A large crowd made their way to Con Brosnan Park, Moyvane on the Bank Holiday Monday evening last the 7th May, to witness the U-16 North Kerry League Div. 2 Final between Beale and the combination side Bally/Asdee/Ballydonoghue.The game was played on a 13-a-side basis, with Beale having 13 players on the night and they were quickest out of the traps with 2 points scored in as many minutes.The impressive Conor Toomey raised the first white flag with a foray up from centre-back, followed a minute later with another point from play by the Beale captain and mid-fielder Cathal Farrell. Beale continued their great start with a goal in the 3rd minute scored by tricky corner-forward Daithi Toomey after a mazy run by Barry O Neill, who was a threat all night for his team. It was all Beale to this stage, they were quicker to ball all over the field and Luke O Donovan put them further ahead in the 8th minute, scoring a free from distance after Cathal Farrell was fouled. B/A/B with urgings from their sideline and supporters came into the game more and a long ball over the top in the 15th minute set Liam Mulvihill on his way to a near certain goal, when he was brought down by the Beale goalkeeper Aaron Buckley as he attempted to go by him. A black card was issued to Aaron Buckley, Luke O Donovan took up his position between the sticks where his first task was to face Michael Nolan taking the resultant penalty, which flew over the bar. Beale did not have a substitute to replace their black carded player and thus had to play with 12 players for the remainder of the game. Peter O Sullivan pointed from play for Beale in the 17th min and B/A/B had their first score from play in the 19th min from Brendan Keane. This was to be their last score of the half while Beale added two points from frees scored by Barry O Neill to leave the score at the small whistle at Beale 1-06 to B/A/B 0-02
The half-time talk spurred B/A/B to their most dominating period and they had two points from Michael Nolan inside four minutes of the second half before Barry O Neill again from a free opened Beale’s scoring in the second half in the 9th minute. B/A/B needed a goal and right on cue Liam Mulvihill supplied it with a ferocious shot to the net after good work by Paddy O Neill in the 10th minute. Another point from the same player two minutes later had the margin down to 2 points with 18 minutes to play. It seemed at this stage that the combination side, with the aid of the extra man, would power on to victory but amazingly they did not score again. They did have opportunities but were guilty of 6 wides in the second period while their opponents were far more clinical as they hit no wide and one has to credit their resolve to hold the surge of B/A/B in the final quarter while adding three points themselves. Daithi Toomey pointed from play in the 15th min, Conor Toomey raided forward again for his second of the game in the 20th minute and Barry O Neill finished his sides scoring with a pointed free in the 27th minute to crown Beale Champions for 2018 on a final scoreline of Beale 1-10 B/A/B 1-05, and it must be said worthy Champions they are. They are a well drilled team, their movement, passing and support play was top class and they missed very little-2 wides in the hour-but equally laudable was their ability to emerge victorious playing a man down for three quarters of the game.
B/A/B, to their credit, kept going to the end and did create the chances to win the game but on this occasion they couldn’t take them. There is no doubt if they keep working hard they too will have their day.
Sean Moriarty of the NKB presented the trophy to the victorious Beale Captain Cathal Farrell, who led his team well all night, to the cheers of his teammates and supporters. Moyvane were thanked for their facility, Pat Shanahan and his umpires for doing a fine job and of course McElligott Oils Asdee for their generous sponsorship of the NKB Coiste-na-nOg. Pictured are the winning team.
