Under-12 Football Champions 2009
Carrig Crowned SE Under-12 Football Champs
Carrigaline 4-9 Valley Rovers 0-1
On an evening more akin to the month of March Carrigaline were crowned SE Under-12 Football Champions for 2009 at Minane Bridge on Monday last when they overcame the challenge of great rivals Valley Rovers.
Valleys played with the strong breeze in the opening half and soon had the Carrig defence under pressure. In the second minute Peter O’Reilly was on hand to make an important goal-line clearance to deny the Rovers. Gradually Carrig began to assert themselves and due to the influence of a dominant halfback line in which Colin Maguire was excellent all through, ably supported by Stephen Williamson and team captain Sean Gray, and a super midfield pairing of Barry Ryan and Kieran Dwane they began to control proceedings. However some wayward shooting saw the game remain scoreless until the twelfth minute. Then a long delivery by Kieran Dwane was cleverly volleyed to the Rovers net by Caleb O’Connell and just a minute later Carrig repeated the dose when Evan Ryle latched onto a Barry Ryan pass to billow the net once again.
Carrig were now in the ascendancy but Valleys responded with a pointed free in the fifteenth minute. Carrig responded in kind with a Barry Ryan pointed free and shortly afterwards Stephen O’Reilly set up Evan Ryle for another point to leave Carrig in control at the interval on a 2-2 to 0-1 scoreline.
Carrig now turned to play with the strong breeze and even though the Rovers never gave up trying there was only going to be one outcome. It took Carrig about ten minutes to find the range but once they did a succession of scores flowed from Evan Ryle (1-2), Barry Ryan (1-1), Oran Buckley (0-2), Caleb O ‘Connell and Elijah Kadi-Harrington (0-1 each).
Following the game, which was excellently handled by Paul McCarthy (Kinsale), the Chairman of the SE Juvenile Board, Martin McMullen, presented the Shield to Sean Gray and the team, mentors and supporters headed back to the GAA Pavilion to continue the post-match celebrations.
Carrig team and scorers: Graham Bowdren, Peter O’Reilly, Daithi Griffin, Peter Stack, Colin Maguire, Stephen Williamson, Sean Gray (Capt), Barry Ryan (1-2), Kieran Dwane, Colm O’Reilly, Oran Buckley (0-2), Cian Drinan, Stephen O’Reilly, Evan Ryle (2-3), Caleb O’Connell (1-1).
Subs used: Elijah Kadi-Harrington (0-1) for Stephen O’Reilly
Adam Williamson for Peter Stack
Emmett O’Mahony for Caleb O’Connell
Stephen Walsh for Peter O’Reilly
Luke Kenny for Colm O’Reilly
Dylan Murphy for Daithi Griffin (inj)