Crosshaven 3-9 Ballygarvan 2-5

Joe Kennefick

Crosshaven claimed the South East Junior B Football Title for the second year in a row, when they overcame a hesitant start to see off Ballygarvan in an entertaining final which was played in Carrigaline.

A return of 2-2 in the closing four minutes of the first half turned the game in Crosshaven’s favour and meant they went in four points to the good at the interval, after two first-half goals had pushed Ballygarvan into a four-point lead.

In a low scoring opening to the game, Liam Walsh had the opening point for Crosshaven, but they were rocked in the 11^th minute when Ballygarvan’s Ken Ashman rose highest to punch a Martin Hallahan high ball to the net.

Greg O’Callaghan and Fergal Conway for Crosshaven and Damien O’Sullivan and Ashman for Ballygarvan shared four points before Ballygarvan struck for their second goal in the 26^th minute, when Mark Gallagher found the net from the penalty spot, after Michael O’Sullivan was brought down.

Crosshaven’s response was swift. Conway found the net with a lobbing shot, Jack O’Connell and Ben O’Brien both pointed before Evan Maverley grabbed their second goal to leave them 2-6 to 2-2 ahead at half-time.

O’Sullivan reduced the deficit for Ballygarvan, but a younger and fitter Crosshaven side started to dominate. Points from Noonan (2), and Ben O’Donovan pushed them into a six-point lead after 42 minutes.

O’Sullivan and Dylan O’Connor kept Ballygarvan in the game with good points, but they were rocked a minute later when Ken Ashman received a red card.

Ballygarvan kept pushing and manufactured a goal chance, but Calum Mackey’s goal-bound effort went just outside the post, before Crosshaven broke, and substitute Adam Kent finished to the net to give Crosshaven a deserved victory.

Scorers for Crosshaven: F Conway 1-1, E Maverley 1-0, A Kent 1-0, C Noonan 0-3 (3f), L Walsh 0-1, G O’Callaghan 0-1, J O’Connell 0-1, B O’Brian 0-1, B O’Donovan 0-1.

Ballygarvan: K Ashman 1-1, M Gallagher 1-0 (p), D O’Sullivan 0-3 (1f), D O’Connor 0-1.

CROSSHAVEN: J Bryne; B Cahill, A Sheehan, P O’Donovan; B O’Brien, C Kingston, L Walsh; R Kinnirch, C Noonan; J O’Connell, F Conway, G O’Callaghan; J O’Brien, E Maverley, B O’Donovan. Subs: A Kent for E Maverley (37),

BALLYGARVAN: J Murphy; G Spillane, J Spillane, A O’Leary; W O’Halloran, J Barron, J Fitzgerald; T O’Donovan, M O’Sullivan; O Kavanagh, A Murphy, D O’Sullivan; M Gallagher, K Ashman, M Hallahan. Subs: D McSweeney for J Fitzgerald (h/t), D O’Connor for O Kavanagh (42), C Mackey for A Murphy (47), P Coholan for M Gallagher (55), S Sexton for A O’Leary (59).

Referee: Adam Cummins (Ballymartle).