Newport claim North U19 'B' Football title on penalty kicks

North Tipperary Under 19 'B' Football Final

Newport 4-12

Borrisokane 5-9 (AET)

(Newport win 4-3 on penalties)

Report: Liam Hogan in Ballingarry

History was made in more ways than one as Newport became the first winners of the North Under 19 ‘B’ Football Championship when they defeated Borrisokane on penalties following a thrilling final last Wednesday night.

Penalties were required after an eighty-minute, nine-goal thriller failed to separate the teams. Deciding a Gaelic football game by way of penalties is not the norm, however,

Newport keeper Mark Forde was the hero in more ways than one. While he conceded five smashing goals in normal time, he also produced a number of excellent saves, however, his first touch was picking the ball out of the net as early as the 74th second when Ciaran Foley scored from close range after a splendid run.

Foley was excellent for Borrisokane, and such was the amount of ground covered that he ran out of steam in the last quarter. He wasn’t the only one as the whole Borris squad gave it their all with notable contributions from Conor Ryan, Jimmy Hough, and Peter Collins.

Newport were also full of running with early raids by Daniel Egan, Jack Ryan and Lee Ryan producing a test for the Borrisokane defence and they found the back of the net in the eighth minute when a comedy of errors in the small square led to what one could only term as an own goal.

With Diarmuid O’Riordan accurate, Newport went 1-3 to 1-1 in front at the first water-break. However, Borrisokane went in front in the 21st minute when Ciaran Foley made it 1-4 to 1-3. Indeed, Borrisokane might have increased their lead, but Mark Forde had to come off his line to deny two dead cert goal chances by Foley and Niall Quinn.

A second goal came after Foley was hauled down for a penalty. Daniel Egan was the culprit and was black carded before Foley dispatched the penalty. Newport’s Gavin Millerick replied with a point and at half time it was 2-4 to 1-4.

Egan missed the opening eight minutes of the second half, but it took Newport three minutes to come level when Diarmuid O’Riordan’s thirty metre free hit the roof of the net with the dipping shot deceiving Niall Redmond.

The sides were level for a fourth time at 2-5 each when Borrisokane took the lead in the 41st minute as Ciaran Foley’s strike was tipped over the bar by Forde.

One minute later the tide turned when a move involving Daniel Egan, Jay Ryan and Mellerick led to Jay Ryan shooting low past Redmond for a Newport goal.

But with Daniel Egan and Jack Quinn in command around the middle sector, Newport had their fourth goal two minutes later when substitute Seamus Tobin took a pass from Daniel Egan and made it 4-5 to 3-5.

But Borrisokane replied immediately with an equally decisive run by Kevin Cleary and Niall Quinn put Luke Gleeson through for a goal. Then in the 49th minute Jay Ryan made it 4-7 to 3-6 but they failed to convert chances over the next ten minutes and instead Borrisokane took advantage. Breaking out from defence, their off-the-shoulder play was a great tactic and they scored 1-3 without reply, with the goal by Conor Ryan giving them a two-point advantage before injury time points by O’Riordan (free) and Jay Ryan had it all square at 4-9 each.

Meanwhile Borrisokane lost Jimmy Hough to a black card and he missed the first eight minutes of extra time.

Newport remained on top in the opening ten minutes of extra time with Lee Ryan and O’Riordan (free) edging them two points in front and after the final changeover, Jay Ryan increased their lead. However, Borrisokane refused to rest easy and in the 74th minute Conor Ryan found the net to level matters. Two minutes later he hit the butt of the upright.

On full time both sides gathered in the middle of the field. Decision time for managers as they picked their choice of penalty kings. Borrisokane went first and in turn scored the first three through Ciaran Foley, Kevin Cleary and Peter Collins with Newport levelling each time through Gavin Millerick, Daniel Egan, and Jack Ryan.

Unfortunately, Borrisokane’s fourth penalty by Oisin Carroll was inches wide but Aaron Coleman converted to put Newport 4-3 in front. It all depended on Borrisokane’s Luke Quigley, but his effort was saved by Mark Forde as Newport claimed the title and progress to the county semi-final.

TEAMS - Newport: Mark Forde (8); Shane Murray (7), Stephen Coffey (7), Aaron Coleman (7); Sean Lee (7), Aidan Ryan (7), Jay Ryan (8); Daniel Egan (8), Jack Quinn (8); Brian Tobin (6), Lee Ryan (8), Stephen McCormack (6); Daniel Cantillon (6), Diarmuid O’Riordan (7), Gavin Mellerick (7).

Subs: Luke Collins (7) for A Ryan (17 inj); Daniel Ryan (7) for Cantillon (HT); Kevin O’Brien (7) for Murray (39); Seamus Tobin (7) for B Tobin (41); Brian Tobin for Collins (4 ET); Conor McHugo (6) for Coffey (9 ET); Paul Burke (6) for O’Riordan (12 ET).

Borrisokane: Niall Redmond (7); Sean Egan (8), Peter Collins (8), Diarmuid Egan (7); Darren Moore (7), Jimmy Hough (8), Oisin Carroll (7); Kevin Cleary (6), Joshua Chadwick (6); Ciaran Foley (8), Luke Gleeson (7), Niall Quinn (7); Luke Quigley (6), Conor Ryan (8), Barry Ryan (6).

Subs: Rian McKenna (6) for Ryan (37); Luke Quigley (6) for McKenna (60+1); Barry Ryan for Quinn (11 ET).

Referee: Philip Kelly (Ballinahinch)