Castleisland Mart Junior Football Championship Final Replay
Fossa 2-12 Beale 0-8

Fossa made no mistake at the second time of asking at Tralee’s Austin Stack Park today when winning the Co. Junior Football Championship title for the first time. Goals at vital stages of both halves ensured that the Con Brosnan Cup went East as Fossa had a number of players who upped their games big time since the drawn encounter.

Fintan Coffey settled the winners with two early points with the wind and Man of the Match Tadhg O’Shea followed with his first to see Fossa lead by 3 point to nil before Ger O’Gorman opened Beale’s account in the 12th minute from a free. Fossa then struck for a goal when Beale were turned over coming out of defence and Mikey O’Shea put Paudie Clifford through for a superb finish. Ian Mannix and Cormac Linnane (free) responded for Beale as the North Kerry side saw more of the ball up front but Sean Dee had to save well from Tadhg O’Shea when the Fossa player was one on one with the goalie in the 30th minute. Domhnall O’Sullivan had the last say of the half when he pointed a free in injury time to leave Fossa 1-4 to 0-3 to the good at the break – a lead that by no means flattered them.

Tadhg O’Shea and Darragh Buckley exchanged points on the resumption and O’Shea followed up with two pointed frees to leave Fossa 1-7 to 0-4 ahead eight minutes in. Darragh Buckley responded once more for Beale and Domhnall O’Sullivan and Ian Blake exchanged points and there was five points between the sides with 15 minutes to go. Beale were beginning to show signs of a recovery with subs Blake and Buckley prominent but just then Fossa struck for their second goal when Paudie Clifford picked out Domhnall O’Sullivan with a sublime pass and the veteran found Tadhg O’Shea in space and the corner forward gave Sean Dee no chance from close range. The sides exchanged two points apiece but fittingly it was the Castleisland Mart Man of the Match Tadhg O’Shea who had the last say with two fine points from distance to copper-fasten victory for John Evans’ young charges.

After the game, Treasurer of the County Committee Diarmuid Lynch presented the Con Brosnan Cup to winning captain Domhnall O’Sullivan and Jimmy Roche, representing sponsors, Castleisland Mart, presented the Man of the Match to Fossa’s Tadhg O’Shea.

Scorers:
Fossa: Tadhg O’Shea 1-6 (0-2 frees), Paudie Clifford 1-0, Fintan Coffey 0-3, Domhnall O’Sullivan 0-2 (Frees) and Kenneth Clifford 0-1.
Beale: Darragh Buckley 0-3 (0-1 free), Ian Blake 0-2, Cormac Linnane, Ger O’Gorman (free) and Cormac Linnane (free) 0-1 each.
Referee: Tom McCarthy (Desmonds) had a fine game.
Click here for photos from game.