AIB All Ireland Junior Football Final

GLENBEIGH-GLENCAR (KERRY) 1-14 ROCK ST PATRICK'S (TYRONE) 1-11

By Paul Keane at Croke Park

Kerry star Darran O'Sullivan led the line superbly at Croke Park with 1-3 as Glenbeigh-Glencar came out on top in a dramatic AIB All-Ireland club football final.

O'Sullivan nailed a goal after just two minutes, picked up a worrying leg injury that left him hobbling for all of the second-half and fisted over an insurance point deep into injury-time.

There was even time for the four-time All-Ireland winner with Kerry to be dismissed on a black card offence with full-time looming.

Gavan O'Grady was excellent for Glenbeigh-Glencar also and hit six points on a famous day for the club, who have kept the title in Kerry for a third consecutive season.

But it was a tense affair and just 26 players finished the game with Rock reduced to 12 men and Glenbeigh-Glencar going down to 14 following four red cards.

But Glenbeigh-Glencar will only look back with fond memories after subjecting the Tyrone champions to their second All-Ireland final defeat following a loss in 2008.

O'Sullivan's extensive achievements with Kerry marked him out as one to watch and he delivered within seconds of the contest starting with an excellent goal.

O'Grady made the run through the centre before laying off to O'Sullivan who found space to swivel and shoot left footed to the right corner of the net.

The livewire forward, closely tracked by Aidan Girvan, escaped his man again in the ninth minute for a point to put the favourites 1-1 to 0-0 up.

Rock were the better side for the remainder of an intense and often edgy first-half and recovered to draw level at the break, 0-9 to 1-6.

It opened out in a terrific contest with Conor McCreesh displaying his full range of talents up front for Rock, kicking two points and creating several more with some clever play.

O'Grady was excellent at the other end of the field for Glenbeigh-Glencar and cut through Rock's defence with some searing runs, helping himself to four first-half points.

Rock closed out the half strong and Girvan booted a brilliant score from the wing before an errant O'Sullivan pass led to a McGarrity point that tied it up.

Both sides finished the half with 14 men. Rock's Enda McWilliams was first to make his exit after a second yellow card in the 22nd minute for a challenge on O'Sullivan.

Glenbeigh-Glencar then lost attacker Daniel Griffin following a straight red card offence in injury-time.

There were scuffles as the sides departed the pitch for the interval and the ill temper spilled over again when O'Sullivan clashed with a Rock backroom team member in the 43rd minute.

A 49th minute Padraig Ward goal for Rock, following great work by Thomas Bloomer and Eamon Ward, put the Ulster outfit two clear, 1-10 to 1-8.

But they only scored once more, a 57th minute McCreesh point, as Glenbeigh-Glencar made sure of the win with a strong finale.

That McCresh point left the scores at 1-11 apiece, but three Glenbeigh-Glencar points in a row set the seal on victory with sub Bernard Murphy, O'Sullivan and Jason McKenna all on the mark.

Rock's afternoon ended in frustration with two more dismissals, Diarmaid Carroll and Niall Mullan joining McWilliams in leaving the fray early. O'Sullivan was also sent off, but for a black card offence deep into injury-time.

Scorers for Glenbeigh-Glencar: Gavan O'Grady 0-6 (3f), Darran O'Sullivan 1-3, Kieran Courtney 0-2, Fergal Griffin 0-1, Bernard Murphy 0-1, Jason McKenna 0-1.

Scorers for Rock St Patrick's: Aidan McGarrity 0-5 (0-4f), Padraig Ward 1-0, Conor McCreesh 0-3, Ciaran Gourley 0-1, Diarmaid Carroll 0-1, Aidan Girvan 0-1.

GLENBEIGH-GLENCAR: Rory O'Connor; Stephen O'Sullivan, Ciaran Doyle, Jermiah Hoare; Jack Brosnan, Pa Kilkenny, Caolim Teahan; Colin McGillycuddy, Fergal Griffin; Danny O'Sullivan, Darran O'Sullivan, Tommy Cahill; Kieran Courtney, Gavan O'Grady, Daniel Griffin.

Subs: Bernard Murphy for Cahill (50), Vincent Hoare for F Griffin (60), Jason McKenna for Danny O'Sullivan (60), Padraig Griffin for Darran O'Sullivan (69, black card), Donough McGillycuddy for S O'Sullivan (71).

ROCK ST PATRICK'S: Seamus Donaghy; Niall McWilliams, Niall Mullan, Mark McAleer; Cathal McWilliams, Aidan Girvan, Stephen Mullan; Ciaran Gourley, Diarmaid Carroll; Enda McWilliams, Eamon Ward, Thomas Bloomer; Conor McCreesh, Aidan McGarrity, Ryan Crilly.

Subs: Padraig Ward for Mullan (19), Dylan Reid for N McWilliams (33), Liam Nugent for C McWilliams (53), C McWilliams for E Ward (65), Shea Litter for McGarrity (71).

REFEREE: Jerome Henry (Mayo).