St. James’ 2-9

Glinsk 0-4

By Alan Dooley in Milltown

St. James’ were deservedly crowned county Junior A football champions last Saturday night in Milltown after overpowering the challenge of Glinsk with a classy second half display that yielded eight scores from six different players.

Ryan O’Toole’s 33rd minute goal broke open what had been a very tight and cagey affair and from that moment, St. James’ shooting efficiency improved dramatically as four of their next five efforts sailed between the posts. Glinsk battled bravely throughout but unfortunately had one of those games where not much went right in the final third, with a combination of bad wides and efforts dropping short undermining a lot of good build-up play.

O’Toole was a pillar of strength for the city side in the midfield trenches and rightly picked up the player of the match award, but St. James’ possess a potent mix of youth and experience, with the hard running style of Liam Melody, Kevin Hourigan, and Cian Gillespie dovetailing well with the wily experience of captain Tommy Walsh, Eoghan O’Regan, and Eoin Concannon.

On a crisp, dry evening with little or no wind to speak of, the game began in lively fashion as Glinsk centre half forward and captain Jason Fannon set up Jason Connelly for a sweetly struck left-footed score. St. James’ also registered a score from their first foray forward as Concannon comfortably converted a close range free.

In the fifth minute, Fannon again picked up possession for Glinsk in the right corner and instigated a move that ended with lively full forward Eamon Trayers splitting the posts, before the pacey Liam Melody raced into space at the other end and drew the sides level. Melody threatened throughout with his pacy, direct running and Eoghan O’Regan kicked Dave Henry’s team into the lead in the 12th minute.

The opening quarter had been end-to-end and frantic, but the game then settled down into a regular pattern of St. James’ patiently holding possession and trying unsuccessfully to break down the massed ranks of the Glinsk defence, before Glinsk tried to counter in a more direct fashion. Both sides were guilty of making unforced handling and passing errors, with defenders gleefully snapping up the turnovers.

Pictured: Gavin Hegarty of Glinsk is chased by St James’ Ryan O’Toole during Saturday’s County Junior A Final in Milltown. Photo: Joe O’Shaughnessy.