Glorious end to minor famine is very big Deel

Homeland County Minor ‘A’ Football Championship – Final 

Crossmolina Deel Rovers 2-18 

Westport 2-14 

Stuart Tynan at Hastings Insurance MacHale Park, Castlebar 

Crossmolina Deel Rovers won their first Mayo minor ‘A’ title in 32 years after overcoming a dogged Westport side by four points on a dreary Saturday evening in Hastings Insurance MacHale Park.

Their last triumphs were the back-to-back titles they won in 1992 and 1993, a team that contained future All-Ireland winners like Liam Moffatt, Damien Mulligan, Tom Nallen and Ciaran McDonald. The latter was man of the match in both those minor finals and now his son Kobe made it a family affair with a terrific display in Saturday’s victory. While positioned at full-forward, he had the freedom of MacHale Park. It was not given willingly by Westport by any means but when McDonald got sight of the posts, it spelt trouble for the Coveys.

Aside from Kobe, there were outstanding performances across the pitch. Dylan Flynn gave a tour de force in the middle of the field, Joseph Loftus looked capable of running all evening and never gave Westport a moment’s rest while Oisin Deane and Ethan Reilly’s eye for the posts in the testing conditions never wavered.

While they will be gutted, Westport, who had enjoyed the upper-hand over this Crossmolina team in several of their previous meetings, should be immensely proud of their efforts. Playing with a significant breeze in the first-half, they would have been disappointed to be going in level; a powerful third quarter by Crossmolina, helped by a fortunate goal from McDonald and a pair of two-pointers by Dylan Flynn, saw a ten-point gap open up between the sides.

The introduction of Fionn Ó Cinnseala had a big impact for the Coveys in the final 15 minutes. The Mayo minor kicked 1-2 and coupled with scores from Rian Durkan and county teammate Ben Holmes, that brought the gap back to two as added time approached. But a late Oisin Deane point, as well as some outstanding defending, helped the Maroon and White to the title.

Ethan McGing opened the scoring for Westport, but McDonald struck Crossmolina’s first five points, including a monster two-pointer against the wind. His last point of the run on 11 minutes was to draw them level as Ben Holmes struck 1-1 in two minutes, the goal coming after a brilliant pick out by Elcmar O’Toole.

Westport almost had another goal at the end of the first quarter after a scramble in the square saw Crossmolina unable to clear their lines before Killian Conway’s soccer-style shot went wide in the end.

The West Mayo side still went two clear however, as Crossmolina lost their accuracy in front of the posts momentarily, with McDonald and Dylan Keane both guilty parties, but they were able to put another scoring run together in the space of five minutes thanks to Joseph Loftus, Ethan Reilly and two from Oisin Deane.

Killian Conway and Darragh Reynolds made it a level game at the break, 0-9 apiece, but Crossmolina would go seven points clear with only five minutes played in the second-half. Ethan Reilly scored a point before a free from McDonald 50 metres caught out Westport goalkeeper William Duggan and sailed into the net, which was followed by Flynn’s first two-pointer and a single from Joseph Loftus.

Rian Durkan and Darragh Corrigan stopped the rot for Westport but Crossmolina struck a second goal on 40 minutes through Dylan Keane, with a tidy finish through the legs of the goalkeeper.

Another two-pointer from Flynn followed and then a point from McDonald made it 2-16 to 1-9 with 44 minutes played and it appeared this final was all but over.

Fionn Ó Cinnseala got his first score a minute after coming on the field, followed by two Rian Durkan efforts. Luke Maloney had a chance to seal the deal for Crossmolina on 53 minutes but his shot was cleared off the line and Westport would then launch a breakaway move, as Holmes set up Ó Cinnseala for an easy finish into the net.

Further points from Holmes and Ó Cinnseala heaped the pressure on Crossmolina but Oisin Deane made it a three-point game as injury-time approached. Westport looked for a way through but interceptions at key moments from Dylan Flynn and Sean Óg McGuinness ensured the Mayo Jubilee Cup was heading to the banks of the Deel for the first time since 1993.

Scorers – Crossmolina: Kobe McDonald 1-1-4 (1f), Dylan Flynn 0-2-0, Dylan Keane 1-0-0, Oisin Deane 0-0-3, Joseph Loftus and Ethan Reilly 0-0-2 each.

Westport: Ben Holmes and Fionn Ó Cinnseala (1f) 1-0-2 each, Rian Durkan 0-0-4 (1f), Ethan McGing, Elcmar O’Toole, Killian Conway, Darragh Reynolds, Darragh Corrigan and Dara Dawson (f) 0-0-1 each.

Crossmolina: George Gordetskyy; Eanna O’Boyle, Sean Óg McGuinness, Darragh Duffy; Joseph Loftus, Sean Heffernan, Jack Heffernan; Dylan Flynn, Josh Moyles; Luke Williams, Oisin Deane, Liam Clancy; Ethan Reilly, Kobe McDonald, Dylan Keane. Subs: Luke Maloney (for Heffernan 48), Gary Naughton (for Clancy 51, inj).

Westport: William Duggan; Tom McGeough, Kyle O’Malley, Cian Sheridan; Darragh Corrigan, Peter McGowan, Darragh Reynolds; Michael McDonnell, Elcmar O’Toole; Jack O’Malley, Dara Dawson, Ethan McGing; Rian Durkan, Ben Holmes, Killian Conway. Subs: Ross O’Connor (for McGing 35), Fionn Ó Cinnseala (for Dawson 45), Aodhan Gavin (for Corrigan 48).

REF: Kevin Connelly (Hollymount-Carramore)