2008 Louth Division 3 League Play-Off Final

Date: Sunday 16th November, 2008
Venue Dromiskin
Time: 2.00pm

Naomh Fionnbarra 2-10 Dundalk Young Irelands 2-08

We lost out to a heartbreaking last minute William Woods goal against Fionnbarrs in Dromiskin on Sunday in the Play-Off Final to decide who is promoted to Intermediate League football for 2009. Having overcome the odds in the 2nd half , we battled our way into a two point lead in the closing minutes. However luck deserted us when following a late pointed free from Woods, the same player gathered a high ball entering injury time and slotted to the Irelands net thereby winning the Macardle Cup for the Togehr men. It was a cruel end to a good season for Young Irelands.

Irelands had an nervous start with Fionnbarrs gaining an early three point lead with points from Bernard Osbourne, Ciaran Murphy and Peter Markey. Sean Rafferty opened our account on 9 minutes with a point and Ciaran Conlon scored the first of his 0-5 three minutes later. Fionnbarrs John Doyle and Irelands Mark Savage then exchanged points before the first turning point of the game arrived on 24 minutes. Irelands were awarded a penalty after a Togher defender lifted the ball off the ground inside the small square. Simon Flynn dispatched the spot-kick to give us the lead for the first time approaching half-time. Fionnbarrs young duel star William Woods grabbed a point to leave the bare minimum between the teams at the break.

Half-time Young Irelands 1-03 Naomh Fionnbarra 0-05

Fionnbarrs again started the 2nd half brighter with points from Stephen Devlin and Woods in the early minutes. While we were not playing particularly well, we did battle back into the lead with a further brace of points from Ciaran Conlon on 8 and 10 minutes. We were then awarded a second penalty when Graham Carr was fouled. Full-back Simon Flynn once again, coolness personified, dispatched the resulting spot-kick to the Fionnbarrs net to give Irelands a valuable four point lead entering the last quarter. The lead didnt last long however as Fionnbarrs sub Stephen Devlin fisted a misplaced point effort to Irelands net and another sub Conor O'Neill levelled the game in the 47th minute.

Great credit is due to the way our side responded to this blow with Aaron Rogers, Andrew and Peter Nixon driving Irelands on. Ciaran Conlon pointed from play on 49 minutes and followed up with a superb long range pointed free two minutes later. Fionnbarrs pushed full-back Trevor Dolan up the field and the young player landed a point to reduce the deficit to one again with eight minutes left. Peter Nixon consolidated our lead with a glorious point in the 55th minute following a great interception, solo run and one-two with young Nicky O'Connor. We looked at that stage to have done enough but we'll rue a few missed opportunities in the following minutes to kill the game off. With a two point lead entering injury time it was left to young Woods to inflict the cruelist blows to Irelands with his pointed free followed by the decisive goal. After the game a jubilant Fionnbarrs were presented with the Macardle Cup by County Board Chairman Paddy Oliver. This was Fionnbarrs first silverware since the IFC of 2001 and Young Irelands players and management were gracious in defeat, congratulating the Togher men and wishing them the best of luck.   

Simon Flynn, Aaron Rogers and Ciaran Conlon were Irelands best today while Andrew and Peter Nixon showed great leadership in the last quarter.

All-in-all the Irelands players and management can be very proud of a good season, maintaining our Intermediate Championship status and going so close to League success. We had the League in our hands up to the last round of games and unfortunately our luck ran out in the last few weeks. Pat Conlon stepped down after the game and there is no doubt that the enthusiatic and affable Cregganduff man will be fondly remembered by all in the club. Having arrived in the middle of 2006, Pat turned around a few barren years to land the Macardle Cup in his first season. We missed out on promotion as the County Board changed the league structures. Pats greatest hour with Young Irelands came on 14th September 2007 when the Junior Championship was captured with a 1-07 to 0-07 win over St. Mochtas in the Clans field. In 2008 having steered the club to the top of the league with a +50 point score advantage, Pat was denied a clean sweep because other teams received walk-overs thereby nullifying our score advantage and leading to play-offs.

All in Dundalk Young Irelands GFC express thanks to Pat for his undivided loyalty to the club and we wish the Conlon family all the best for the future. While Pat steps down from the managment job, there is no doubt that he will retain an interest in the club for many years to come. A true friend of Dundalk Young Irelands who has left his mark on a chapter of the 125 year history of the club.

Dundalk Young Irelands
Craig McKenna, Shane O'Connell, Simon Flynn (2-0)2pens, Ryan Moran, Robbie Farrell, Aaron Rogers, Peter Flynn, Peter Nixon (0-1), Gerard Nixon, Nicholas O'Connor, Alan Haughey, Sean Rafferty (0-1), Ciaran Conlon (0-5)2f, Andrew Nixon, Mark Savage (0-1).
Subs used: David Lally for Sean Rafferty (H-T), Graham Carr for Alan Haughey (35)

Naomh Fionnbarra
Alan Matthews, Gerard Leonard, Trevor Dolan (0-1), Colin McGrane, Fergal Leonard, Hugh McGrane, Padraig Butterly, John Doyle (0-1), Shane Fanning, Stuart Osbourne, Peter Markey (0-1), Ciaran Murphy (0-1), Bernard Osbourne (0-1), Stuart Osbourne, Andrew McCann, William Woods (1-03)1f.
Subs Stephen Devlin  (1-1) for Leonard, Conor O'Neill (0-1) for Markey

Referee: Paul Finnegan (St. Patricks)