Wicklow SFC Final: Fee fires An Tóchar to first title for 31 years

Wicklow SFC Final

An Tóchar 0-21 Blessington 1-7

By Tom Byrne at Echelon Park, Aughrim

An Tóchar have been crowned Miley Cup champions following an eleven-point triumph over Blessington in the Wicklow Senior Football Championship final at Aughrim's Echelon Park.

The story of the final was the drive, determination and attacking threat displayed throughout by An Tóchar, as the Roundwood outfit powered their way to a first senior crown since 1995.

It was a lively start to proceedings, with Blessington striking for the opening goal in the fifth minute when the pacey Patrick O'Connor finished low to the net.

At the opposite end, inter-county forward Conor Fee put in a performance for the ages for An Tóchar, accounting for five points by half-time as the sides produced an entertaining contest that was deadlocked at the break, 1-6 to 0-9.

A notable statistic from the final was that every score of the game came from play, showcasing the free-flowing football on offer in the Garden County.

Conor Fee continued to light up the encounter, picking up where he left off by splitting the posts for his sixth point shortly after the restart. JP Nolan then fisted over to stretch the advantage to two points with 40 minutes on the clock.

Momentum was firmly with An Tóchar at that stage, as Player of the Match Fee added another score, while the Roundwood men began to gain control around the middle.

An Tóchar continued to build on their lead, with Eanna Nolan and Darragh Fee both finding the target as they started to put daylight between the sides.

Fee fittingly had the final say, bringing his tally to an impressive 10 points from play, with three late scores in added time as an electric An Tóchar side have finally reached the promised land.

Scorers for An Tóchar: Conor Fee 0-10, John Paul Nolan 0-5, Eanna Nolan 0-3, Darragh Fee 0-1, Ger Byrne 0-1, Gavin Fogarty 0-1.

Scorers for Blessington: Patrick O’Connor 1-1, Kevin Quinn 0-3, Jack Cotter 0-1, Eoin Keogh 0-1, Mikey O’Connor 0-1.

An Tóchar: Peter Byrne; Luke Kenny, Matthew Fox, Eoin Murphy, Gavin Fogarty, Matt Nolan, Luca Nolan; Oisin Cullen, Ger Byrne; Ciaran Murphy, Darragh Fee, Lorcan Smith, Conor Fee, Eanna Nolan, John Paul Nolan.

Subs: Joao Vitor Fagundes (temp.) for D. Fee (5), D. Fee for Fagundes (7), Fagundes for Murphy (47), JJ Brady for Byrne (54), Jamie Salley for L. Kenny (58), Gavin Kenny for Fox (60).

Blessington: Mikey O’Toole; Steve Bohan, Conall O’Gallachobhair, Aaron Curran, Craig Maguire, Paul McLoughlin, Brian Bohan; Jordan McGarr, Jack Hardy; Austin Brennan, Patrick O’Connor, Jack Cotter, Kevin Quinn, Eoin Keogh, Anthony McLoughlin.

Subs: Martin Shannon for P. McLoughlin (HT), Dan Silke for McGarr (39), Mikey O’Connor for Keogh (42), Jack Gilligan for Bohan (47), Aaron Keogh for O’Gallachobhair (48).

Referee: Anthony Nolan (Baltinglass).