All Ireland Junior Championship –Final
NUIG 0-8 UCD 0-3
Darragh Berry in Dangan
A quick thirty minute break was all the NUIG Junior side had between their close battle in the Semi Final with DCU and their Final show down with another Dublin outfit, UCD. UCD took the lead in the first couple of minutes but NUIG equalised in quick fashion courtesy of Ronan O’Toole and after that, they never looked back. Ronan Geraghty was introduced from the bench early in the final and wasn’t long leaving a mark, scoring with his first touch of the ball. A goal chance came soon after for the home side, Sean McHugh fed Hugh Bourke who was bearing down on the UCD goal. Just as he was about to pull the trigger, he was met with the mightiest of shoulders but despite the knock, still managed to fire the ball over the bar. Just before half time, Ronan Geraghty looked to have fired a wild shot that was heading for a goal kick. However, Evan Cawley somehow managed to keep the ball alive and played it back to Geraghty who made it 0-4 to 0-1 going in at the interval.
They would match their score of four points in the first half, with another four in the second. Donal Shanley’s free taking accuracy was on point and he chalked up another two points after the restart to put four between the sides. Ronan O’Toole kicked a monster point soon after to grow the gap to five but NUIG had to call on Jack Shortt to keep out a UCD attack on goal with a fine close range save from the ‘keeper. The half ended just as it had begun, with Shanley striking another sweet free kick from the floor over the black spot. The full time whistle blew shortly after that and Club Treasurer Enda Fallon presented the cup to Aaron Clerkin who hobbled off after injuring his hamstring a few minutes before time. Sheer delight for him and his team-mates as well as his two managers. The win sees manager Kevin McKittrick collect his second All Ireland medal in two years while his assistant, John Brennan collected his first in his first year in managing.
NUIG: Jack Shortt, Alan Dugera, Conor Burke (Ronan Geraghty 0-2), Martin Loftus, Eoin O’ Neill (Cian Gilmartin 22’), Noel Cotton, Paddy Fleming, Jamie Smith, Sean McHugh (Declan Giblin 23’), Conor Dolan, Ronan O’Toole 0-2, Donal Shanley 0-3f, Evan Cawley, Hugh Bourke 0-1, Aaron Clerkin (c) (Jack Mulhern 35’)
