White’s Cross Junior A Footballers rounded off their season with a one point victory over Passage in the Junior A Football League Final played at Ballinlough on Sunday, November 22nd. While the manner of this victory would raise some questions, as the side coughed up an eight point lead to win 0-11 to 0-10, it matters little as the record books will show the Cross as victorious! For the time of year, and given the fact that the A hurling equivalent had acted as a curtain-raiser to this encounter, the pitch at Ballinlough was in very good condition. White’s Cross totally dominated proceedings throughout the first half and had the unusual distinction of keeping their opponents scoreless in the first half – leading 0-8 to 0-0 at the short whistle. Huge credit must go to young Cillian Ryan who put in a man-of-the-match performance in this opening half from his wing back berth – however an injury picked up as he intercepted a Passage attack for the umpteenth time before the break meant he did not reappear for the second half.

Invariably Passage rallied after they had drawn their breath at the break and came at the White’s Cross defence incessantly throughout the second period. Indeed it looked late in the game that White’s Cross would rue a number of clear cut goal chances they had failed to convert when they had been coasting earlier. However some last ditch defending by Eoin Murnane, Kevin Buckley and Murt Kelleher meant that a fine point from Brendáin Murnane 52 minutes in proved a winning score for White’s Cross.

In his post match speech Kevin Buckley paid tribute amongst others to selectors Paudie Curtin, TC Buckley, Anthony Kelleher and had special praise for Mitchell O Leary for his outstanding work as coach to the team for 2014 and 2015.

Team: Michael Osborne, Sean O Gorman, Eoin Murnane, Cormac Manning, Cillian Ryan, Kevin Buckley (captain), Martin Reid, Murt Kelleher, Conor Buckley, Dylan Burke, Edwin Buckley, Brendáin Murnane, Sean Murnane, Bryan O Sullivan, Donnacha Murnane. Subs: Cian Smith for Ryan (inj.) 30 mins; Kevin Fennessy for S. Murnane 42 mins.; John O Connell for Burke 51 mins.; Eoin Whooley for Kelleher (black card) 57 mins.; Billy O Hara, Aidan O Neill; Richard Sherlock; Niall Twomey; Don O Connell & Conor Kelleher.