PREMIER 2A MINOR HURLING CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL. INNISCARRA 0 - 16, EIRE OG 1 - 15.

A goal scored by Eire Og in the very first minute of this game at The Mardyke on Tuesday evening proved to be the decisive score in this hard fought and evenly contested championship final. Near the end of the first half Inniscarra trailed by six points but on sixty minutes had the scores at level but two late points by Eire Og decided the contest. Midfielder Craig Bennett had Inniscarra first point from play after a good move involving Colin O'Sullivan and Ardal O'Connell. Craig followed with a pointed free after a foul on Gordon Desmond and then Owen McCarthy scored a marvellous long range point. A foul on Colin O'Sullivan resulted in another pointed free by Craig and then full back Peadar O'Callaghan blocked down a shot by Eire Og full forward and cleared the ball upfield to Adam O'Connell who was fouled and Craig converted the free. Good work by Ciaran Lombard and Seamus Desmond led to another Owen McCarthy point. A well taken line ball by Liam Ryan found Adam O'Connell and he got a well taken point. Inniscarra last score of the first half was a well taken point by Danny O'Herlihy after good work by Gordon Desmond and Altan O'Connell. Half Time  INNISCARRA  0 - 8, EIRE OG  1 - 9.

Michael O'Connell and Con O'Leary were introduced at the start of the second half and both had a significant influence on the game. Michael was fouled and Craig converted the free. A clever line ball by Liam Ryan found Owen McCarthy and he scored a point and he followed up with another point from far out after excellent work by James Buckley. A long puck out by Dave Og Coleman was brilliantly caught by Liam Ryan and soloed towards goal and scored a fabulous point. Good defensive work by the impressive Jack Harrington picked out Altan O'Connell who was fouled and Craig converted the free. A foul on Owen Murphy led to another Craig Bennett free and Owen McCarthy scored another good point to level the scores with time almost up. A pointed 65 by Eire Og was cancelled by a Craig free but Eire Og scored two late points to snatch victory which was hard on the Inniscarra players who fought to the end and with a little more fortune in front of goal could easily have taken victory but it was not to be.

Scorers, Craig Bennett  0 - 8 (6 frees),  Owen McCarthy  0 - 5, Adam O'Connell 0 -1, Liam Ryan 0 -1, Danny O'Herlihy 0 - 1,

Team,  Dave Og  Coleman,  Danny O'Herlihy,  Peadar O'Callaghan,  Seamus Desmond,  Ciaran Lombard,  Jack Harrington,  James Buckley,  Liam Ryan,  Craig Bennett,  Ardal O'Connell,  Adam O'Connell,  Owen McCarthy,  Altan O'Connell,  Gordon Desmond,  Colin O'Sullivan,  Subs,Michael O'Connell and Con O'Leary for Colin O'Sullivan and Ardal O'Connell, Owen Murphy for Altan O'Connell, Fergal O'Leary for Gordon Desmond, Mikey Cronin for Adam O'Connell,  Padraig Holland, Robert O'Callaghan, Callum Morris, Ned Coleman, Sam Doyle, Jamie O'Sullivan, Alec Roche, Ryan O'Callaghan, Liam Doyle, Liam Buckley.

Many thanks to mentors Eugene O'Sullivan, Sean O'Mahony and Daire Holland and also Rita Cronin (first-aid) and Margaret O'Connell and to all the supporters who followed the boys throughout the year.