2011 Minor A Football Championship Final - O'Connor Park - October 1st, 2011

Ferbane/Belmont end Famine in Terrific Style

(report courtesy of Damien Moran, Offaly Express)

Ferbane/Belmont 3-16 Edenderry 0-2

A 20 year famine since the last Minor A Football success for Ferbane/Belmont came to an end in spectacular fashion on Saturday as the boys in green dominated Edenderry from start to finish to claim the coveted title. It also capped a spectacular season for the club who already claimed the U-14A and U-16A title, the Leinster Football Feile title not forgetting that Gallen CS claimed the All Ireland Vocational Schools Senior A Football title. That is an incredible return for the West Offaly side who without question are the current powerhouse of underage football in the county. Four fifths of the minor side also played with Gallen in that historic All Ireland run and the fruits of that familiarity and team-spirit cultivated over the entire year exploded onto the field on Saturday.

Conor Lowry, Darragh Corbett, Leon Fox, Ciaran Cahill, Joe Maher and Brian Grehan were the strength up the spine of the side while Aaron McDonagh and Eoghan Lowry added the pace and the scoring prowess up front. Edenderry, who incredibly did not have a single representative on the Offaly minor panel this year, had already confounded the critics by making the final but on the day they came up against a side right on top of their game. There was' no lack of effort or desire on their side and they can be proud of their efforts on the year but there are some days where you come up against a team who are on top of their game and no matter what you try to do, there is no way of stopping them and that's what happened to Edenderry in this game.

Ferbane/Belmont went to half-time with the comfort of a six point lead at 0-7 to 0-1 but in truth their advantage could have been twice that. Edenderry 'keeper Cormac Hurley made two exceptional saves to keep his side in the hunt although how he managed not to give away a penalty when he rugby tackled Joe Maher and hauled him to the ground after the Ferbane/Belmont man had stepped around him, only referee Fergal Smyth can explain. Edenderry rarely managed to build a meaningful attack in the opening half hour as it was all hands to the pump in defence which meant their forwards were seriously out numbered when the ball was sent in their direction. Centre-back Darragh Corbett was the rock on which many Edenderry attacks perished and he also used the ball won to great effect to set up attacks. Ferbane/Belmont's first score came after two minutes from a free from Joe Maher and that was quickly followed by a point from Eoghan Lowry. The ever dangerous Aaron McDonagh almost got through for a goal but he was denied by a super save from Hurley. A brace of points from Maher followed before he was unceremoniously hauled down in the small square with the goal at his mercy however to the disbelief of both sets of supporters, no spot kick was awarded.

A super point from Brian Grehan put Ferbane/Belmont five points ahead before Cormac Hurley made another point blank save this time to deny Darragh Keenaghan. Unfortunately for Keenaghan, that was his last action in the game as shortly after he was stretchered off with a leg injury and was brought to casualty. In his absence his team mate's pressed on and a super long range effort from Leon Fox was followed by a point from Eoghan Lowry as Ferbane/Belmont went 0-7 to 0-0 ahead. Just before half-time Edenderry did open their account when Sean Doyle pointed a free but any hopes of a revival were wiped out when Eoghan Lowry added 1-2 within six minutes of the restart with his goal coming from close range with his fist to an empty net after Ferbane/Belmont won possession as Edenderry were caught attempting to clear their lines. That left 11 points between the teams and despite Edenderry's best efforts, Ferbane/Belmont continued to tack on the scores with Aaron McDonagh and Lowry again on target to leave the score at 1-11 to 0-1 ten minutes into the second-half. A point from Sean Doyle for Edenderry was a scant response particularly when Ferbane/Belmont hit back with two goals with Aaron McDonagh and Joe Maher finding the back of the net On both occasions the now tiring Edenderry rearguard was cut open with the excellent Cormac Hurley having no chance on either occasion. The 'keeper did make one more fine save denying Eoghan Lowry a second goal but in the closing minutes Ferbane/Belmont tacked on another five points with Eoghan Lowry, Brian Grehan (2), Michael Butler and Joe Maher on target. That rounded off the win and Capped a colossal year for everyone involved with Ferbane/ Belmont.

SCORERS: Ferbane/Belmont: Eoghan Lowry 1-6 (O-3f); Joe Maher 1-4 (O-2f); Aaron McDonagh 1-1; Brian Grehan 0-3 ( 0-1f); Leon Fox 0-1; Mikie Butler 0-1 Edenderry: Sean Doyle 0-2 (0-1f)

W1DES: Ferbane/Belmont 10 (6, 1st Half) Edenderry 2 (1 1st Half)

FERBANE/BELMONT: Conor Lowry, Stephen O'Rourke; Stephen Wren, Darragh Corbett, James Nally; Leon Fox, Ciaran Cahill; Dylan McEvoy, Joe Maher, Aaron McDonagh; Darragh Keenaghan, Brian Grehan, Eoghan Lowry. Subs: Michael Butter for Darragh Keenaghan (16mins), Shane Mooney for Stephen O'Rourke (53mins), John Dooley for Dylan McEvoy (53mins)

EDENDERRY: Cormac Hurley; Aaron O'Connor, Shane Cronin, Matthew O'Grady; Dan Nolan, Peter O'Neill, Gary Blong; Evan Kelly, Cian Lawton; Sean Moriarty, Aaron McDonnell, Andrew Forde; Oran Lawton, Sean Doyle, Mark Nolan. Subs: Mike Clear for Mark Nolan (23mins), Ross Mangan for Mike Clear (43mins), Mark Nolan for Oran Lawton (43mins), Jamie Dolan for Shane Cronin (48mins), Ciaran Farrell for Matthew O'Grady (56minsl, Michael Corbett for James Nally (59mins), Merrick Daly for Darren Kelly (59mins)

REFEREE: Fergal Smyth (Kilclonfert)

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