Two Mile House 1-8
Shamrocks 0-10
Kevin Egan reports from Tullamore
Two Mile House of Kildare held firm in the face of a late rally from Shamrocks of Offaly in a competitive Leinster Intermediate club final this afternoon, as the Kildare club added a second provincial title to the junior crown they won five years ago by the minimum margin in dismal, wintry conditions at Bord na Móna O’Connor Park in Tullamore.
Niall Browne’s side played with the aid of a very strong wind in the first half and while they conceded the first score to Alan Heffernan, they soon took control of the tie and built up a commanding eight-point lead.
Chris Healy was the key to most of their best work as the county panellist alternated between centre and full forward, winning most of the possession that was sent his way.
His ability to win contested possession in key attacking sectors was crucial as Shamrocks earned more than their fair share of ball in the opening half, but struggled to get key forwards Nigel Dunne and Patrick Dunican onto the ball.
Healy, in contrast, was superb. He kicked three magnificent points from play, earned one free that was converted by Aidan Casey, won a number of turnovers and sent a magnificent 40 metre diagonal ball into the chest of Conor Keogh for the game’s only goal after 16 minutes.
Keogh still had plenty of work to do as he took possession well outside the 20m line, but his low finish into the bottom corner was immaculate.
A chink of light opened up for Shamrocks before half time when two Nigel Dunne points cut the gap to six, and when the Offaly county man added another brace of scores in the sixth minute of the second half, the foundations were laid for the dual club based just outside Tullamore to make a real charge for the title.
Defensively, they shut down Two Mile House, but they struggled to put scores on the board and added five second half wides to the four they posted in the first half – a stark contrast to the three errant shots from Two Mile House over the course of the tie.
Mark Sherry earned a free that Aidan Casey converted for what turned out to be the only Two Mile House score of the second half with 49 minutes on the clock, and that score proved crucial as it was the difference between the sides in the end.
Two Mile House still led by four points with a minute to go at the end of normal time, but a lengthy injury stoppage meant there were five minutes extra added, during which time Shamrocks fired over three frees to cut the gap back to the bare minimum.
Scorers for Two Mile House: A Casey 0-4 (3f), C Keogh 1-0, C Healy 0-3, P Kelly 0-1.
Scorers for Shamrocks: N Dunne 0-8 (4f), A Heffernan; P Dunican (f) 0-1 each.
Two Mile House: Didier Cordonnier; Nathan Sherry, Andrew Cregg, Finnian Breen; Matt Kelly, Joe Darcy, Jack Collins; Peter Kelly, Shane Darcy; Stuart White, Chris Healy, Caomhán Doolan; Conor Keogh, Mark Sherry, Aidan Casey.
Subs: Tony O’Connor for S Darcy (2), William Burke for J Darcy (40), Andrew May for Breen (58)
Shamrocks: Brian Lowry; Jack McNamara, Conor Condron, Cathal O’Brien; Gary Hutchinson, David O’Toole Greene, Dan Heffernan; Andrew Delaney, Shane Heffernan; Shane O’Toole Greene, Nigel Dunne, Luke Molloy; Alan Heffernan, Johnny O’Toole Greene, Patrick Dunican.
Subs: Paul Minnock for Molloy (54), Darren Meacle for S Heffernan (54), Padraig Cantwell for S O’Toole Greene (60), Wayne Mooney for Delaney (60) Alan Foster for Dunne (60+4, bc)
Referee: Stephen Johnson (Louth)
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In the Leinster JFC final today, Louth champions Dundalk Young Irelands defeated St Brigid’s of Offaly by 2-10 to 2-7.
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Ruddock Leavy Heaslip O Brien Van der Flier Murphy Fardy Conan Deegan Leinster back row strength is unreal If carlsberg did backrows they would probably not be as good as Leinsters
Rare to see two players joining straight from school in Aungier and O’Sullivan.
I just don’t know how Leinster are going to keep all these backrows happy but I hope they do.
The talent level being brought through is amazing.
@Gustave H: the great thing is the talent is flowing to the first team and beyond so they must know the way to keep them all happy.
@Gustave H: Let Ulster sign them to let them get game time.
@Christiaan Theron: I don’t think it’s a case of letting them. They want to stay and fight for their place.
From what I heard Ulster went in heavily for Jack Conan and he’d no interest.
@Gustave H: True. There’s one or two that would want to do a serious bit of thinking though. It’s admirable wanting to earn the starting spot here, but playing week in week out and in Champions Cup games in Ravenhill would stand to them more than a few Pro12 games during the Six Nations. It’s a short career, and waiting in line didn’t work out for Ryan or Madigan.
Some of these kids should go on loan to Ulster and London Irish
@Aidan O: They don’t want to.
@Lf: Shows how ambitious they are. Every player knows they have to play regular on the 23 for a province to get capped.
@Christiaan Theron: You’re right Christian, it does show how ambitious they are. Instead of moving to another lesser side backing yourself to get into a team packed full of talent that’s more likely to challenge for trophies shows serious ambition and confidence.
@Christiaan Theron: Heaslip, O’Brien, Leavy, Murphy, Van der Flier, Conan and Ruddock. All Irish internationals
@Oval Digest: You mean like Marty Moore and Ian Madigan now presently lost to the Irish national side.
@Christiaan Theron: did James Ryan not get capped for Ireland before playing for Leinster?
@Christiaan Theron: Haha those support my point! Both stayed and were in the Irish squad, when they left they were found out a bit and left out.
Why would you want to head to Ulster or London Irish if you were an ambitious, talented player from Leinster?
If anything, it would show a lack of ambition to move.
@Christiaan Theron: Ulster should try developing their own players instead of relying on Saffers and other provinces.