U12s visit Tralee

The U12 team have retained the trophy won in such style last year with a hard-fought victory over Aghada.

St. Michael’s 1-09 Aghada 1-07

Champioooneees! That was the sound that rang out over Blarney as the Under-12 St. Michael s team beat Aghada to win the County Football Final.

County Finals whatever the age of the players - attract the crowds and they came in numbers to witness an honest, entertaining and stouthearted match that went all the way to a nail-biting finish.

In fairness to Aghada they would probably be the first to admit that Michael s dominated for long periods of the game. And on the other side of the coin, Michael s would admit that their rivals really put it up to them in the last ten minutes.

Apart from the wonderful win itself, Michael s will take most encouragement from the way they responded to the pressure at the end. The defence were tested to the limit and on the day they had the answers.

Throughout the game, captain Alan O Callaghan led by example covering a tremendous amount of ground in the Number 6 shirt. Wherever the ball looked like it was spilling into a danger zone in the Michael s half, O Callaghan was there to mop up.

This kind of spirit was evident throughout the defence and indeed the entire team. With minutes to go and Aghada getting the bit between their teeth it was bodies-on-the-line stuff from Michael s. Patrick Hogan timed his defensive dive to perfection as an Aghada player struck in search of what might have been a winning goal. Moments like that summed up the never-say-die effort that was put in all over the field for 60 enthralling minutes.

It all started for Michael s with a point from David King. But with lively supporters cheering Aghada to lift their game, the lads from Blackrock needed scores to help them to settle. They didn t have to look any further than Dan Lenihan who coolly slotted over two points in a row after one from O Callaghan to put the team on track.

The team then built on that platform for even better things ahead. Paul Tobin got into space and hit the back of net with and there really is only one word for it a rasper!

Moments later, the game had swung down to the other end of the field and with Michael s back-peddling, fingertip defending by their excellent captain saved them again. Aghada got their second point and Keith Hegarty added another for Michael s. Dan Linehan’s pinpoint pass for David King saw him finish the first half as he started, with a point. The half-time score was 1-6 to 3 points.

Tobin got a useful point to start the second half but Aghada were clawing their way back into it and with the score at 1-7 to 4, Aghada got a penalty. The park went quiet as Aghada blasted from the spot towards the top right-hand corner. But Jim Keating dived spectacularly to save the perfectly taken penalty. Two minutes later Kevin Foley took a dangerous ball in both arms and cleared it. Dan Lenihan got his third from a Michael s free that came from a block-down of an Aghada ball way out on the wing.

As Aghada marched forward again Martin Clune did well in defence. In a tense closing ten minutes Aghada did manage to score a goal and looked like they might bring the game into extra time. But at least two more super saves from close range shots kept Michael s in it when it mattered. Undoubtedly, keeper Keating was the hero of the second half.

Robert Coughlan wisely used up some time with a soccer-style dribble down the left wing and King in the number thirteen shirt was unlucky to hit the cross-bar.

At long last the final whistle came at 1-9 to 1-7. As Michael s celebrated, hats off to Daniel Meaney who made time to console a heartsick Aghada player and help him to his feet no more than expected from a most sporting Michael s team.

Families and supporters waved flags and honked car horns to welcome the winners home to Church Road on a sunny day that signalled bright times ahead for the Dazzlers.

Semi Final result

St. Michael's 4-06 Mallow 0-06