Castlerahan return to senior ranks

Intermediate Football Championship final

Castlerahan 1-8

Ballyhaise 0-8

Paul Fitzpatrick at Kingspan Breffni

Castlerahan sealed a quick return to senior ranks when they saw off Ballyhaise in this hard-fought, low-scoring intermediate final at a rain-sodden Kingspan Breffni.

The Ballyjamesduff-based side ground it out with a composed performance which belied their underdog status with the bookmakers before the match. The experienced Oisin O’Connell played a starring role, contributing 1-3 on a day when scores were hard to come by.

Castlerahan played with the wind in the first half and utilised it well as they opened a five-point lead before going in at half-time four to the good, 1-4 to 0-3.

The 2018 and 2019 senior champions looked the hungrier team in that opening half and were deserving of their lead. Conditions were extremely difficult, with constant rain and a strong wind, and Castlerahan seemed to adapt better, with several Ballyhaise moves breaking down when the ball failed to stick in the full-forward line.

The first score didn’t arrive until the ninth minute when Michael Brady slotted over a free after a foul on Kevin Tierney. Castlerahan levelled four minutes later with a free of their own, Cian McCabe converting after Oisin O’Connell was taken down.

Ballyhaise responded well. Colin McKiernan, in space, chose to offload possession; Castlerahan covered it off but Ballyhaise recycled well and Tierney nailed the chance off the left.

Both sides were guilty of wides but the key moment of the match arrived on 18 minutes. After a Ballyhaise wide, Castlerahan goalkeeper Kieran Daly picked out brother Gavin, who fielded well and worked the ball to Enda Flanagan.

The centre-forward’s pass was cut out by Darren Reilly but the ball spilled; Sean Óg McGearty was on hand to quickly transfer to Oisin O’Connell and he made no mistake in tucking away to the bottom corner.

That major gave Castlerahan a two-point lead, 1-1 to 0-2, and they would never relinquish it as they managed the game well and always looked composed, which was no mean feat given the conditions which led to a lot of turnovers and a helter skelter feel to proceedings at times.

Ballyhaise gave it everything they had but found the Castlerahan defence hard to break down, with Enda O’Connell and Euan Henry outstanding. Damien Keaney’s men will rue their 12 wides but some of those were down to good defending, too.

The second quarter was the crucial period. Castlerahan’s confidence was up after the goal and they turned the screw.

Ballyhaise were turned over coming out of defence and Oisin O’Connell punished them with a 40-metre point. Moments later, Cian McCabe did very well to flick the ball one-handed out of a ruck and Oisin Kiernan bombed a point over from 46 metres – and when Cormac Daly belted over, also from outside the 45, Castlerahan were five points in front.

At the other end, Ballyhaise carved out a goal chance but had to make do with a 45, which Eoin Clarke converted well to leave it 1-4 to 0-3 at half-time.

On the resumption, Ballyhaise immediately cut the gap when captain David Brady ran at the Catslerahan defence and shipped the ball to Martin Conaty, who pointed.

Gary O’Rourke came to the rescue at the other end, saving smartly from Oisin O’Connell, but the Man of the Match soon sent over another from play to leave it 1-5 to 0-4 with seven minutes played in the second half.

Ballyhaise, who moved Brady to full-forward, had a goal chance of their own but Kieran Daly denied Colin McKiernan’s snapshot; again, though, midfielder Clarke made no mistake from the resulting 45.

With 20 minutes left, there was still a goal in it after Brían O’Rourke and Oisin O’Connell both sent over quality points.

A Michael Brady free, after a foul on lively sub Shane McKiernan, cut the gap two and with 10 minutes to play, it was back to a one-point game as David Brady went on a driving run and laid off for Tierney to knock over a point off the right.

Ballyhaise had momentum at this stage but the end product let them down and Castlerahan remained calm and collected, working the ball out of danger and making smart decisions.

A Cian McCabe free gave them some breathing space and, deep in injury time, they picked Ballyhaise off on the counter, sub Shane O’Reilly sending over the insurance point to seal the Sean Leddy Cup and a sixth county championship for the club in the last 35 years.

Ballyhaise: Gary O’Rourke, Darren Reilly, Aodhagán Watters, Ross O’Gorman, Marcus Duffy, Fiachra McGoldrick, Aaron Watson, Eoin Clarke, David Brady, Colin McKiernan, Kevin Tierney (0-2), Martin Conaty (0-1), Brían O’Rourke (0-1), Padraig Moore, Michael Brady (0-2f)

Subs: Sean McCormack for R O’Gorman (42 mins), Shane McKiernan for C McKiernan (46), Killian Brady for M Conaty (52), Cormac Clarke for B O’Rourke (60)

Castlerahan: Kieran Daly, Stephen Cooney, Gavin Daly, Euan Henry, Sean Óg McGearty, Oisin Kiernan (0-1), Paul Cusack, David Wright, Cormac Daly (0-1), Enda O’Connell, Enda Flanagan, Karl Cosgrove, Oisin O’Connell (1-3), Cian McCabe (0-2f), Padraig McGahern

Subs: Shane O’Reilly (0-1) for Cosgrove (49), Cormac Lynch for P McGahern (56)

Ref: Jim Giblin