Ferbane/Belmont take U16 League

Post date: Nov 05, 2012 12:9:25 PM

Offaly U16 League Football Final

Ferbane/Belmont 2-13

Edenderry 0-09

Edenderry U16's put up a battling performance against the strongest team in the County at U16 grade in 2012 in the League Final, Sunday morning. Following a Championship semi final defeat to Ferbane/Belmont the Reds were seeking revenge in a bright and cold but well prepared Clara GAA.

The season has been long for this group of players but they have worked hard and have fallen just short in the three competitions they entered. A narrow defeat in the Leinster U16 League semi final, a defeat in the Championship semi final and now a defeat in the Offaly league U16 final. This group may not have won any medals but they certainly developed as a group and the U16 and Minor teams of 2013 will be all the stronger for it.

The Reds were slow to find their feet on Sunday morning and allowed Ferbane/Belmont race in to a 0-05 to 0-01 lead mid-way through the first half. Jordan Farrell who started in goal in place of the unavailable Cian Brereton was moved out the field as an injured Jamie O'Connor moved back in between the sticks. O'Connor along with his brother Daryl were very lively and Jamie pulled off some remarkable saves to keep the reds in it. Growing in confidence Edenderry entered their best spell in the game and kicked 5 unanswered points to lead and the half-time break and the County Champions were genuinely worried. Some tight defending by the aforementioned Daryl O'Connor, Aaron Moules and Mark Abbott helped Edenderry get on top around the middle with Ciaran Farrell, Peter McNamara, Jordan Hayes and Adam Mahon showing well with Alex Kenny chipping in with some fine scores. Conor Farrell was unlucky not to goal just before the break and some more accurate passing may have allowed Peter McNamara in for another.

Ferbane/Belmont took an extended break at half time and left Edenderry on the field for a few moments, however the extended talk worked as they moved up a gear for the 2nd half. A fortunate penalty kick-started the Champions but the Reds battled hard to stay in the game brining it back to one point mid-way through the second half but a lobbing ball caught out Jamie O'Connor with 10 minutes to go and then Ferbane showed their class and opened out to kick some fine scores. Edenderry introduced all the substitutes and they worked hard to recover the game but Ferbane ran out winners on a score line of 2-13 to 0-09.

The final score-line does not do this game justice as it was a more closely fought affair than the score suggests and Edenderry had Ferbane on the rack for long periods of the game. If anything should be learned from this game it is that the underdog must take their chances when they present themselves and get a better return for periods of dominance they may have.

All of the defence worked very hard and battled to the end, the midfield of David Maloney and Lee Hyland competed well but were up against physically stronger players, the forward line never gave up and showed for each and every ball, tight defending from Ferbane/Belmont did make it difficult for the lads up front.

Well done to them all and to the management team of John Mason, Mick Bryan and Adrian Mullen.

Edenderry: Jordan Farrell, David Hughes, Aaron Moules, Daryl O'Connor, Mark Abbot, Sergio Camara, Jamie O'Connor, David Maloney, Lee Hyland , Peter McNamara,Ciaran Farrell (0-1), Jordan Hynes (0-01), Alex Kenny (0-06 3F), Adam Mahon (0-1), Conor Farrell,

Subs

Stephen Osborne

Patrick RickardCiaran Kelliher

Jake Kenny

Brendan Lynch