Moate all whites are crowned leinster junior club champions
Moate All Whites 1-11 Straffan 0-10
John Corbally’s goal from a penalty proved crucial as Moate All Whites defeated Straffan in the Leinster club JFC final at Cusack Park today (Sunday).
Moate led 0-8 to 0-3 at half-time, having played with the wind in the first half. And when Corbally fired home from the spot early in the second half, it gave pre-match favourites Straffan too much to do.
Rob Kelly was a central figure in Straffan’s comeback but the goal they needed just wouldn’t arrive as the Westmeath men hung on.
A youthful Moate side (managed by former Westmeath star Paul Conway) had a dream start at chilly Mullingar, going five points up within ten minutes. Billy Berry (two), Gavin Murray, Eoghan Dalton and Jamie Madden were the players on target.
Straffan finally got off the mark in the 14th minute courtesy of midfielder Paul Donovan, but a hungry Moate outfit remained the dominant force. Nigel Adamson and John Corbally (two) added further points before the break, with Austin Allen and Rob Kelly raising white flags for the Kildare side.
Shortly after the restart, Moate full-forward Nigel Adamson was adjudged to have been fouled inside the square by Brendan Ashe. Referee Stephen Johnson consulted his umpires before the penalty was eventually confirmed. Corbally stepped forward and clinically swept the spotkick to the net.
Dalton put Moate nine points up (1-9 to 0-3) before Straffan launched their recovery mission. Points from John Hanafin, Donovan and Niall Devane cut the deficit, but Moate always had the answers when threatened. Indeed, Straffan were unable to get any closer than four points. Madden’s second point gave Moate breathing space before the visitors rattled off three more – courtesy of Kelly (two) and Allen.
As Moate tried to lift the siege in the closing stages, impressive centre-back Robbie Gorman drove forward and earned a free-in. The foul led to a second yellow card for Straffan’s Rory Byrne and therefore his dismissal, while Corbally pointed the resulting free. Kelly replied with a point but it was a goal that Straffan now required. In a tense finale, a spirited Moate side refused to buckle as they deservedly claimed the Leinster crown.
Moate will face John Mitchels of Liverpool in the All-Ireland club JFC semi-finals (due to be played on the weekend of January 24-25, 2015.) John Mitchels defeated Connacht champions Aran Islands in their All-Ireland quarter-final clash on November 29.
SCORERS – Moate All Whites: J Corbally 1-3 (1-0pen, 0-2f); B Berry, J Madden and E Dalton 0-2 each; G Murray and N Adamson 0-1 each. Straffan: R Kelly 0-4 (1f); P Donovan and A Allen 0-2 each; J Hanafin and N Devane 0-1 each.
MOATE ALL WHITES: Darren McArdle; Colin Bracken, Daniel Buckley, Alan Claffey; Brendan Arigho, Robert Gorman, Daniel Bracken; Eoghan Dalton (capt.), Jamie Madden; Gavin Murray, Billy Berry, David Minnock; David Adamson, Nigel Adamson, John Corbally. Subs: Sean Bracken for Arigho (h-t); Cian Bradley for N Adamson (49); Jack Linnane for Murray (58).
STRAFFAN: Matthew Duggan; Niall Gaynor, Brendan Ashe, Paul O’Neill; Kevin Mullahy, Cian Gaynor, Rory Byrne; Paul Donovan, John Hanafin; Ed Neenan, James Devane (capt.), Rob Kelly; Niall Devane, Austin Allen, Andy O’Neill. Subs: Peter Coleman for O’Neill (12); Domhnall Ashe for Neenan (47); John Tracey for J Devane (54).
REFEREE: Stephen Johnson (Louth).
*See next week's Westmeath Independent for more.