AIB Leinster Intermediate Club Football Final

Two Mile House (Kildare) 1-8 Shamrocks (Offaly) 0-10

AIB Leinster Junior Club Football Final

Dundalk Young Irelands (Louth) 2-10 St Brigid’s (Offaly) 2-7

By Kevin Egan

There was heartbreak on the double for Offaly clubs in this afternoon’s Leinster intermediate and junior club finals, while there will be celebrations in Kildare and Louth as Two Mile House and Dundalk Young Irelands emerged victorious at Tullamore and Drogheda respectively.

A late comeback from Shamrocks fell short against Two Mile House in Bord na Móna O’Connor Park in the intermediate decider, but in truth the Offaly side could have very few complaints as they were second best for long periods, and only got within striking distance of their opponents in second half injury time.

Driving rain and a strong breeze favoured the Kildare village club in the first half and in Nathan Sherry, Peter Kelly and Chris Healy, Niall Browne’s team had strong performers in every key sector of the field.

A glorious 40 metre diagonal pass from Healy set up Conor Keogh for the game’s only goal after 16 minutes while the Kildare county player also tacked on three superb points from play of his own, not to mention winning a lot of primary possession while outnumbered in a man of the match performance.

Aidan Casey was on target with each of his three attempts on goal, two of which were from frees, and with five minutes to go before half time a 1-7 to 0-2 lead for Two Mile House was both fully-deserved and significant.

However, two Nigel Dunne points before half time changed the flow of the game and while Shamrocks struggled to get any good attacking moves going after half time with the wind at their backs, they completely shut down their opponents and gradually chipped away at the lead.

Mark Sherry earned a free that Casey converted with 49 minutes on the clock and that score proved crucial as Dunne and Paddy Dunican added injury time scores to cut the gap to the bare minimum, before the clock ran out on their comeback attempt.

It was a different story in the Gaelic Grounds in Drogheda where St. Brigid’s represented the Faithful County and they led for most of the game, taking control of the tie initially through a goal from veteran attacker and former county player David Egan after 20 minutes.

Dean Maguire and Dermot Mone were on the scoresheet as Dundalk Young Irelands drew level by the interval, 1-4 to 0-7, but the odds seemed to favour a win for the side from the Croghan part of Rhode parish when Daniel Molloy’s goal moved St. Brigid’s 2-7 to 0-8 clear after 41 minutes.

That was to be their last score however as Dundalk Young Irelands started to pile on the pressure and they got their rewards in the closing minutes when goals from Dermot Mone and Aidan Sheekey snatched the win for Young Irelands and wrote their name in the history books as the first ever club from the Wee County to win this championship.