Boston GAA Cork top McAnespies for senior football crown

By Connie Kelly

Cork 2-13, McAnespies 1-13

McAnespies raced out to their usual flying start and had 1-3 on the board within five minutes of this senior football final. Nigel Regan opened the scoring on the first play of the game on a pass from Ross Hainsworth. A minute later, Regan had the ball in the back of the net. Greg McCartan added a point and Regan converted a free a minute later, 1-3 to 0-0.

Brendan Jer Sullivan opened Cork’s account with a point from a free after seven minutes and it looked like Cork were beginning to settle, but their next four plays were wasted, two wides and two dropped into the goalie’s hands.

Ollie Murphy had no trouble finding his range and it was 1-4 to 0-1. Cork would up their game a gear or two and rattle off some brilliant scores over the next 10 minutes. Robert Mahoney broke loose and passed off to young Richie Fleming and he buried the ball in the back of the net for Cork’s first goal. Sullivan and Mahoney each added a point and we had a one-point game.

Kevin Heaney put McAnespies up by two with two minutes to go in the half. Frank Delaney was pulled down on route to goal for a penalty. Anthony Buckley stepped up to take it. Eugene McKenna made a great save, the ball coming back into play off his body, but Richie Fleming was right there to stick it in the net for his second goal and a 1-point lead for Cork. Eddie Driscoll and Brendan Jer Sullivan put Cork three up and in injury time Ollie Murphy and Sullivan traded points and at the half it was Cork 2-6 to 1-6.

McAnespies came out all fired up in the second half and rattled off three points in seven minutes, two by Murphy and one by Regan, and the sides were level. Sullivan regained the lead for Cork on a free 10 minutes into the half. Cork were turning up the heat at this stage hitting the post on their next attack.

Things then started to go wrong for McAnespies. Kevin Heaney was sent to the line for a foul on Frank Delaney. Sullivan pointed the resulting free, but the man advantage confused Cork more than helped and they began to foul, giving up three frees, which free taker and marksman Nigel Regan converted, and after 22 minutes of play the teams were level 2-9 to 1-12.

Mick Donovan then found an opening and again the sides were level. Frank Delaney who took a bad knock earlier in the half urged his team on and they responded with Robert O’Mahony scoring three points in a row.

Intermediate Final

N.D. 0-11, Columbkilles 0-9

These two Brighton-based rivals gave it everything they had, with luck on Notre Dame’s side in the end as the Killes had at least three chances to tie.

Niall Crossan had the first score of the game for the Killes after seven minutes of play when Donncha Lee set him up. It took all of 13 minutes for Notre Dame to find their range, a point by Ted Halpin. Niall Crossan added two points for the Killes, a free in the 10th minute and one from play a minute later. Sean Casey and Paul Darby had the sides level after 20 minutes, but the Killes were right back on the attack, sending Niall Crossan through and he blazed the ball right at goalie Emmet Murphy, who made a brilliant save.

Notre Dame recovered quickly and went on the attack, resulting in another Paul Darby point and the first lead for Notre Dame. The Killes missed two scoring chances before the half while Derick Granger put Notre Dame two up at the half.

The second half was every bit as hard and exciting as the first with both teams trading points throughout the half. Notre Dame had points from Paul Darby, Liam McBarron, Frank Meehan, but the Killes kept fighting back with some great scores by Ger Marron. He picked off two lovely points and when Niall Crossen sent over his third point of the half the sides were level with just five minutes remaining at 8-all. Frank Meehan and Liam McBarron had Notre Dame two ahead and right back on the attack were the Killes trying for a goal only to be denied once again by Emmet Murphy.

Junior Hurling Final

Galway 4-12, Cork 2-5

Galway meant business from the start of this game racing out to a 2-4 to 0-2 halftime lead. In the second half, there was no let up by Galway with goals by Terence Grogan and Pat Byrne. Points by Martin Joe Greene, Tommy Murphy, Keith Shannon easy.

Senior Hurling

Galway 2-14, Tipperary 1-13

The teams battled to the end with Galway having a slight edge throughout the game and a 1-8 to 0-6 lead at the half. Tipp’s Clinton Hennessy had another star performance between the post, pulling off some spectacular saves. Galway’s Brendan Morrissey and Vinny Franks dominated midfield and John Millea, Mattie Forde and Ted O Halpin were strong in the backs. Chris Dunne did most of Tipp’s scoring with their goal coming from a penalty by Clinton Hennessy in the second half, while Galway’s forwards were all on target.