14-man Stradbally Parish Gaels dip deep to overcome Graiguecullen after extra-time in U-20 Football final

It may have taken 80 minutes plus but Stradbally Parish Gaels won’t mind too much as they got their hands on the Laois Shopping Centre U-20 Football Championship against Graiguecullen in the LOETB Centre of Excellence on Friday evening.

Stradbally Parish Gaels 3-12

Graiguecullen 0-14

There was a gale force wind blowing straight down the pitch heading for The Town with Graiguecullen playing with the wind behind them in the first-half.

It was Stradbally Parish Gaels who opened the scoring courtesy of a free from David Donohue after two minutes. Graiguecullen kicked their first two minutes later as Aaron Cunningham Byrne split the posts. Aaron Dorgan was fouled for the next score with Bailey Cooney pointing the resulting free.

Stradbally got a goal against the wind after Pauric Ramsbottom played the ball over the top for David Miller to smash the ball into the Graigue net. Jake Darcy made it 1-2 to 0-2 after 16 minutes in favour of Stradbally Parish Gaels. Jack Byrne opened his account with a free with Cathal Buggie replying after patient build-up from Stradbally Parish Gaels.

Graiguecullen ended the first period with three scores unanswered to go into the dressing rooms level. Jack Byrne kicked a superb score with Cooney tapping over two frees, 1-3 to 0-6 at the break.

Stradbally Parish Gaels, now having the wind behind them, came out and scored the first three scores of the half, all from the boot of Cillian Maher. He  pointed a mark after a great pass from Conor Buggie before two splendid points from play. In the midst of all that, Stradbally Parish Gaels were reduced to 14 men as Enda Shortall was shown a second yellow card.

Graiguecullen brought the gap back to one through frees from Cooney and Byrne. Maher scored his fourth point of the half after a beautiful pass over the top of the Graigue defence allowed Maher to split the posts.

Cooney’s free in the 61st minute left one between the sides and Graigue pushed for an equaliser which they got as Cunningham Byrne’s effort hit off the inside of the post and crept over the crossbar to force extra-time.

Graiguecullen opened the scoring in extra-time within 20 seconds of the restart as Jamie Murphy blasted the ball over. Substitute Ronan Creery tapped a free between the posts with Byrne doing likewise as Graiguecullen still held a one-point lead. Stradbally Parish Gaels would be ahead two minutes later after a long ball in from Ronan Creery landed in the hands of fellow substitute Fionn McEvoy, who had an easy task of smashing the ball into the net. Dillon Murphy pointed a 45’ before half-time of extra-time to put a single point between the sides.

Stradbally Parish Gaels’ first score of the second period of 10 extra minutes ended up being a goal as Conor Fitzpatrick raised a green flag with a great finish. Donohue and McEvoy added to their tallies with a point each. Jamie Murphy pointed with six minutes to go for Graiguecullen but Stradbally Parish Gaels took over and got the final two scores of the contest. Kevin Fennelly and Cormac Deegan sealed a convincing win for Stradbally Parish Gaels.