Knocknagree 3-13
Multyfarnham 3-9
Kevin O’Brien reports from Croke Park
KNOCKNAGREE WERE CROWNED All-Ireland junior club football champions after a high-scoring victory over Westmeath’s Multyfarnham at Croke Park.
Knocknagree became the first Cork winners of this crown since 2008 champions Canovee, with a brilliant attacking display where they scored their entire 3-13 tally from play.
The victors were far smarter with their use of possession, led by gifted forwards John F. Daly – son of manager John Francis Daly – man-of-the-match Fintan O’Connor and Anthony O’Connor.
Knocknagree, based on the Cork side of the border with Kerry, haven’t known glory like this before. They broke new ground last December when they defeated Declan O’Sullivan’s Dromid Pearses in the Munster final.
A small village in north Westmeath, Multyfarnham’s Westmeath JFC title win last year was their first adult title of note since they last won the competition in 1956.
Multyfarnham’s use of Ian McGovern as a sweeper was bravely countered by Knocknagree, who pushed up corner-back Michael Mahony as a seventh forward.
Knocknagree were awarded midway through the opening half when Mahony was involved in a slick move that resulted in Fintan O’Connor finishing to the net. 40 seconds later, Mahony bagged a goal of his own after getting on the end of an incisive Eoghan McSweeney ball inside.
At the far end, Multy’s full-forward duo of Max Brady and David Wallace had plenty of space to exploit but they fluffed a goal chance at the end of the opening half to leave them 2-7 to 0-5 behind at the interval.
Content with their 10-point lead, Knocknagree reverted to six defenders but that only invited Multy’s running game onto them. Brady clipped over a free and David Wallace buried a goal to bring the Westmeath side within six.
Fintan O’Connor added a couple of points before goalkeeper Patrick Doyle scored a fortunate goal from a 45 which landed in over his opposite number Henry Reilly’s head.
Knocknagree lost full-forward Anthony O’Connor to a second yellow on 55 minutes, and to their enormous credit Multyfarnham rallied late on. Half-time substitute Mark Fallon dispatched two goals in the space of two stoppage-time minutes, but it wasn’t enough for his team.
Scorers for Knocknagree: Fintan O’Connor 1-3, Michael Mahony 1-0, Patrick Doyle 1-0 (1-0 45), John F. Daly 0-3, Eoghan McSweeney 0-2, Anthony O’Connor 0-2, Padraig Collins 0-1, James Dennehy 0-1, Matthew Dilworth 0-1.
Scorers for Multyfarnham: Max Brady 0-6 (0-4f), David Wallace 1-0, Mark Fallon 2-0, Mark Reynolds 0-1, Karl Daly 0-1 (og), Ronan Wallace 0-1 (0-1 45).
Knocknagree
1. Patrick Doyle
4. Gary O’Connor
3. Paul O’Connor
7. Karl Daly
6. Kealan Buckley
17. Danny Cooper
8. Donagh Moynihan
9. Padraig Collins
10. James Dennehy
13. Matthew Dilworth
12. Eoghan McSweeney
2. Michael Mahoney
11. John F. Daly
15. Fintan O’Connor
14. Anthony O’Connor
Subs
18. Sean Daly for Paul O’Connor (30+2)
5. Andrew Sheehan for Cooper (40)
21. Tadhg Long for Dennehy (53)
20. Tomas Cooper for Collins (59)
26. Jerry Carroll for Gary O’Connor (62)
Multyfarnham
1. Henry Reilly
4. Jame Greene
3. Paul Heavin
2. Stephen Moran
13. Ian McGovern
5. Tommy McGivney
6. Ronan Wallace
7. Sean Rock
9. Anthony McGivney
8. Brian McLoughlin
12. Ciaran Madden
11. Daniel Loughrey
10. Mark Reynolds
14. Max Brady
15. David Wallace
Subs
20. Mark Fallon for McGinvey (ht)
18. Adam Loughrey for McLoughlin (41)
17. Emmett Feerick for Brady (53)
19. Ger Feerick for Madden (53)
22. Rory Boyce for Wallace (66)
Referee: Barry Tierney (Dublin)
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