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Feature Game - Leinster Leader



Georgina Donnelly Premier Cup Final.


Caragh Celtic FC 2 Clonmullion FC 1


Caragh Celtic and clonmullion FC faced off in a highly entertaining Georgina Donnelly Premier cup Final on Sunday in the pristinely prepared Togher road Monasterevin. Caragh got the better of the Athy side on the slenderest of margins to retain the Cup for a second year in succession in front of a large attendance from both sides. 


The first half was a very tight affair with both sides playing some nice passing football, with clonmullion having the better of the chances in front of goal. Johnny Fennell was causing lots of problems down the left side for Clonmullion. He was a constant threat getting to the end line on a number of occasions and getting balls into the danger area for Stephen Donovan and Ross Cardiff to attack. 


Caragh’s defence well marshalled by Seanie Leeson and Shane Taaffe had to remain on form to snuff out any attacks. Billy Martin and Ben Ellard of Caragh were causing all kinds of problems at the other end for the Conmullion defence in which Dave O’Neill and Joe Brennan were in fine form and equal to the task.  Clonmulllion had the ball in the net three times and Caragh once on the first half, but all four were ruled out for offside.  


The second half opened up at a quicker pace than the first and in the forty seventh  minute Ben Ellard got on the end of a through ball, controlled it and let fly hitting the bottom corner of Nathan Geraine’s net to put Caragh 1-0 up.  Things got worse for clonmullion when they were reduced to ten men on fifty second minute for a second caution cautionable offence. 


Soon after Billy Martin made a good run forward passed to Brian Merrigan but his effort was narrowly wide of the post. Sooner after Joe Brennan in the heart of clonmullion  defence then made a good tackle to thwart an attack for Caragh, who were upping the pace.  Credit to clonmullion they didn’t look like they were playing with ten and Ross Cardiff and Stephen Donovan still banging on the door to get clonmullion back in the game. On the sixty sixth minute Brian Merrigan played Billy Martin in down the line who crossed and Ben Ellard who was unlucky to  missed from close range. 


One minute later Clonmullion had a corner cleared and the ball fell to Dom Redmond who seen his effort go just wide.   It was end to end at this stage and seconds later the ball broke to Ben Ellard and he made not mistake with his second goal of the game to double lead for Caragh. Fifteen minutes before the end a ball played accosts the six yard line just evaded Clonmullion’s Johnny Fennell who was following in. 


On seventy ninth minute Caragh themselves were reduced to ten men for a second caution. 

This spurred clonmullion on and they piled pressure on the Caragh and with eight minutes remaining a free kick floated in by joe Brennan was deflected for a corner. From the resulting corner David O’Neill headed in to put the minimum between the sides and make the last eight a very cagey affair. 


Clonmullion were throwing everything at Caragh at this stage and with minutes remaining Dom Redmond again saw his effort just wide of the post.  With time almost up Clonmullion’s netminder Germaine floated in a free in that was headed clear for throw. From the throw a Caragh defender put in a cracking tacle to deny the Athy outfit a leveller.  


Both teams were reduced to nine men for an off the ball incident put a bit of a dampener on the last few minutes. The last action of the game saw Clonmullion’s Evan Rice head just over. Caragh held firm to reclaim the Georgina Donnelly Premier Trophy.  Best for the winners were Billy Martin, Ben Ellard and man of the match Seanie Leeson in defence. While best for Clonmullion were Joe Brennan, Dave O Neill and Shane Robinson. 


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