Eastern Harps capture U16 Championship Title

Back 26/09/2015 @ 10:50 | mainnews | Eastern Harps capture U16 Championship Title

WELL DRILLED EASTERN HARPS TRIUMPHANT IN UNDER 16A BOYS FINAL

 

EASTERN HARPS 1 07 ST MOLAISE GAELS 0 07

 

Creativity in all sectors of the field, some tenacious and smart defending throughout allied to an in built and perhaps coached desire by their players to work hard for each other without fuss or over-elaboration proved to be the main dynamics of this terrific Under 16A championship win for Eastern Harps over a strong and competent St Molaise Gaels at a dull and rain lashed Markievicz Park on Monday evening last 21st.

A goal midway through the first half clinically finished by Harps corner forward and the games top scorer Ciaran Hannon, looked at the time to become the games defining score and indeed so it turned out and although two more could have been added from good chances created, that early goal gave the Keash / Gurteen side a cushion they maintained to the end on an evening when scores were hard to register due to the heavy rain showers and slippery conditions.

Victorious at the finish without question, deserved too, however Harps certainly were not the dominant force in the first ten minutes as The North Division side took the game to their opponents attacking incessantly and notching two fine points. Harps defensive unit was at this point under considerable pressure, pressure that resulted in referee Marty Duffy having a couple of short conversations with wing back Luke Taheny which almost certainly was not connected to the upcoming budget ! . A yellow card followed for the Moygara youngster, sadly carried off with a nasty ankle injury in the final minute, nevertheless the tenacious wing back continued to defend with skill and determination aided by a quiet word of common sense from an Eastern Harps mentor.

Unrelated corner back Thomas Taheny, goalman Alan Davey with a super second half save,Jake Stephenson, Bryan O Hanlon, Eoin Dwyer and Kaelum Byrne all contributed handsomely to this early defensive display and indeed upped their vigilance considerably in the second half when their battle lines were once again under a lengthy period of intense pressure.

Following early Molaise dominance Harps gradually grew into the game largely due to the contribution of midfielder Jonathan East and in particular his midfield partner and captain, the strong running, speedy and inventive Evan Lavin. This second quarter during which they scored an impressive 1- 04 - both O'Hara brothers scoring fine points in this phase one of them following a crossbar rebound from a goal attempt by James - certainly belonged to Harps giving them a four point interval lead interrupted only briefly by the score of the evening, a cool 25 yard outside of the boot point finish following a blistering 70 metre run taking him past three Harps opponents from outstanding St Molaise midfielder Dean Carroll ... Half time Eastern Harps 1-04. St Molaise Gaels 0 03.

A scoreless third quarter transpired - hugely entertaining nonetheless - however Molaise despite losing midfielder Sean Snee to a second yellow card, were first to strike reducing the margin to three. With Dean Carroll, Robbie Ryan, Calum O Domhnaill, Luke Towey, Caoileann Carty and Aaron Shaw prominent St Molaise continued to take the game to Harps who now had pulled a couple of forwards back to assist their defence, allowing their captain Evan Lavin, at this point becoming more influential, to carve out scoring chances not all of which were converted. However points from James O Hara and Ciaran Hannon plus a neat free from Ciaran Dorrian, who had worked hard with Cian Higgins and Sean O Connor in that Harps half forward line, closed the game out for Harps even if the spirited Molaise Gaels side notched three of their own in that final quarter to leave just one kick of the ball between these two excellent sides at the final whistle.

TEAMS and SCORERS... EASTERN HARPS ... Alan Davey, Tomas Taheny, Jake Stephenson, Bryan O Hanlon, Luke Taheny, Eoin Dwyer, Kaelum Byrne, Evan Lavin, Jonathon East, Cian Higgins, Ciaran Dorrian (0 01) Sean O Connor, Sean O Hara ( 0 01) James O Hara ( 0 03 ) Ciaran Hannon (1 02) Subs Used .. Bryan Molloy, Gavin Gardiner, Aaron Burns

St MOLAISE GAELS ... Robert Kelly, Joe Spellman, Robbie Ryan, Brian West, Evan Currid, Conor Feighney, Calum O Domhnaill, Sean Snee, Dean Carroll ( 0 03 ) Darragh Kelly, Luke Towey ( 0 02 ) Caoileann Carty ( 0 01 ) Aaron Currid, Aaron Shaw ( 0 01) Dion McCaffrey..Subs Used .. Oliver White, Seamus Keogh, Sean Donlan.

 

Referee Marty Duffy.