Wednesday 17 Aug 2016Ibane U15F - County Final

Ballinspittle, 19:00PM

Ibane Gaels 2-13 Kinsale 1-09

Backboned by the nucleus of this year’s Féile na nGael County Champions there was much to admire about the display of the Ibane lads who ran out worthy winners of the U15 ‘A’ County Football Final played at a pristine Ballinspittle pitch on Wednesday evening last. Ibane were cohesive and clever in attack and rock solid in defence, taking the best Kinsale could offer and surging forward to set up some magnificently taken match winning scores.

They say “a good start is half the battle” but Ibane got off to the worst possible start as from the first Kinsale foray, a long high ball was not dealt with by David Walsh in the Ibane goals and the ball broke loose to the onrushing forward who made no mistake from six yards and ensured first blood to Kinsale in this battle. It was the only mistake David was to make in an otherwise flawless display between the sticks. Ibane quickly settled and two points from the boot of Ryan O’Donovan had quickly eaten into the lead, 0-02 to 1-00 and the opening five minutes had the boisterous crowd engaged. The game quickly settled into a pattern as both sides had dominant spells throughout the first half, further points from Adam McSweeney, Ryan O’Donovan and a peach of a score from Lorcan O’Leary before the break left Ibane trailing 0-06 to 1-05 at the short whistle.

Immediately on the resumption Ibane set to work and with Jack Lawton, Matthew O’Donovan and Andrew Guinevan finally wrestling back the Kinsale midfield dominance, Ibane shrewdly moved their main playmaker Ryan O’Donovan into full forward to now create a frightening front line full of pace, skill and power. The results were immediate as barely five minutes had passed and Ibane had registered 1-02 to no reply. A piece of magic from Lorcan for the goal as he picked up a breaking ball on the Kinsale 45m and set off on a mazy run which left half the defence in his wake, he calmly picked his spot and nestled the ball into the bottom right corner leaving the goalkeeper grasping at air. As good a goal to grace any final but more importantly Ibane now assumed the lead which they never relinquished. With Arun Ducat, Cathal Sheehy and Shay Powell playing the proverbial blinders and directly outside them you had Darragh Holland ably flanked by two lovely footballers in Con Dineen and James Moloney, Ibane possessed a rock solid mean defence which Kinsale found hard to infiltrate in the second half. Up front Adam continued to be a thorn in the Kinsale defence as he found himself on the end of some well worked team moves and finished each time with aplomb to register an impressive 0-05 from play over the hour. The battle was finally won in the dying embers as a speculative Ryan O’Donovan 45 was plucked out of the air by star midfielder Matthew O'Donovan and rifled to the back of the Kinsale net to jubilant scenes.

The trophy was presented to Captain Darragh Holland who proceeded through the formalities and thanked a dejected Kinsale group for a great game.

This County success is some achievement considering only a handful of players are on the age and the unfavourable draw where they received stern tests from Inniscarra and Pedlars Cross, but what this squad of players may lack in size they more than make up with skill, movement, intelligence and a steely determination which belies their age. Well done to all concerned who along with the successful U21’s have now rekindled our love of the ‘big ball’ again.

Ibane Scorers: Adam McSweeney (0-05, 0-01f), Ryan O'Donovan (0-03, 0-03f), Lorcan O'Leary (1-01), Matthew O'Donovan (1-00).

Kinsale Scorers: Harry Sheehan (0-01, 0-03f), Luke Desmond (0-02), Andrew O'Connell (1-01), John O'Brien (0-01), Harry McCarthy (0-01).

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