Sixmilebridge were crowned U17 Academy A champions on Thursday evening in Gurteen after edging out St Joseph’s Doora-Barefield in a thrilling contest that went right down to the wire.
The Bridge held a slender two-point advantage at the interval, showing composure in possession and discipline in defence to keep their opponents at bay. St Joseph’s, however, refused to relent and battled strongly in the second half, pushing the game to its limits before ultimately falling by the narrowest of margins.
The final scoreline read Sixmilebridge 1-15, St Joseph’s Doora-Barefield 2-11 – a one-point victory that underlined the resilience and determination of both sides.
Captain Jack McNamara was immense at centre back, leading by example with his work rate and intelligent distribution. Up front, Cillian O’Connor was deadly accurate from placed balls, punishing every St Joseph’s infringement. The decisive goal came through Tommy Healy, who finished clinically to give Sixmilebridge vital momentum. Cathal Ryan also delivered an excellent performance, making key contributions at crucial stages.
St Joseph’s, to their credit, produced two fine goals of their own and asked serious questions of the Bridge defence in the closing minutes, but Sixmilebridge held firm to claim a memorable title by the narrowest of margins.
