from Connolly from the left corner, close to the sideline, left it a draw game once more.

Arva pressed in injury time, probing for an opportunity. The stakes could not have been much higher; eventually, Drumlane forced a turnover and the electric Dolan tore down the left wing and was taken down.

Connolly stepped up for what was a missable free. With the final kick of the match, and the competition, however, he made no mistake, sending the ball over the black spot from his hands to secure the title in dramatic fashion.

Arva: Cian O’Hara, James Morris, Thomas Brady, Charlie Madden, Finbar McAvinue, Cormac McCabe, Shane Hamilton, Tristan Noach Hoffman (1-1), Ciaran Brady (0-1), Ciaran Cooney, Jonathan McCabe (0-2), Danny Ellis, Peter Morris (0-2f), Kevin Bouchier (1-0), Conal Sheridan (0-1f)

Subs: Barry Donnelly for C Cooney, Conor McEntee for C Madden (both ht), Jamie Gray for S Hamilton (47)

Drumlane: Harry Clarke, Francis Lunney, Donal Monahan, Shane Dolan, John O’Dowd, James McCahill, Mark Maguire, Ciaran Crowe, Dane O’Dowd, Liam Belton (0-2), Darragh Dolan (0-1), Ryan Connolly (0-7, 6f, 45), Cormac Flynn (1-1), Michael Owens, Daryl McGurren

Subs: Luke Longair for M Owens (58), Gary Tubman for L Belton (60)

Ref: Paddy Clarke