Expert Electrical U17 B Championship Final

Sunday 21 November, 2021

Cloonacool Community Park.

Ballymote/Bunninadden 3-19; Castleconnor 2-04

Ballymote/Bunninadden and Castleconnor went into last Sunday’s U17B Championship Final in a repeat of the U17B league final at the same venue.

Ballymote /Bunninadden started the game the brightest with some early possession ending with Eoin Frain getting the opening score of the game.

Things got better for the men in amber and black when Luke Marren’s cross field ball picked out Michael Lavin who neatly dispatched to the back of the net.

Castleconnor needed to get on the board and Darragh Flynn did just that seconds later when a fine move up the pitch ended with him blasting the ball to the back of the net.

Marren added two more points with Michael Sheridan adding a free for Castleconnor before the first water break.

Castleconnor started the brighter after the water break with Flynn getting two points, the second of which was heading for the back of the net but for a Darragh Phillips block which diverted it over the bar.

Marren then came more into the game converting three points from play and a free A further point from Cormac Finn point after a quick free from Oisin Brennan stretch ed the lead further before Castleconnor’s Padraic Gavin reduced the gap to four with a well taken score just before the break to leave the score 1-08 to 1-04 in favour of the east county side. 

Ballymote/Bunninadden’s second half couldn't have got off to a better start when a fine move on the right wing found Marren 14 metres from goal who then picked out the onrushing Wali Tokes to slam the ball into the net.

Oisín Brennan came more into the game in the second half scoring two points and setting up Marren for two more scores while Finn and Thomas Sweeney added two more scores before the final water break.

Ballymote/Bunninadden did not let up in the final quarter with Marren once again leading the charge before a fine individual score from Brennan. Wing back Ben Clavin then got in on the act with two well taken scores.

Castleconnor found chances hard to come by in the second half but they refused to give. Ballymote/Bunninadden goalkeeper Tiernan Mongey had to be at his best to deny a goal bound Sheridan effort before Cathal Feeney found the net after a jinking run minutes later.

The final few minutes saw Marren claim the last two scores of the game. The first a point off his left the second a goal blasted into the net with his right. 

The final whistle saw Ballymote/Bunninadden claim an impressive win. Credit to Castleconnor who fought hard throughout with Flynn and Stephen Rogan at midfield producing some fine fielding and Sheridan and Flynn looking dangerous when fast ball was delivered in. For the victors the work of Shane Rafferty and Darragh Phillips at the back laid the platform for Lavin, Sweeney and Finn to link up the influential Marren and Brennan.

Ballymote/Bunninadden 

T. Mongey, D. Phillips, S. Rafferty, F. Finn, B. Clavin (0-2), T. Sweeney (0-1), M. Lavin (1-0), E. Frain (0-1), M. Hunt, L. Marren (1-10), C. Finn (0-2) ,O. Brennan (0-3), W. Tokes (1-0)

Subs used. D. Brehony, Gareth Scanlon

Castleconnor:

F. Gordon, B. Kilcullen, C. Ruthledge, E. Durkan, C. Flynn, P. Gavin (0-1), C. Feeney (1-0), S. Rogan, D. Stenson, O. Quinn, M. Sheridan (0-1), M. Langan, D. Flynn (1-2)