Cortoon Shamrocks’ rising stars cut loose in U-19 final

Oughterard 1-6

By PJ Lynch in Headford

CORTOON Shamrocks were crowned U19 C County champions on Friday evening after an emphatic win over Oughterard in Headford. With a final scoreline of 4-16 to 1-6, Cortoon pulled away in the second half to secure a memorable title victory.

Both sides entered the final with strong campaigns under their belts, having each finished second in their respective championship groups. Cortoon’s path to the final saw them dominate in the North Board, where they overcame Gaeil na Gaillimhe with a remarkable 6-22 to 3-7 win in the semi-final, followed by a comprehensive 3-14 to 0-10 victory over Milltown in the North final.

Oughterard’s journey was equally impressive; they edged out Carna-Caiseal/Na Piarsaigh in a high-scoring West semi-final, winning 6-8 to 3-13, before seeing off Naomh Anna, Leitir Móir by six points in the West final, 3-8 to 2-5.

From the throw-in, Cortoon set a blistering pace, with early points from Luke Dempsey and Gavin Geoghan signalling their attacking intent. Their forward line was sharp from the outset, making it difficult for Oughterard’s defence to settle.

Oughterard struggled to contain Cortoon’s fast start, and the opening quarter was largely dominated by the North champions. They did, however, find their footing in the second quarter.

With Cailim McDonagh leading the charge, they began to claw back into contention. McDonagh’s well-taken goal just before half-time, along with points from Devon Tierney and Ethan O’Halloran, saw Oughterard outscore Cortoon 1-2 to 0-1 in that period.

Heading into the break at 1-7 to 1-3, Oughterard had brought themselves back into the game and gave their supporters a sense of hope for the second half.

However, the restart saw a reinvigorated Cortoon side take control once more. Luke Dempsey quickly found his range, adding another point, while Ciarán Clarke and Kian Gilmore contributed to an early scoring spree that extended Cortoon’s lead. As Oughterard scrambled to close the gaps in defence, Cortoon’s Cian Hynes took centre stage, bagging two well-taken goals that all but sealed the victory.

Pictured: Oughterard defender Cormac Forde tries to prevent Cian Hynes of Cortoon Shamrocks from getting his pass away during the Galway Under 19 C football final in Headford on Friday night. Photos: Joe Keane.