After a 49 year wait White's Cross finally landed the JAFC. Beating Bishopstown, Douglas, Na Piarsaigh and St Vincents in the final. Heres a look back on those matches.
Second Round
White’s Cross 0-13 Bishopstown 0-6
The first White’s Cross team illustrated in this opening round clash that they have lost none of the hunger that saw them reach the final of the 2005 competition, with this comprehensive defeat of Bishopstown at a sun-drenched Ballinlough grounds. Team captain Murt Kelleher was quick to lead his troops into action by scoring two fine points in the opening couple of minutes. Along with his midfield partner John Drummy, they proceeded to take a complete stranglehold of the match for most of its 60 minutes. Inside them, Donnacha Murnane, fresh from his valiant efforts with the Seandun Senior footballers, was showing very well early on, and caused havoc in the Bishopstown defence, as we raced into a four point lead.
However the ‘Town clawed their way back into the game with three unanswered points to leave the minimum between the sides after 15 minutes. However between there and the break White’s Cross had six unanswered scores from Kevin Buckley, Bryan O Sullivan, Donnacha Murnane, Conor Kelleher, and a pair from the hard-working Drummy.
In the second half, White’s Cross continued to dominate, and but for some wayward shooting would have amassed a much greater tally. Bishopstown battled all they could but were not able to break down a White’s Cross rearguard where John O Connell, Pat O Driscoll, John Meade and Eoin Murnane were all very dominant.
First Round Games
St. Michaels 0-6 Na Piarsaigh 2-7
Other Second Round games
Brian Dillons 2-5 St. Michaels 2-6
Douglas 1-12 Passage 0-14(AET)
St. Finbarrs 1-10 Rathpeacon 0-11
Mayfield 2-9 Nemo Rangers 0-13
St. Nicks 1-8 St Vincents 1-11
Losers Round
Bishopstown 1-10 Brian Dillons 1-8
Rathpeacon 0-9 Passage 0-8
Nemo Rangers 1-9 St. Nicks 0-9
Third Round
Nemo Rangers 3-11 Rathpeacon 1-9
Bishopstown 1-3 St Finbarrs 0-8
1/4 Final
White’s Cross 4-9 Douglas 1-11
A storming first 20 minutes from White’s Cross saw us defeat Douglas, a side that had ended our championship aspirations in 2003 and 2004. Edwin Buckley was fast out of the traps and had tacked on a goal and a point before Douglas had time to settle. Donnacha Murnane and Bryan O’ Sullivan knocked over points and Conor Kelleher goaled so that the Cross led 2-4 to 0-1 after 19 minutes. Douglas responded with three points before the short whistle.
Buckley commenced the second half in a similar fashion to the first, scoring a cheeky goal and Jonathan Kenneally killed off the game as a contest with a fourth goal after 48 minutes. However the credit for this success laid equally with the defenders with Victor O Sullivan, Martin Kelleher, Sean Gorman and Donal Kelly all defending superbly
Other 1/4 Final games
Nemo Rangers 0-4 St Finbarrs 1-11
St Vincents 1-5 St Michaels 1-5 Replay: 2-13 to 0-13(AET)
Na Piarsaigh 1-9 Mayfield 1-8
Semi-Final
White’s Cross 4-9 Douglas 1-11
In stark contrast to our quarter-final performance, White’s Cross opened this championship encounter in lifeless fashion. This time the forward division completely malfunctioned in the opening 30 and the two solitary points scored came from the surging runs of mid-fielder Murt Kelleher. However the White’s Cross backs again reigned supreme, with John O’ Connell, in for the injured Martin Kelleher, repelling countless Piarsaigh efforts, ably assisted by John Meade, Eoin Murnane and Sean Gorman. At the conclusion of a forgettable first half Piarsaigh led 0-3 to 0-2.
Whatever trainer Finbarr Kiely said at the break had the desired effect as White’s Cross played with much greater urgency in the second period. Edwin and Conor Buckley scored points to put us ahead but Piarsaigh responded with a point of their own, on 37 minutes. However in the ensuing 13 minutes White’s Cross tacked on 5 unanswered points from Bryan O’ Sullivan, Murt Kelleher, Edwin Buckley, Conor Buckley and Conor Kelleher. Piaraigh reduced the margin to four before they billowed the back of Billy Sheahan’s net for the game’s first goal. With the margin back to the minimum, White’s Cross responded appropriately with points from O’ Sullivan and Jonathan Kenneally, to restore a three point lead.
However Na Piarsaigh were not going to let go of their crown easily and scored a fine goal on 60 minutes. Referee Denis Linehan, saw it fit to play three minutes of injury time, when many had been expecting a replay. In this additional time Conor Kelleher pointed a free and Murt Kelleher lobbed over another point, after Jonathan Kenneally had cleverly intercepted a fast Piarsaigh kick-out
Other Semi Final game
St Finbarrs 2-8 St Vincents 2-9
Final
White’s Cross 0-12 St Vincents 1-4
