Ramor claim U16 crown in high-quality final

U16 Division 1 Championship final

Ramor United 4-13

Southern Gaels 2-12

Paul Fitzpatrick at Lavey

Four well-timed goals proved key as Ramor United claimed the U16 Division 1 Championship title with an impressive performance against Southern Gaels at New Inns on Saturday afternoon.

The Virginia lads led from the fourth minute until the long whistle but the Lacken-Gowna amalgamation hung in resolutely and never looked out of it until a late strike from Louis Kerrigan in injury time finally killed the contest.

At half-time Ramor held a 2-9 to 1-6 advantage and although Southern Gaels cut the deficit to the minimum with eight minutes remaining, they were never able to get level. Ramor found another gear when it mattered most and pushed on in the closing stages.

County minor Jake Brady, one of the outstanding players on show, set the tone when he won the throw-in and quickly fed Darragh Eccleston, who clipped over the opening point.

Ramor’s reply was immediate; a Daire McCrystal shot dropped short, caused panic in the square and Louis Kerrigan pounced, finding the net for a goal which handed Ramor a lead they would never relinquish.

They quickly built on it. Marauding wing-back Conor Mulligan surged forward down the right and sent over a fine individual point. Moments later the talented Hugo Morgan, full of pace and comfortable on either foot, cut through and fired over when a goal looked possible.

With Ramor dominant at this stage, James McDevitt got on the end of another Morgan run to split the posts for 1-3 to 0-1. Peadar Brennan, who was also to have an outstanding game, announced himself with a terrific score on the run off his left boot and soon after curled over another, cutting in from the right wing. At 1-5 to 0-1 it looked as though Ramor might run away with it.

Southern Gaels, however, dug deep. The hard-working Mark Shiels tested Jack Reilly with a stinging shot that the Ramor goalkeeper did brilliantly to tip over.

Colin McCabe and Brennan traded frees to leave it 1-6 to 0-3 after 17 minutes, but the Gaels then enjoyed their best spell of the half. A long delivery bounced awkwardly, deceiving the Ramor full-back line, and McCabe showed great composure to finish low into the corner for a fine goal.

Suddenly Southern Gaels were on top, Brady leading the charge. He drove forward powerfully, drew a foul, and McCabe converted the free to narrow the gap to two. McCrystal, a constant threat at midfield for Ramor, wrestled back the initiative when he set up Brennan for a point that flew inches over the bar and from the resulting kick-out, Andrew Smart glided through for another. Brennan and McCrystal then combined again for the latter to notch a fine score from a tight angle.

The Gaels responded through Donal O’Meara, from a very tight angle, after Jack Reilly had pulled off another superb save from Brady but Ramor hit back with their second goal. Mulligan drove through the centre, lost possession briefly, regained it, and let fly with a speculative shot which somehow found the top corner.

A McCabe free closed the first-half scoring with Ramor six clear, 2-9 to 1-6.

McCabe opened the second half with a point from play but Ramor answered with real intent. McCrystal gathered possession around midfield, burst through the heart of the defence and lashed a powerful finish to the bottom corner, extending the lead to eight.

Still the Gaels would not yield. McCabe converted another free following a foul on Brady and then came their second goal. Sub Fionnán Crowe delivered an inviting ball across the square and Eccleston finished emphatically.

Another McCabe free reduced the margin to three and when Brady struck a superb two-point free from the deck it was down to one and the game was in the melting pot.

The next score was crucial and, as they had done all afternoon, Ramor produced it. Speedster Morgan carried the ball 60 metres, steadied himself and fired over. McCabe replied with a free after winning the ball himself but Gaels squandered a huge chance when a Brady delivery caused havoc only for Conchuir Stephen to clear off the line. Soon after, a 45 crashed off the bar and the follow-up effort tailed wide.

Ramor rode their luck but then re-asserted control. McCrystal landed a fine point on the run, Brennan added another from play and quickly knocked over a free after Kerrigan was fouled. Southern Gaels had one more opportunity, Eccleston denied again by the excellent Reilly, but the final word went to the winners.

A slick move involving McCrystal, McDevitt and Junior Okosisi ended with Kerrigan pulling first-time, soccer-style, to the net for his second goal. It sealed Ramor’s fourth major and a deserved victory, the Virginia side showing composure and quality at key moments.

Interestingly, Killygarry had won the U16 Division 1 league back in May with a win over Bailieborough but Ramor saw off the league winners in the semi-final of the championship, with Southern Gaels defeating Cavan Gaels on the other side.

Ramor United: Jack Reilly; Ivan Clancy, James McDevitt (0-1), Conchuir Stephen; Conor Mulligan (1-1), Sé O'Dowd, Finn Burns; Andrew Smart (0-1), Daire McCrystal (1-1); Peadar Brennan (0-7, 2f), Hugo Morgan (0-2), Conor Lynch; Elliot O'Reilly, Louis Kerrigan (2-0), Junior Okosisi.

Subs: Rory Kelly, Mohamed Salloum

Southern Gaels: Gavin Mulligan; TJ McDonnell, Jayden Reilly, Hugh Mackey; Conor Donohoe, Calvin Seery, Matthew O’Reilly; Donal O’Meara (0-1), Mark Shiels (0-1); Tom Crotty, Darragh Eccleston (1-1), Jools McKiernan; Liam Smith, Jake Brady (0-3, 1f, 2ptf), Colin McCabe (1-6, 5f).

Subs: Fionnán Crowe, CJ Comerford

Ref: Maggie Farrelly