St Anne’s prevail in epic Shield decider

ST ANNE’S got their hands on the Under 16C Football Shield following an epic battle with Naomh Mearnóg in Bohernabreena on Saturday.

Deadlocked at full time, the two sides still could not be separated after extra time which finished 1-11 to 0-14, meaning a penalty shootout was required to see who would lift the prize.

While Mearnóg converted all of their first four attempts, their fifth was ultimately saved by goalkeeper Eoin Murphy, sparking huge celebration among the St Anne’s players and supporters.

“This game was a tense and close affair and both teams where evenly matched throughout” admitted St Anne’s manager Stephen Murphy.

Indeed, for the Portmarnock side, it was a heart-breaking way to lose out in the decider, especially in the wake of their recent hurling championship semi final defeat at the hands of Ballinteer St John’s in a replay in which almost all of this same team was involved.

Still they played their part in a tremendous final at the weekend, and one that saw them out of the blocks when Ian Moran split the posts after just three minutes.

Shane McKeown responded in kind for St Anne’s as the match quickly shaped up into a tit-for-tat encounter that was always going to prove near impossible to call.

Moran was on target again for Mearnóg while Jonathan May and Evan Dowley also got on the scoresheet as they edged into a one-point advantage by the halftime recess.

The gap might well have been wider had it not been for some superb goalkeeping by Murphy who denied Mearnóg on several occasions.

Sean Walsh races into attack for St Anne’s during their Under 16C Football Shield decider against Naomh Mearnóg in Bohernabreena on Saturday

And instead, with Matthew Murphy delivering both from placed balls and play and Sean Walsh also serving up a brace, the homeside remained well in touch.

St Anne’s full back Jack Mahon was rock solid as was centre back Cian O’Brien while the tireless running of midfielder Sean Walsh was another major asset for the Bohernabreena boys.

Still, both Dowley and Moran each chalked up two more points in the second half for Mearnóg who also saw Ross O’Boyle and Joey Kinnane shoot over.

Yet, for the hosts, Luke Perry and Joe Curtis served up timely scores from play and a free respectively as the two sides remained inseparable.

Both defences remained on top throughout much of extra time, but Anne’s did appear to make the decisive breakthrough when, at two points down, they overtook after forward Kian Donnelly rattled the net.

Still there was enough time left for Mearnóg to again restore parity and ultimately force a shootout when O’Boyle pointed late on.

It was nothing more than the travelling party deserved given their trojan efforts, but for them, it was to prove no more than a delay to the shield final heartbreak that was in store as Murphy’s fine penalty save was to prove the difference in the end.