By: Mary Dunne
Tullamore Court Hotel Junior A Football Final
Clodiagh Gaels: 3-12
Doon: 0-12
It is said do often, you have to lose one to win one and this was exactly the case on Saturday afternoon last in Glenisk O’Connor Park, Tullamore as Clodiagh Gaels despite a strong Doon onslaught held off to collect the Junior A Football Crown for 2026.
With two clubs craving for success, this Junior A final decider for 2026 was always going to be an interesting affair and it was exactly that as it came right down to the wire, with Clodiagh Gaels avenging their County Final defeat to Rhode this time last year to bring home the Tommy Quinn Cup.
This was a good game and while both sides were guilty of poor shooting at times, it was exciting nonetheless and it certainly took a lot of resolve and ability not to panic on Clodiagh’s part as Doon threw everything that had at them in the final fifteen minutes.
Heading into Saturday’s meeting, Clodiagh Gaels were on the hunt for their second ever Title since their 2015 amalgamation, while Doon were on a bid to collect the crown for the fifth time in their clubs history and for the first time since 2019.
Both sides came into Saturday’s final on the back of very good group campaigns and while a number of teams would have hoped to be in the mix on the final day, it really was no wonder that it was Clodiagh Gaels and Doon who faced off in the decider.
It has been a hectic number of weeks, particularly for Clodiagh Gaels with no less than 26 dual players in their ranks and they certainly are a club with a lot of ambition and a lot of the players who took to the field on Saturday, will turn around and bid to collect the Senior B hurling next weekend.
Doon played with the aid of a strong breeze blowing into the Park Avenue end of the field and it was the men from the West of the County who were first off the mark, with a free from Luke Kelly.
Clodiagh took a little longer to settle into the game, but from the fourth minute on, in reality they lorded a lot of the possession and won the vast majority of what was there for the taking in the middle of the field.
Clodiagh Gaels enjoyed a lot of freedom for the next sixteen odd minutes and as they stormed into a 1-5 to 0-2 lead. In reality they should have been further ahead but their final shooting at times were lot more hit in hope than having direction.
The game was four minutes old when they got off the scoring mark. Sean Rattigan had their initial shot but it was saved well on the line, but with Mark Dillon on hand to covert the rebound, they were finally off the mark.
Clint Horan drew the sided level on the 8th minute, before his middle field partner Eoin Dunne fired over a very good score from an extremely acute angle to give Clodiagh the edge 0-3 to 0-1 with nine on the clock.
Clodiagh Gaels were motoring extremely well now and with fifteen on the clock, they added to their lead when Sean Rattigan set up his brother Aaron who found the net and the lead was now five 1-3 to 0-1.
Darragh Egan pulled one back for Doon some fourteen minutes after their opening score, but with a brace Mark Dillon and Sean Rattigan left Clodiagh 1-5 to 0-2 in the driving seat.
It was then however that Doon started to gain massive confidence. Eoghan Hennessy and Callum Kelly pointed and then with twenty six on the clock Luke Kelly tore through.
He was hauled down in the square by Kevin Kinahan and Brian Gavin rightly pointed to the spot. Terry Byrne stepped up and with a rasper of a shot to the roof of the net, the game was suddenly back to one point 1-5 to 1-4.
Doon really should have pushed on from there, but it was Clodiagh Gaels who had the best possible response when Nigel Cunningham launched a ball in. Mark Langtry should have done better an instead of catching the ball he punched into the oath of Mark Dillon who made no mistake in raising the green flag. Clodiagh four clear again 2-15 to 1-4.
As if it wasn’t bad enough to concede a goal within moments of the penalty worse was to come for Doon and on the kick out Clodiagh were on the mark again, this time Aaron Rattigan fired home his second of the afternoon to bring the scores to 3-5 to 1-4 with twenty eight played.
Doon did have the final say of the half with fine two pointer kick from Darragh Egan, to leave the scores reading 3-5 to 1-6 at the interval.
Now with the wind on their backs it was Clodiagh Gaels who started brightly on the resumption and with early scores from Sean Dunne and Liam Langton they stretched their lead to seven 3-7 to 1-6 by the 36th minute.
Luke Kelly did respond for Doon, but with a fine score from play Liam Langton brought it back to a seven point game again.
Senan Hanniffy and Aaron Rattigan swapped scores and then with forty three on the clock Doon attacked again. Darragh Egan seemed to be covered well by Kevin Kinahan, but with nobody watching Terry Byrne came in around the back and rattled the net. The scores now reading 3-9 to 2-8.
Sean Dunne steadied matters again for Clodiagh Gaels, but this game was far from over and with fifty one on the clock Callum Kelly tore down the terrace side of the field and with a screamer of a shot he planted the ball to the top corner of the Clodiagh Gaels net and in the blink of an eye two separated the sides 3-10t o 3-8.
Both side had plenty of chances from there, but their indecisions in front of goal were criminal, but it was Clodiagh Gaels despite a brilliant Doon surge that held on and thanks to late scores from the extremely impressive Aaron Rattigan and Liam Langton, they brought home the title. The final scores reading 3-12 to 3-8.
The Scorers
Clodiagh Gaels: Aaron Rattigan 2-2, Mark Dillon 1-2, Liam Langton 0-3 (0-1 Free), Sean Dunne 0-2, Clint Horan 0-1, Eoin Dunne 0-1, Sean Rattigan 0-1.
Doon: Terry Byrne 2-0 (Penalty), Callum Kelly 1-1, Darragh Egan 0-3 (0-2 TP), Luke Kelly 0-2 (Frees), Eoghan Hennessy 0-1, Senan Hanniffy 0-1.
The Teams
Clodiagh Gaels: Kevin Kinahan; Ronin Daly, Aaron Flanagan, Diarmuid Walsh; Emmet Curley, Cathal Brady, Nigel Cunningham; Eoin Dunne, Clint Horan (Capt.); Jack Burns, Liam Langton, Mark Dillon; Aaron Rattigan, Sean Rattigan, Sean Dunne.
Sub: Ruairi Dunne for Mark Dillon (inj. 34 mins), Jack Kelly for Jack Burns (42 mins), Gavin Sheil for Sean Rattigan (51 mins).
Doon: Mark Langtry; Mark Gaffney, Conor Keenaghan, Callum Corcoran; Conor Mannion (Capt.), Sean Óg Foley, Luke Fitzgerald; Eoghan Hennessy, Callum Kelly; Ciaran Brazil, Conor Rohan, Darragh Egan; Kevin Martin, Luke Kelly, Terry Byrne.
SUBS: Luke Keenaghan for Kevin Martin (25 mins), Senan Hanniffy for Conor Rohan (Half Time), Sean Keenaghan for Ciaran Brazil (Half Time), Jason O’Shea for Conor Mannion (inj. 37 mins), Paul Eoin Boland for Conor Keenaghan (inj. 55 mins).
Referee: Brian Gavin (Clara).
By Offaly Secretary Sat 26th Sep
