Micheál Breathnach prevailed in a tight contest to win the West Board U19B League final, edging out Oughterard by a single point, 2- 12 2 -11, in An Spidéal on Sunday.
In an entertaining game, Oughterard had their chances, and with five minutes of injury time played, Oughterard not once, but twice, had the chance to take the decider into extra time. However, efforts from Sean McDonagh and Oisin Fleming failed , and Micheál Breathnach were crowned champions.
Adam Tierney opened the scoring for Oughterard, a free after the first minute before Micheál Breathnach responded from Cillian Ó Curraoin, a fine effort 45 yards out left off the posts. The first goal of the game arrived after five minutes came via a well worked move from Sean McDonagh, who burst through the Breathnachs' rear guard, played a one-two with Cian Walsh, who picked out full forward Oisin Fleming who blasted the ball to the net. Fleming added another point right after and Oughterard led 1-2 to 0-1 after 6 minutes.
However, Micheál Breathnach responded scoring 1-3 without reply, Conchubhair MacEochagáin, Maidhc MacGearailt and Cillian Ó Curraoin with points a piece. Then the lively wing forward Conchubhair Mac Eochagáin pinpointed a beautiful cross field pass into full forward Cillian Ó Curraoin who scored a superb goal.
The game was end-to-end stuff as Oughterard replied with points from Adam Tierney, Emmet Darcy, and Neil Mulkerrins, but Breathnachs scored five more to grab the momentum leading into the break through Conchubhair Mac Eochagáin, Cillian Ó Curraoin, and Oisín Ó Coistealbha.
Oughterard carved a great goalscoring chance right before half time, when Emmet Darcy was through on goal, but his effort hit the post, leaving Oughteard three points in arrears, 1-8 to 1-5.
While Conchubhair Mac Eochagáin opened the scoring for Breathnachs after the break, at the other Micheál Breathnach goalkeeper Keith Ó Flatharta pulled off a fine save from Emmet Darcy who was in on goal. However, Oisin Fleming and Adam Tierney reduced the deficit to two points, but Cormac Ó Scanláin's fine effort put it back to three.
Both sides kept trading scores before Ethan O Halloran and Sean McDonagh put Oughterard in front by one point 2-8 to 1-10 with 14 minutes left.
With the tie delicately poised, Maidhc Mac Gearailt first scored a wonderful effort off his left and a crucial goal that deflected off an Oughterard defender and into the back off the net. Maidhc added another point to push Micheál Breathnach four points in front with six minutes remaining .
Oisin Fleming scored three frees to reduce he deficit to a single point, and Oughterard had chances in injury time to level the tie, but both were wide.
Scorers: Micheál Breathnach: Cillian Ó Curraoin 1-4, Maidhc Mac Gearailt 1-3 , Conchubhair Mac Eochagáin 0-3 Cormac Ó Scanláin 0-1, Oisíin Ó Coistealbha.
Oughterard: Oisin Fleming 1-5, Adam Tierney 0-2, Emmet Darcy 0-2, Neil Mulkerrin 0-1, Ethan O Halloran 1-0, Sean McDonagh 0-1.
