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St. Colmcille’s 3 – 12 Whitechurch 1 – 10

St Colmcilles under 18 footballers played local rivals Whitechurch in the final round of the football league in Carraig Na Bhfear on Wednesday 19th of April. It was an effective semi-final as both sides knew that the winner would qualify for the final against Ballinora if they could secure victory. Colmcilles got off to the better start when Sean Delaney got a fortuitous goal in the opening minute. Ronan Healy popped over a fine point from play a few minutes later before Whitechurch scored their first point from play. The first half was nip and tuck all the way through with sides swapping points in the opening 30 minutes. Sean Whelan, Bobby O’Riordan ad Sean Delaney were the Colmcille’s scorers in the first half. With both sides swapping points, it was Delaney’s goal in the opening minute, that seemed to be the main difference between the sides as half-time approached. However, if the home side scored a goal in the opening minute, the away side would score a goal in the final minute to equalise. There was time though, in first half-injury time, for Sean Whelan to kick a point from play to leave one between the sides when referee Dave Daly blew for half-time. The score was 1-06 to 1-05.

The third quarter belonged to Whitechurch has they kicked four of the five points in that period to go 1-09 to 1-07 ahead. Indeed, they could have gone four points ahead as a speculative shot nearly deceived goalkeeper Billy Ryan. However, he reacted just in time to keep the ball from crossing the line. This scare seemed to spur the team into action. In the 17th minute Ronan Healy capped a fine performance with a super goal that put Colmcilles back into a lead that they would not relinquish. Indeed Whitechurch would only score one more point  and that was from a free. Sean Delaney would take over the last 10 minutes of the game where he kicked three superb points from play. The last one was a particularly audacious effort from the side of his boot from 40 yards out the field. This put the gloss on an impressive eight point victory. Whitechurch will probably feel that their efforts did not warrant such a heavy defeat while Colmcilles will know that they will have to be much better when they face Ballinora in the final. When both sides met in the opening round of the league, Ballinora inflicted a heavy defeat on Colmcilles.

Team: Billy Ryan, Michael Mullins, Joe Dunphy, Luke Mullins, Evan Flynn, Ruairi Quinlan, Mark O’Keeffe, Eddie Coughlan, Adam Bowen, Bobby O’Riordan, Sean Whelan, Ronan Healy, Michael Harte, Sean Delaney, Adam O’Halloran

Subs James Buckley for Adam O’Halloran