Collegeland 3-10 Thomas Davis 2-7
Collegeland are back in the Junior Championship final as they proved too strong for Thomas Davis at Madden. The 2024 championship winners rattled off two first half goals and kept their opponents at arm’s length.
It was all Collegeland during the early exchanges, with their defence well on top. Their attackers were turning possession into scores as well and they registered the first five points of the encounter.
The impressive Steafan McKenna nabbed a brace to get the game up and running before Tom Murphy split the posts. Cathal McCracken got in among the scorers while McKenna nailed a third of the day.
Thomas Davis finally got their first score, and their long ball tactic finally paid dividends. Danny O’Neill grabbed Mark McAteer’s pass, rounded his defender, and planted the ball into the back of the net.
Collegeland shot back with two goals in quick succession. Shane Donnelly fired home the first one while the Division 3B league winners won the kick out, worked it to Jason Kelly, and he raised another green flag.
Two more from Kelly were split by a Conal Havern score at the other end. They proved to be the final scores of the opening period with Collegeland comfortably ahead at the break, 2-7 to 1-1.
David Murphy and McKenna swapped scores at the start of the second half before substitute Jordan King converted a free. Oisin Duffy fired over a score with the goal at his mercy while super defending at the far end denied O’Neill a second goal for Thomas Davis.
Another goal did arrive, but it was for the eventual winners. Shane Donnelly’s powerful run opened up the Thomas Davis defence and he found Nathan McParland who drove the ball to the back of the net.
Collegeland could have claimed a fourth three-pointer, but Niall Largey denied Oisin Duffy from close range. McParland then received a black card, meaning Collegeland had to see out the game with a man less.
King slotted over a second, a third and then a fourth to narrow the margin to nine points. Danny Shields nailed a 45 but it was cancelled out by Murphy, while O’Neill claimed a second goal in the dying minutes.