KERRY SCHOOLBOYS LEAGUE

UNDER 15 CUP FINAL

KINGDOM BOYS 1 MASTERGEEHA 0

REFEREE TOM KERRISK ASSISTANT REFEREE'S BRIAN HEALY, PAT BARRY

VENUE: RUSHEEN PARK, BALLYHAR

DATE: 23TH MAY 2009

Played on a perfect pitch at Rusheen Park in Ballyhar on a beautiful May afternoon this Cup final went down to the wire and in the end it was a touch of class from Irish Under Age International Adam Piggott that separated the sides.

Mastergeeha started without three of their first team and also had keeper Shane Murphy carrying a leg injury so went with five in midfield. However to be fair to Shane he turned in a man-of-the-match performance and kept his side in the game with a string of very good saves.

Kingdom Boys started the brighter with Jonathan Hannifin going on a good run but his pass just failed to find Darren O’Brien. Mastergeeha broke quickly and a Jamie Spillane long ball almost caught the Kingdom Boys defence cold but keeper Alan Crean was alert to the danger.

Shane Carey, Jonathan Hannifin and Aaron Houlihan were proving very dangerous from set pieces and from crosses and a Houlihan corner in the 7th minute was flicked on by Piggott but the ball just went to the wrong side of the post.

The game was now end to end with Mastergeeha’s Enda O’Sullivan unlucky not to find Mark Reen with a through ball. At the other end Jonathan Hannifin’s pass found Adam Piggott who shot was on target but Shane Murphy made a great save down at his right hand post.

In the 17th minute Adam Piggott again got into a good position but tried to do too much and an Uros Ivkoiv cross was safely caught by Shane Murphy as Kingdom Boys turned up the pressure.

However in the 20th minute Mastergeeha did create a good chance. Darragh Jones intercepted a Kingdom Boys break and played a 1-2 with Gary O’Leary but Ian McCarthy put in a great tackle.

Enda O’Sullivan was getting some room in midfield for Mastergeeha but they were unable to create anything up front while at the other end Darragh O’Brien had a long range shot well held by Shane Murphy while Ian McCarthy was unlucky with a volleyed effort following a corner.

Mastgergeeha did have the last chance of the first half when following a free Jamie Spillane’s header was held under the cross bar by Crean and so it finished 0-0 after 40 minutes.

The second half started in the same vein as the first with Kingdom Boys pressing. In the first minute Darragh O’Brien’s shot just clipped the top of the cross bar while a dangerous Aaron Houlihan cross was headed clear by Mark Egan.

As in the first half Houlihan was putting great balls into the box and in the 7th minute he put in another inviting ball but Darragh O’Brien and Ian McCarthy got in each others way when a clear header from any one of them would have provided the first goal.

Corners also continued to be a danger to Mastergeeha’s rear guard but they managed to get blocks and bodies in the way at vital moments.

Mastergeeha needed to make good of the few breaks they had and on one of these in the 13 minute Darragh Jones tried to go all the way on his own when he might have been better laying off the ball.

When Mastergeeha did manage to threaten they came up against a very strong Kingdom Boys back four with Darragh Carmody having an especially good game, proving why he has been called up for Irish squad trials next month.

 Shane Murphy in the Mastergeeha goal continued to handle everything that was thrown at him and made a great catch in the air following a Shane Carey cross. His fast throw out found Gary O’Leary whose cross to Mark Reen was just headed over.

Into the last quarter and when a corner was headed clear Darragh Carmody’s superb first touch gave him the opportunity to put the ball back in but Ian McCarthy couldn’t keep the volley down.

Uros Ivkovic and Adam Piggott were now finding space in a tiring Mastergeeha defence and both had chances before the vital breakthrough came in the 60th minute.

Darren O’Brien played the ball to Piggott who had his back to the goal, he feinted left and spun right and hit and unstoppable shot with his weaker right foot giving the Mastergeeha keeper no chance.

1-0 to Kingdom Boys could have become two a couple of minutes later when Piggott set up Uros but he flashed his shot wide.

 Mastergeeha never gave up and in the last few minutes had a couple of free kicks from long range but just couldn’t find that vital ball to really trouble Kingdom Boys at the back and so the final whistle went and a jubilant Kingdom Boys team were crowned Under 15 Cup champions and completing a great League and Cup double for the season. Captain Uros Ivkovic accepted the Cup from Mary Lyne of the Management Committee of the Kerry Schoolboys League.

The game was expertly handled by Referee Tom Kerrisk and his assistants Brian Healy and Pat Barry.

Speaking to Kingdom Boys manager Tony O’Neill after the game he was full of praise for Mastergeeha and their players and said that “they were the side that pushed us hardest all year and we are delighted to come out on the right side of the result today”

On his own team he was delighted with their commitment and dedication over the season, especially how they came back from National Cup heartache to win a great double in Kerry. “This is a very talented bunch of players whose attitude to the game and willingness to work for the cause is unstinting” He didn’t want to single out any players but said it was a great overall team performance.

 Kingdom Boys : Alan Crean, Aaron Houlihan, Shane Carey, Darragh O’Brien, Ian McCarthy, Uros Ivkovic (C), David O’Sullivan, Darren O’Brien, Adam Piggott, Jonathan Hannifin (replaced by Niall O’Riordan 60 minutes).

Management – Tony O’Neill, Ken Sweeney.

Subs; Patrick Sweeney, Niall Sheehy, Cian Healy, Eoghan Sheehy, Ciaran O’Connor.

Mastergeeha: Shane Murphy, Mark Egan, Padraig Doyle, Jamie Spillane, Jonathan O’Connor, Darragh Jones, James Devane, Gary O’Leary, Mark Reen, Enda O’Sullivan, Thomas O’Keeffe. Subs  Davitt O’Callaghan, Padraig Collins, Dylan Carey.  

 

MANY THANKS TO BALLYHAR FOR THE FACILITIES AND HOSPITALITY.

2008-2009 CUP CHAMPIONS

KINGDOM BOYS

MATCH REPORT: PADRAIG HARNETT

PHOTOS: NOEL WHITE