Credit Union 2 teacher Champions. 🥇

Glory Days for Shrone Football. 

This was a sweet one, it was the one we didn't expect,  after so many loses and disappointments in recent years another loss wouldn't have been heartbreak just a grim acceptance that it wasn't Shrone's day...again, bridesmaids again, but today, in the words of Martin Storey   "we got married!  "

Some members of this panel have had to endure the loss of four County finals in a row, a streak they were delighted to break in such exciting and dramatic fashion in Barraduff last Thursday. 

Shrone had qualified top of their group against Glenfleak and Hollymount and faced old rivals Fybough on the semi final.  This was a Fybough team in transition with many of their team that won the county final and the credit union competition last year having moved on,  but there is a strong tradition of football in Fybough NS and a habit of winning which made them formidable opposition. In a thrilling encounter Fybough lead narrowly at half time before Shrone pulled one point clear with a minute to go, Fybough equalised and extra time was called for. Shrone had the better possession and looked the dominant team throughout the game but could not shake off Fybough until the second half of extra time eventually pulling clear to win by five points. Fybough have been excellent champions and have dominated this competition in recent times but the cup would not be going west this year.  

In the other semi final Glenflesk had pushed Raheen all the way but Ratheen were awaiting Shrone in the final. Ratheen had been in the final of this competition last year andlooked to be the favourite to see it through this year. Shrone had little expectation on them only to " have a cut off it anyway and see what happens" 

Well what happened was remarkable,  from the throw in Raheen went on the attack only to see a shot for a point blocked by the defence and an counter attack finished with the ball in the Raheen net, game on! The rest of the game becomes a bit of a blur such was the intensity of the game, it was end to end stuff, Jack Rogan made three crucial saves Shay Buckley and Laura Cronin were rock solid in defence , Daniel Lenihan and Grace O Sullivan tireless in midfield and Eanna Murphy and Daniel O Sullivan were deadly in front of goal. 

At the very end of normal time Raheen kicked a super point to level the game and once more Shrone went to extra time.

The feeling before extra time wasn't exhaustion,  there was belief and determination that this one wasn't going to be left behind, and so they took at it again, a ding dong battle, end to end stuff and as the game went on the quality of football increased,  Laura made at least three crucial blocks snuffing out goal chances while again Daniel and Grace tracked back and carried ball up the field despite having played a semi final into extra time half an hour previously,   the highlight of the game, maybe the whole competition was the dummy solo performed by Daniel O Sullivan which sent a Raheen defender out to the shops before he clipped over a classy point. As the final seconds ticked down Shrone held a two point lead, a dangerous lead, Raheen launched launched final attempt at goal but the Shrone defence held, they cleared the ball managed to hold possession before being fouled. Before Daniel Lenihan took the free he asked the ref how much time was left, when told "none" he hoofed the ball into the air to the sound of the final whistle and the Shrone panel and management flooded onto the the field in joy. 

It was a special special moment when Mícheál Cronin sang "The Sweet Townland Of Shrone" as the cup was carried away by Captain Daniel Lenihan for the first the first time Shrone since its inception  in 2003 by Micheal O Keeffe and the late Daniel Vincent O Connor.  

Thank you to all the organisers especially Michael O Keeffe and Joan Mullane in Raheen,. Thanks to the Credit Union for sponsoring the event , to Barraduff Community field and to the referee.  Most of all thanks to all the teams who took part especially to Raheen who made the final such a high quality and entertaining game.