Title triumph for dominant Naomh Padraig boys
Declan Joyce of Carras takes on Naomh Padraig’s James Adams in Swinford last Thursday evening. Picture: David Farrell Photography
With six points between the sides at half-time, it seemed that there was still hope for Carras to make a second-half comeback, particularly after the boost of James Tierney’s late first-half goal. However, Naomh Padraig, powered by the likes of Finn Roache, James Adams and Cillian McGee, put paid to those ideas by putting their foot back on the gas pedal to win last Thursday’s final of the U16 Football League Division 3.
It was Carras who took the lead early on through their star man and captain Nathan Dooley, with the midfielder coming through a tackle and firing over after collecting livewire Sean Corcoran’s long kick-pass. A minute later he doubled his tally, with it taking until the ninth minute for Naomh Padraig to score their first point. It came via Cillian McGee in the top right corner, as he collected a ball from James Adams and set himself up with a couple of steps before sending the ball high and over.
Carras had plenty of chances for goals that never materialised, the first coming when Dooley worked a short free with Luke Munroe, their quick one-two opening up space in front of goal but Dooley’s shot dragged wide of the left post.
Cillian McGee would finish off a goal down the other end of the field in response, when a free from overcarrying allowed roaming wing-back Finn Roache the opportunity to tap and go, fisting over to his corner-forward who duly finished. There was a run of six unanswered points by Naomh Padraig too, which included a double from the tireless corner-forward James Adams, whose second point saw him cover great ground down the left, beating Ryan Jennings in the Carras half-backline before stepping inside to fire over.
Five minutes later a great set of carries from Ryan Jennings and Nathan Dooley opened up space for James Tierney, who rounded the goalkeeper to slot home Carras’ first goal and cut the deficit to five. A late point for Roache in response sent the sides into the interval with six points in the difference, 1-8 to 1-2.
Naomh Padraig had the better engine once the game was underway again, using it to stretch away from their South Mayo opponents. Conor Tomas, McGee, Adams and more were involved in a five-point Naomh Padraig run before a goal from substitute Michael Farrell all but put the cup out of reach for Carras.
James Tierney threatened a second goal for the chasers midway through the second-half; the full-forward rocketed a shot at netminder James Brisson and the ball clattered off the underside of the bar to calls for a goal, but the umpires were unmoved and thus so was referee Kenny Durcan.
Cealan Loughney pushed forward from wing-back to add to the North Mayo side’s tally but Tierney responded in spectacular fashion. Despite it not being enough to fashion a comeback, his strike with five minutes left on the clock thundered into the top-left corner and it showed that Carras weren’t about to stop fighting, despite the look of the scoreboard.
The teams traded points twice more late on, Carras through Dooley, two points, and Naomh Padraig through Eamon Kelly, off the bench, and Noah Lynn, where the latter’s pointed free was the final exclamation mark on an outstanding performance in Naomh Padraig’s title-capturing win.
Scorers: Naomh Padraig: Cillian McGee 1-0-2, Michael Farrell 1-0-1, Finn Roache 0-0-4, (3f), James Adams 0-0-3, Conor Tomas 0-0-2, Matthew Carroll, Alexander Smyth, Cealan Loughney, Eamon Kelly and Noah Lynn (1f) 0-0-1 each.
Carras: James Tierney 2-0-0, Nathan Dooley 0-0-6 (1f).
Naomh Padraig: James Brisson; Leon Early, Noah Lynn, John Maughan; Finn Roache, Johnny Lynn, Cealan Loughney; Alexander Smyth, Philip Munnelly; Jack Barrett, Matthew Carroll, Conor Tomas; James Adams, Patrick O’Connor, Cillian McGee. Subs used: Sean Tighe, Eamon Kelly, Michael Farrell, James McDonnell, Diarmuid Loughney.
Carras: Shane Heaney; Eoghan Delaney, Arron Gill, Mason Walsh; Glen Dooley, Ryan Jennings, Declan Joyce; Eoghan Lougheny, Nathan Dooley; Robert Forde, Darragh O’Connor, Sean Corcoran; Luke Munroe, James Tierney, Cillian Fitzpatrick. Subs used: Ryan Walsh, Eoin Hession, Keith Macken, Michael Hession.
REF: Kenny Durcan (Bonniconlon)
