Louisburgh end historic year with more silverware
Louisburgh 2-15
Charlestown 2-9
LOUISBURGH ended a historic year on the field of play when their Under 21 footballers captured the Mayo B championship title by beating Charlestown in the final played in Elverys MacHale Park, Castlebar, today.
In what was a hard fought and highly entertaining final, Louisburgh fully deserved their victory as over the hour they were the better team. After winning the county and Connaught junior titles already, this latest victory brings the curtain down on what has been a magnificent year for the west Mayo club.
Louisburgh laid the foundation for their victory in the opening half which they dominated for long periods.
By the time the half-time whistle blew they had opened up a 10-point lead, 2-9 to 1-2, with both their goals inside the space of four minutes.
Padriac O'Malley netted the first in the 19th minute, and four minutes later, James Dowd had the Charlestown 'keeper Kenneth Brennan pickingthe ball out of the net for a second time.
In between these two Louisburgh goals, Charlestown did score a goal of their own when Jack Reilly finished a sweeping upfield movement by planting the ball in the back of the net.
Two after the resumption it looked all up for Charlestown when Padriac O'Malley extended the Louisburgh lead to 11 after he raised a white flag.
But to their credit Charlestown fought back in magnificent sytle and score an unanswered 1-4 to close the gap to four points with 17 minutes still remaining on the clock. It was Reilly again who found the back of the net for the east Mayo side.
However, this was as close as they got and it was Louisburgh who finished strongly by outscoring their opponents by five points to three to record a brilliant victory.
Louisburgh: S. Keane, B. Staunton, R. Prendergast, Paul Prendergast, J. Dawson, B. McDonnell, Padraic Prendergast (0-8), P. O'Malley (1-3), J. Gibbons (0-1), E. O'Malley, J. Dowd (1-3), E. Bell, O. Lally.
Subs used: F. McDonnacha, A. O'Malley, R. Sammin.
Charlestown: K. Brennan, E. Beirne, A. Hopkins (0-1), C. O'Donohue (0-1), D. McLoughlin, A. Parsons, T. Holton, T. Drudy (0-1), R. Duffy (0-2), C. O'Toole, J. Finan, J. Reilly (2-4), A. McGowan.
Subs used: K. Horkan, J. Gallagher, C. Craig.
Referee: S. Reilly (The Neale).