Bunclody clinch crown
Paul Atkinson receives the man of the match award from Jim Ferguson, and the Martin Cullen Cup from Shay Keevans.
IDEAL CONDITIONS favoured the playing of the Martin Cullen Cup Minor football league final at Ballymurn on Sunday last where HWH-Bunclody deservedly came out on top by a four-point margin over a St. Martin's side that contributed handsomely to an entertaining game.
The old adage that 'a good start is half the battle' was evident as the winners dominated the early stages and, in truth, St. Martin's left themselves with too much leeway to make up in a wind-assisted second-half.
Early points from Jonathan Thorpe, Adrian Hendrick and John Connors gave HWH-Bunclody a great start and, when Hendrick and Aidan Nolan scored a goal apiece within four minutes of each other at the start of the second quarter, it laid the foundation for their success.
Nolan played a big part in the build-up to Hanrick's 15th-minute goal, before getting his fist to the ball from a Podge Kehoe cross to score the second himself from close range.
Meanwhile, St. Martin's were depending on their free-taker, Shay Delaney, to score a brace of points, with their first score from play coming from their energetic midfielder, Edward O'Byrne, just before the break.
By then Podge Kehoe and Aidan Nolan had added another point each to the HWH-Bunclody tally which put them 2-5 to 0-3 ahead at the interval, and the margin between them could have been even greater but for a couple of excellent saves by Luke White.
The Piercestown-Murrintown side may have been rather lackadaisical in the firsthalf, but they gave it everything after the interval and had the opposition very worried for a period.
A James Doyle point inside the first minute of the second-half extended the HWH-Bunclody lead to nine points before the Martin's recovery began with a fisted goal by Edward O'Byrne five minutes later, after his midfield partner, Cillian Murphy, had kicked a long range free into the goalmouth.
O'Byrne followed up with an immediate point from play and, when Philly Waters received a well-directed pass from Shay Delaney to score a brilliant long-range point, it narrowed the margin to four points (2-6 to 1-5) with just ten minutes of the second-half gone.
Some very entertaining end-to-end football was played by both teams for the remaining 20 minutes, with Podge Kehoe, Adrian Hendrick and Seán Kenny scoring some great points for HWH-Bunclody. St. Martin's replied with a point from a well-directed '45 by Shay Delaney following some fierce pressure on the opposing backs, and a well-taken Patrick O'Connor goal which came too late to make any significant difference to the end result.
HWH-Bunclody captain, Paul Atkinson, received the cup from the Chairman of the organising committee, Shay Keevans, and the same player was also the deserving recipient of the man of the match trophy which was presented to him by Jim Ferguson.
Others to shine for the winners included Pádraig Murphy, Seán Kenny, Adrian Hendrick, Podge Kehoe and Aidan Nolan. St. Martin's had some very good players in their goalie Luke White, defenders Philly Waters and Brian Dunne, midfielders Edward O'Byrne (who scored 1-2 from play) and team captain Cillian Murphy, and forwards Shay Delaney and Patrick O'Connor.
