Glenbeigh-Glencar (Kerry) 1-14
Rock St Patrick’s (Tyrone) 1-11
Kevin O’Brien reports from Croke Park
DARRAN O’SULLIVAN LED his club Glenbeigh-Glencar to the All-Ireland junior football title despite a heroic effort from Rock St Patrick’s.
An epic contest that lasted 73 minutes saw Rock have three men sent-off while Glenbeigh-Glencar finished with 14 men and had O’Sullivan black-carded in stoppage-time.
O’Sullivan had to dig deep into his reserves today. His 1-3 was made all the more impressive given the fact he limped onto the field in the second-half with a heavily strapped left leg and was moved into the full-forward line.
The four-time All-Ireland winner with Kerry kicked a fine score off his right and then sped through to hand-pass an insurance score deep into injury-time.
But Gavan O’Grady stepped up to the mantle for long spells in the second period and kept the scoreboard ticking over for the Kerry club.
Kerry and Tyrone had a bitter rivalry midway through the last decade, and a certain animosity spilled onto the field as club sides from either county met in Croke Park.
Rock were unlucky to finish the game with 12 men, though, after Enda McWilliams and Diarmaid Carroll were dismissed for two yellows and Niall Mullan picked up a yellow and a black card.
Glenbeigh-Glencar, meanwhile, had Daniel Griffin sent-off in the first-half before O’Sullivan’s late black.
It was a second defeat at this stage for Rock, who were also beaten in the 2008 decider.
Conor McCreesh and Aidan McGarrity performed well for the Tyrone champions, whose score-taking, especially in the first half, was hugely impressive. Three-time All-Ireland winner Ciaran Gourley played well in a deep midfield role.
Kerry star O’Sullivan knows this turf like the back of his hand and he posted 1-1 inside the opening 10 minutes as the Kerry side burst into life early on.
McCreesh kicked a score and McGarrity slotted over a couple of frees as Rock’s hard running game starting to cause problems.
Glenbeigh-Glencar were leading by 1-4 to 0-4 when the Tyrone men lost Enda McWilliams to a second yellow card for a late hit on O’Sullivan.
McGarrity and O’Grady traded frees before the referee levelled the teams up after Daniel Griffin was sent-off for an off-the-ball altercation that left Aidan Girvan requiring attention on the deck.
O’Grady kicked a couple of scores as Glenbeigh-Glencar moved back into the lead before Rock substitute Padraig Ward hit the net after a long ball in by Thomas Bloomer.
From that point Glenbeigh-Glencar rallied and, with O’Sullivan (twice), O’Grady and Bernard Murphy on target they retook the lead in stoppage-time.
A point from McCreesh was all Rock could manage in the final quarter as they struggled with fewer bodies, and Jason McKenna sealed the win for the Kerry outfit.
Scorers for Glenbeigh-Glencar: Darran O’Sullivan 1-3, Gavan O’Grady 0-6 (0-2f), Kieran Courtney 0-2, Fergal Griffin 0-1, Bernard Murphy and Jason McKenna 0-1 each.
Scorers for Rock St Patrick’s: Aidan McGarrity 0-5 (0-4f), Conor McCreesh 0-3, Padraig Ward 1-0, Diarmuid Carroll, Ciaran Gourley and Aidan Girvan 0-1 each.
Glenbeigh-Glencar
1. Rory O’Connor
2. Stephen O’Sullivan
4. Ciaran Doyle
3. Jeremiah Hoare
5. Jack Brosnan
6. Pa Kilkenny
7. Caolim Teahan
8. Colin McGillicuddy
9. Fergal Griffin
10. Danny O’Sullivan
11. Darran O’Sullivan
12. Tommy Cahill
13. Kieran Courtney
14. Gavan O’Grady
15. Daniel Griffin
Subs:
18. Bernard Murphy for Cahill (50)
19. Jason McKenna for Danny O’Sullivan (60)
21. Vincent Hoare for Fergal Griffin (62)
20. Padraig Griffin for Darran O’Sullivan (black card, 68)
22. Donoguh McGillycuddy for Stephen OSullivan (71)
Sent-off: Daniel Griffin (30)
Black-card: Darran O’Sullivan (68)
Rock St Patrick’s
1. Seamus Donaghy
3. Niall Mullan
4. Niall McWilliams
2. Mark McAleer
12. Cathal McWilliams
7. Aidan Girvan
6. Stephen Mullan
9. Diarmaid Carroll
5. Ciaran Gourley
8. Enda McWilliams
11. Eamon Ward
10. Thomas Bloomer
14. Aidan McGarrity
13. Ryan Crilly
15. Conor McCreesh
Subs:
18 Padraig Ward for Mullan (19)
20. Dylan Reid for Niall McWilliams (33)
19. Liam Nugent for Cathal McWilliams (52)
12. Cathal McWilliams for Ward (64)
26. Shea LItter for McGarrity (72)
Sent-off: Enda Williams, two yellows (22), Diarmaid Carroll, two yellows (58), Niall Mullen, yellow and black (69)
Referee: Jerome Henry (Mayo)
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