Louth U21 Shield Final - Geraldines utilise home advantage in claiming absorbing final

Louth Under 21 Shield Final

Geraldines GFC: 2-10

Cooley Kickhams: 1-11

The Geraldines followed in the footsteps of Roche Emmets in claiming silverware at the under 21 grade, following this drama packed, end to end Shield Final, which warmed the hearts of the supporters of the Haggardstown side on a chilly Sunday afternoon.

It was a tie which saw both sides putting themselves in winning positions and being pegged back time and time again. Ultimately, it was the Geraldines’ senior stars Brian Cafferty and Beanón Corrigan who proved to be the heroes, as their second half majors were the difference makers.

Due to an unplayable pitch in Darver, a late venue change saw this final played at the home ground of the victors. However, with a raucous support behind them, you could be forgiven for thinking that it was Cooley Kickhams who had the home advantage, as they had the upper hand in that opening 20 minutes, leading by 0-5 to 0-0 at that juncture.

With four of their six starting forwards on the scoresheet, Cooley were in charge. Thomas McCarragher, who was wearing the 13 shirt but was operating around the middle sector and half forward line, set up Enda O’Neill for the opening score after four minutes.

Enda O’Neill, who played a key role in the Kickhams’ Intermediate Championship success this year, was influential early doors with 15 possessions in the first half. With the likes of Eddie Kirwan, Joe Mee, Ian Arnold and MJ Hanlon solid at the back, Cooley turned over many Geraldines’ first half attacks, cutting out the long ball kicked into the full forward line, with Hanlon grabbing Cooley’s second point.

Meanwhile further white flags from Enda O’Neill, Peter Shields, and Aodhan O’Hanlon (free) established that 0-5 to 0-0 lead for Cooley.

Despite this dominance, poor shooting from Kickhams, which saw them only score 1-6 from 22 shots in open play overall, cost them dearly. Gers’ keeper Conor Rafferty was on hand to deny Cooley’s Calum O’Hanlon in that opening period.

It was this wastefulness which gave the Geraldines hope, and eventually the Blackrock side, who were wearing their white away jerseys, eventually established a foothold, with Brian Cafferty, Beanón Corrigan, Jamie Callan, Neil and Ben Gartlan along with Aaron Spaight seeing more of the ball as the half wore on.

That final 10 minutes saw the Gers win five out of eight kickouts contested, three of these emanated from the Cooley kickout.
It was Corrigan who got the Gers off the mark after 20 minutes, before the same player turned the ball over on the Cooley kickout to set up Niall Brennan for the first of two consecutive points from the forward, leaving it at 0-5 to 0-3 in Cooley’s favour.

Following a foul on Aaron Spaight, Beanón Corrigan converted a free to close the gap further. Before another clever use of the place ball from Corrigan, (perhaps inspired by Holland’s wonderful World Cup equaliser against Argentina last Friday night), set up Jamie Callan to equalise for the Gers, leaving it with all to play for at the break at 0-5 apiece.

With both sides missing presentable opportunities from play and frees early on, it took until the 10th minute of the second half before there was a change to the scoreboard. A free from Aodhan O’Hanlon put Cooley ahead, before the same player set up Gerard White to give his side a two-point lead at 0-7 to 0-5.

It could have got so much better for Cooley, but once again the Gers keeper Conor Rafferty was on hand to thwart a goal bound effort, denying Gerard Hanlon from close range. The Geraldines also came close to a green flag of their own, when Mark Leavy rattled the frame of the goal, following great work from the lively Niall Brennan.

Despite some early wides, Beanón Corrigan settled himself to bring his side level with back-to-back scores. In a game which continued to be tit for tat, you felt that a goal would be such a tonic for whoever grabbed it.

Having gone back in front through Gerard Hanlon, Cooley were left stunned when Brian Cafferty got the final touch to a long ball kicked into the square to put the Gers ahead by 1-7 to 0-8 heading into the final 10 minutes. Aodhan O’Hanlon and Enda O’Neill frees kept Cooley firmly in contention, but with Brian Cafferty continuing to stand up for the Gers cause, the home side still held that slender lead as the clock ticked down.

^{ABOVE: Peter Fitzspatrick Chairman LCB presenting the Louth Under 21 Championship Shield to Geraldines Captain Dave O Connell after Sunday's win vs Cooley Kickhams. Photo: Arthur Kinahan}

However, in a game full of twists and turns, Cooley, despite their insufficiency in front of the posts, looked like they grabbed back the ascendency, when Aodhan O’Hanlon, who was a handful at full forward, rattled the ball to the net to regain the lead for his side.

As the game approached the 60-minute mark, Cooley now led by 1-10 to 1-9. However, it was the Geraldines who landed the final knockout blow, as they rose from the canvas.

A Beanón Corrigan free appeared to deceive everybody in the goal mouth and went into the back of the net to spark seismic roars from the home support, with Cooley once again stunned. Some speculated that Brian Cafferty got a touch on the ball on its way, which would be of little concern to the Gers’ support as they were ahead.

Cooley continued to battle, and an Enda O’Neill free closed the gap to a single score, but how fitting that Brian Cafferty should feature in the final say for the Gers’, as he set up substitute Conor McGowan to seal a win for the Gers in a truly absorbing final.

Geraldines: Conor Rafferty; Jai Akhal, Dara O’Gradaigh, Sean Connor; Neil Gartlan, Jamie Callan (0-1), Aaron Spaight; Fionn Duffy, Brian Cafferty (1-2); Daithi O’Connell, Beanón Corrigan (1-4, 0-2 frees), Eoin McDonnell; Mark Leavy, Niall Brennan (0-2), Ben Gartlan Subs: Conor McGowan (0-1) for O’Connell (42), Barra Duffy for McDonnell (49), Bryan Sorghan for Connor (55), Mark McConnon for Neil Gartlan (59), Sean Gartlan for Ben Gartlan (60).

Cooley Kickhams: Thomas Fearon; Eddie Kirwan, Joe Mee, Aaron Carolan; Ian Arnold, Ross Magennis, MJ Hanlon (0-1); Gerard White (0-1), Cormac Malone; Peter Shields (0-1), Enda O’Neill (0-4, 0-2 frees), Gerard Hanlon (0-1); Thomas McCarragher, Aodhan O’Hanlon (1-3, 0-3 free), Calum O’Hanlon. Subs: Sean Hoey for Calum O’Hanlon (14), Cathal Malone for Carolan (HT), Cian Rogan for Fearon (HT), Kyle Murphy for Shields (58), Sean McCarragher for MJ Hanlon (58).

Referee: James Everard