Kilmurray fires St Loman's to U14 Division 1 title over Lilliput Gaels

St Loman's, Mullingar 2-10, Lilliput Gaels 1-11

(After extra-time)

(After extra-time)

It took extra-time and no little drama to separate St Loman’s, Mullingar and Lilliput Gaels in this U14 Division 1 final, but it was Enda Lambden’s side who came out on top thanks to some fine shooting from forward Cathal Kilmurray and expert goalkeeping from James McHugh at the other end. Lilliput Gaels gave a great account of themselves and on another day would have taken home the title but it was Loman’s who got the crucial scores at key times.

Lilliput Gaels went for goal from the off with Billy Whelan, Jack Favier, and Daniel Masterson barrelling towards the Loman’s end only for Michael Long to get back in the nick of time. At the opposite goalmouth, Dáire Jackson held on well from Kilmurray from close-range. Over ten minutes had elapsed before the first score in Killucan GAA as Michael Brennan showed his ability with a fine point from a free, kicking off the ground. Loman’s kicked many wides in both halves and following their fifth early-on, the Gaels responded when Whelan curled a wonderful effort over to level.

Goal chances came and went again at both ends with a mix of wayward shooting and great goalkeeping keeping the scoreboard low. Another reason the score remained at 0-1 each was due to the likes of Mark Carey, Eoin McGinley, and Páidí Slevin, who were all defending well. Two quick scores, one at either end, kept matters on parity. A free from Kilmurray was followed by one from Conor O’Neill. Nothing could keep the teams apart as Kilmurray (another free) was cancelled by Whelan’s point. It was level pegging at the break, 0-3 apiece, and there was very little to pick the teams apart.

It took until the final quarter before any daylight appeared on the scoreboard. Following points for Lilliput by O’Neill and Darren Corcoran (two fine frees) against the one mark taken by Kilmurray, the Gaels were 0-6 to 0-4 ahead. The final fifteen proved to be action-packed. With twelve left, Luke Fitzsimons went on a solo run before unleashing a rocket to the net that Jackson could do nothing about. Incredibly, Kilmurray found the net six minutes later and, in the blink, Loman’s were 2-4 to 0-6 ahead with time elapsing. A monster free from Corcoran brought it back to a one-score game, but with James McHugh seemingly unbeatable in the Loman’s goal, the Gaels were struggling to breach the Lakepoint rearguard.

In stoppage time, the mayhem began. A lofty ball from Adam O’Connor was caught by Mason Slevin and his effort was, rather harshly, deemed a foot block by the St Loman’s back and a penalty was awarded. The Mullingar side probably felt justice was served when O’Neill’s effort went wide via the post. With over four minutes of additional time gone, the drama increased as Corcoran stood over a free on the twenty-one. With deadly accuracy, the forward found the top-corner to send the Gaels into raptures and bring the sides level (2-4 to 1-7), sending the final into extra-time.

In the extra 20 minutes, Loman’s did the damage with three quick scores from Kilmurray (one free and one from play) and a Brennan free. Although O’Connor replied and Corcoran added another, Brennan’s influence was rising and his fourth of the day meant the Gaels needed something special. Incredibly, they threw all they had and were rewarded with two points from Corcoran and O’Neill.

It was the captain, Brennan, who had the last word as he blasted over a long-range free to seal the U14 Flanagan Cup for St Loman’s after a titanic battle.

Scorers – St Loman’s: C Kilmurray 1-5 (3f, 1m), M Brennan 0-5 (4f), L Fitzsimons 1-0.

Lilliput Gaels: D Corcoran 1-5 (4f), C O’Neill 0-3, B Whelan 0-2, A O’Connor 0-1.

St Loman’s: James McHugh; Eoin McGinley, Seán O’Connell, Declan Bourke; Michael Long, Jack Daly, Páidí Slevin; Michael Brennan, Shane Canning; Billy Lambden, Killian Raleigh, Luke Fitzsimons; Cathal Kilmurray, Sam Geoghegan, Matthew Tully. Subs used: Harry Brennan for Daly (blood sub 39-43), Senan Brody for Tully (43), Harry Brennan for Slevin (e-t, 15).

Lilliput Gaels: Dáire Jackson; Cormac Tuite, Billy Whelan, Mark Carey; Aaron Wallace, Donnacha Mangan, Aaron Kenny; John Reynolds, James O’Connor; Jack Favier, Darren Corcoran, Conor King. Subs used: Mason Slevin for Dwyer (h-t), Adam O’Connor for Reynolds (52).

Referee: Niall Ward (Garrycastle).