Oranmore-Maree 2-13

Claregalway 0-10

By Darren Kelly at Duggan Park

On a calm evening under the lights in Ballinasloe last Wednesday, Oranmore-Maree delivered a polished performance as this game progressed to successfully retain the County U-19 A football title and become the first two-time winners of the John Power Cup.

Goals in either half from Darragh Clery and Neil de Paor proved ensured a lead they never relinquished, and with an unwillingness to renege from their task led by captain Ciarán McDonagh and Shay Rabbitte, the Sky Blue and Navy were home and dry before the conclusion.

It capped off a double for the club following the recent U-20 hurling success, and with the club’s minors overcoming Claregalway on Sunday at Tuam Stadium, Oranmore-Maree have completed a remarkable clean sweep of the under-age A titles in football and hurling.

Claregalway will be disappointed to lose by nine points after starting and finishing the first half brightly, but they couldn’t seize opportunities during the third quarter, going 25 minutes without a score before two late points.

The narrative could have been much different when Claregalway nearly broke through after just 25 seconds. Daniel Fitzmaurice was the supplier for Matthew Collins, only for Brian Carroll to produce a critical save.

The green and gold did open the scoring from Dara Kavanagh, thanks to Collins’ assist, on two minutes but that advantage was wiped out immediately. De Paor won a free he converted, just crossing the 40-metre arc to settle for a white flag.

The teams were level three times in the first 10 minutes. Collins’ free restored Claregalway’s lead but a 4v3 infringement allowed De Paor double his account. Oranmore-Maree’s talisman then pointed from play before Kavanagh finished a move including Fitzmaurice and Mark Concannon to make it 0-3 apiece.

The first goal of the game came on 12 minutes. Oranmore-Maree went up through the gears in attack, led by James Murphy, who booted the ball down in Éanna Costello’s direction. The dual player flicked it immediately to the rampant Clery to hit the net, putting three between them.

Claregalway replied straight away as Kavanagh set up Sean O’Callaghan, but their reprieve was short-lived. De Paor tapped over a placed ball before the influential Shay Rabbitte pushed forward and found Costello to make it 1-5 to 0-4.

Fitzmaurice interrupted this spell but two more placed balls put distance between them. De Paor struck a two-pointer after a foul on Tiarnán Keane; and he added another one-pointer for a 1-8 to 0-5 advantage on 24 minutes.

Pictured: Oranmore-Maree’s Harry Keady is challenged by Matthew Collins and Dara Kavanagh of Claregalway during the County U-19 A Football Final at Duggan Park. Photo: Joe Keane.