Beirne get Mohill across the line

Defending champions Mohill held on their League crown  in the face of a fierce St. Mary's second half fight back in a thrilling Masonite Division 1 Final  last Saturday at Avant Money Páirc Seán Mac Diarmada.

That said Mohill was the more disciplined side and more clinical in front of the posts when notching up the battle's decisive scores in this closely fought showdown. Mohill will also know that possibly the concessions of some poor turnovers by St. Mary's over the hour greatly contributed to this tight win for Eamon O'Hara's men.

Mohill celebrate as fans enjoy League Finals in August sunshine - GALLERY

Mohill got off to the better start and put two points on the board in the opening three minutes with Keith Beirne firing over after receiving a Keith Keegan pass  and then  converting a free for a foul on himself.

A fourth minute foul on Cian Singleton allowed St. Mary's to get the scoreboard ticking when Paul Keaney tapped over the  free. Mohill responded  to the Carrick score when Keith Beirne and Jordan Reynolds kicked a point each.

A ninth minute Keaney free kept St. Mary's in the hunt but Ronan Kennedy hit back with a point three minutes later as Mohill remained on top. When Cian Singleton ended a dashing run at the Mohill posts with a fisted 14th minute point he slightly reduced the amount of daylight between the sides for the Carrick men. 

In response Mohill again asserted their dominance with Keith Beirne firing over once more and then slipping his marker to hammer home what proved to be the league final’s only goal on the 16 minute mark.

St. Mary's really got to grips with Mohill in the second quarter as Gavin Reynolds and Paul Keaney shot a point apiece. Keith Keegan hit back almost immediately with a well-taken Mohill point. 

But Carrick continued to whittle down the Mohill advantage and closed the gap to 0 – 3 on the opponents as half-time approached. Paul Keaney  tapped over a pair of Carrick frees, one for a foul on himself and the other for a foul on Adam Reynolds as Mohill led 1-7 to 0-7 when the interval arrived.

St Mary's celebrate victory over Mohill in U17 League Division 1 Final - GALLERY

After the restart St. Mary's Emmet Regan reduced Mohill's lead to just two minutes after the throw-in when he fired over the second's half's opening score. But Keith Beirne hit back for Mohill almost immediately from a placed ball.

Paul Keaney kept the Carrick interval surge on the boil with a well-hit 34th minute point at the end of a good run but Mohill widened the gap with the Carrick men to a three point margin once more when Beirne tapped over a free awarded for a foul on Ronan Kennedy.

A Liam Rowley foul on Keaney by Rowley saw the Carrick men get within two minor scores of their opponents when Keaney converted the resultant free. But in response Beirne pointed a 51st minute free after Alan McLoughlin was fouled.

Two minutes later a Mohill foul on St. Mary's Jack Casey was punished by Keaney when he put over sixth free. Another Keaney free after Gavin Reynolds was fouled was slotted over to leave the minimum again between the sides on the 60-minute mark.

With the game on a knife edge, Domhnaill Flynn secured victory for Mohill after being put through by quickly taken Beirne free with St. Mary's getting the last score when Jack Casey shot over prior to the final whistle.

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MOHILL

Scorers: Keith Beirne 1-7, 5f; Keith Keegan 0-2; Domhnaill Flynn & Ronan Kennedy 0-1 each

Team: Padraig Tighe; Sean Harkin, Liam Rowley, Ryan Bohan; Alan Tuthill, Shane Quinn, Oisin Madden; Keith Keegan, Jonathan Reynolds; Evan Harkin Alan McLoughlin, Keith Beirne, Domhnaill Flynn; Conor Quinn; Jordan Reynolds, Ronan Kennedy. Subs: James Mitchell for Tuthill (HT); Donal Duignan for Keegan (42); Shane McGowan for Kennedy (48); Peter O'Neill for C. Quinn (51); Evan Harkin for Bohan (59)

ST. MARY'S KILTOGHERT

Scorers: Paul Keaney 0-9, 7f; Gavin Reynolds, Emmet Regan, Cian Singleton & Jack Casey 0-1 each

Team: Sean Reynolds; Conor Farrell, Mark Diffley, Gavin Reynolds; Emmet Regan, Nicholas McWeeney, Adam Reynolds; Paul Keaney, James McGrail; Jack Casey, Oisin Bohan, David O'Connell; Diarmuid Kelleher, Daire, Farrell, Cian Singleton. Subs: Jack Barnes for D. Farrell (44); Brian Farrell for Bohan (49); Ciaran Kerin for Singleton (59)

REFEREE: Kevin Mallon