Crosserlough finish season on a high with U20 title

U20 Division 2 Championship final

Crosserlough 2-11

Mullahoran 1-12

Paul Fitzpatrick at Kingspan Breffni 3G

In the final match of the year and the last one to be played in Cavan under the ‘old’ rules, Crosserlough and Mullahoran served up a very entertaining, fast-paced Division 2 U20 final, with the ‘Lough rounding off a successful year with a merited win.

While a younger Mullahoran side – all of whose starting side are underage next year and most for at least two more years - will rue a lot of missed chances, Crosserlough, backboned by Fionn Lovett, Kieran Smith, Harry Boylan and Matthew Costello who all started the county senior final, were that bit more composed at key moments and deserved to shade what was an engrossing battle before a good crowd.

The sides were level, 2-5 to 1-8, at the end of a rip-roaring first half which featured three goals and a succession of very well-taken points. At that point, Crosserlough would have been the happier but in fairness to Mullahoran, they dug deep against the elements thereafter and there wasn’t much between them.

Crosserlough, playing against the wind, hogged the ball in the opening five minutes but resolute and disciplined Mullahoran defending kept them at bay and as the first quarter settled into a pattern, it was the breeze-backed Dreadnoughts who looked the more dangerous side.

Two tricky frees from Ultan O’Reilly, the first from 40 metres, and a right-footed Dylan Brady effort from play saw Mullahoran open a three-point lead and while Crosserlough’s first score didn’t arrive until the 12th minute, it was worth waiting for.

Matthew Costello squared the ball to Cian Harten who was initially denied by an exscellent save from Enda Hartin but the rebound fell kindly for Michael Corr, who tucked away to the net from close range to tie the game.

A 44-metre free from O’Reilly restored Mullahoran’s lead and they extended it when they won the resulting kick-out with an acrobatic catch from Caolán Fegan and O’Reilly teed Conor Sharpe up for a well-struck point.

Crosserlough registered again through Michael Donohoe after a good run from wing-back Padraig Shalvey and, on 18 minutes, they were level as Ryan Corr took a quick mark to Donohoe, whose shot was pushed over the bar by netminder Hartin.

The ‘Lough made it three scores on the trot with 21 minutes played; by now, they had figured out the wind and were carrying the ball closer to goal and finding gaps, with Rory Clarke tearing through the space and clipping over from play.

The end-to-end nature of proceedings was restored when Mullahoran broke upfield quickly and got a slice of luck as Tadhg Sheils’s weak effort eluded Carl Stuart and ended up in the roof of the net to make it 1-6 to 1-3.

Crosserlough responded with a left-footed Clarke effort and then a smart tactical move paid dividends; Matthew Costello and Kieran Smith briefly swapped positions and, while Smith was on the edge of the square, he rose highest to meet a long delivery and palmed to the net.

Mullahoran’s reply was impressive, a spectacular catch from Senan Sheils allowing him to tee Ultan O’Reilly up for another from play and they soon followed up with a point from close to 45 metres off the left boot of Tadhg Sheils to go in front again – but a Michael Donohoe free left the sides level at the interval.

Ultan O’Reilly slotted over another lovely point on the resumption after working a short free but Crosserlough’s leading man Costello, ably assisted by Harry Boylan, would come into the game more in the second half for the eventual winners, Costello knocking over two points from play in a minute to make it 2-7 to 1-9 and Ryan Corr then adding another.

Ultan O’Reilly registered again after Conor Sharpe had claims for a penalty waved away. The quality dipped a little as the finish line drew near, with both sides guilty of errors and Mullahoran particularly wasteful up front, where they had the edge in most of the battles but not the war.

The influential Costello pointed after good work from Michael Donohoe and Kieran Smith added another to leave a goal between them entering the final quarter.

Tiernan Flood sent a powerful shot inches over the crossbar for Mullahoran to cut the margin to two and after a clever quick free, Dylan Brady blasted over to set up an exciting finale.

Mullahoran had chances (they kicked seven wides in total in the second half) but couldn’t make them count, with the Lough defending well, and Man of the Match Costello landed the insurance point after an excellent run and finish to steer his side home safely with two points to spare.

The win rounds off an outstanding year for Crosserlough and with quality young players coming on stream, bodes well for 2025 as they looked to retain the Oliver Plunkett Cup.

Aside from Costello, they were well served by Boylan and Michael Donohoe among others. For Mullahoran, Ultan O'Reilly stood out with Oisin Maguire also playing well in defence and the Sheils brothers working hard at midfield and showing some real class at times, too.

Crosserlough: Carl Stuart, Ben Colwell, Ronan Harten, Fionn Lovett, Caolán Collins, Dermot Lee, Padraig Shalvey, Kieran Smith (1-1), Cian Harten, Matthew Costello (0-4), Harry Boylan, Michael Corr (1-0), Michael Donohoe (0-3, 1f), Rory Clarke (0-2), Ryan Corr (0-1)

Subs: Ronan Harten for M Corr (38), Rian Charters for C Harten (50)

Mullahoran: Enda Hartin, Luke Maguire, Aaron Plunkett, Patrick Harten, Caolán Fegan, Oisin Maguire, Emmett Reilly, Senan Sheils (0-1), Tadhg Sheils (1-1), Dylan Brady (0-2), Cormac Galligan, Tiernan Flood (0-1), Ultan O’Reilly (0-6, 3f), Francis Comaskey, Conor Sharpe (0-1)

Subs: Shane O’Sullivan for F Comaskey (45), Fionn Higgins for C Fegan (53)

Ref: Maggie Farrelly