Éire Óg 1-8 Ballygarvan 1-5 A PRICELESS goal by Ciaran Sheehan 10 minutes into the second-half proved the decisive score in this hugely entertaining Evening Echo county “A” JFC final at Páirc Uí Rinn on Saturday night. The goal gave his side a 1-7 to 0-2 lead and the mid-Cork side needed every point of it because they failed to score for the remainder of the half and were hanging on grimly at the final whistle. Éire Óg looked likely winners from early on and after taking a 0-6 to 0-2 half-time lead and then, when Sheehan goaled, there appeared to be only one outcome. However, Ballygarvan must get all the credit for refusing to throw in the towel — but they will forever regret their 14 wides. Éire Óg had the two best players on the park in Daniel Goulding and Ciaran Sheehan, although the Spillane brothers, Joe and Ger, weren’t too far behind. They hit eight wides in total, and despite failing to score for the last 20 minutes, showed marvellous defensive composure in soaking up the enormous pressure which Ballygarvan applied. Daniel Goulding added to his growing reputation with another classy display. He finished with five points — some of them superb efforts — and had a hand in Sheehan’s goal but it was his workrate which impressed most. Moved out to wing forward in the second half when Ciaran Sheehan was injured, the Cork senior worked his socks off and must have gone close to the man of the match award. However, that accolade deservedly went to 18-year-old Ciaran Sheehan, who earlier this year was mentioned as a likely Australian Rules player. Sheehan contributed 1-2, his first point a superb effort, and he showed great physical strength to hold off the defender for his goal which proved the crucial score. Considering the teams in the senior county final were forced to change their strip because of the similarity, it was difficult to understand why both these clubs were allowed to play in their own predominantly red colours. Denis O’Regan gave Ballygarvan an early lead with a point, but once Éire Óg settled there was only one team in it for the opening quarter. Excellent high fielding by Alan O’Mahony at midfield forced Ballygarvan back and with Goulding and Sheehan sparkling in attack, the scores began to flow. In a marvellous five-minute spell, the Muskerry side kicked four points in a row, and as Ballygarvan struggled to cope with the twin strike force of Sheehan and Goulding, they went 13 minutes without a score until Gary White pointed a 45 in the 20th minute. Ger Spillane did all he could to stem the tide from centre-back while his brother was equally efficient at midfield but they had no forward of the calibre of Sheehan and Goulding who tacked on a point each which helped their side to an 0-6 to 0-2 half-time lead. Many felt Ciaran Sheehan would not resume on the changeover after picking up an injury coming up to half-time, but he did, this time at full- forward in a switch with Daniel Goulding, and it was an inspired move. Eight minutes in, Goulding made ground up the wing, Liam Murphy carrying on the move before putting Ciaran Sheehan through. He held off the challenge of David Murphy before drilling the ball to the roof of the Ballygarvan net to put his side into a commanding 1-7 to 0-2 lead. A Sheehan point quickly followed and the title looked destined to go to Éire Óg. However, with 20 minutes of normal time to play, Ballygarvan weren’t ready to throw in the towel. They moved Joe Spillane to full-forward and with his brother Ger powering forward from centre-back at every opportunity, they pinned Éire Óg in their own half and it was all hands to the pump as the Carrigdhoun side attacked in waves. Only some magnificent defending by full-back Shane McCarthy and team captain Barry Corkery at centre-back helped to stem the tide. However, the pressure eventually told when Gary White took advantage of a careless pass to rattle the Éire Óg net from 30 metres out and it was nail biting time for the Muskerry side. However, while the Paddy Sheehan- coached Ballygarvan remained camped in the Éire Óg half, they continued to chalk up the wides — they kicked eight in the second half — and it was to prove their undoing. Even though they failed to score for the last 23 minutes (three were added for injury time) the Éire Óg defence held firm in the face of the Ballygarvan onslaught. Scorers for Éire Óg: D Goulding 0-5 (0-2 frees); C Sheehan 1-2; A O’Connor 0-1. Scorers for Ballygarvan: G White 1-2 (0-1 free, 0-1 45); C O Conchuir 0-2; D O’Regan 0-1. ÉIRE ÓG: C Hallissey; A Keane, S McCarthy, T O’Leary; R Kinnerick, B Corkery, C O’Mahony; A O’Mahony, D Keane; C Sheehan, L Murphy, D O’Herlihy; B O’Neill, D Goulding, A O’Connor. Subs: J Dineen for O’Neill (35th); J Crowley for Murphy (51); V Fahy for O’Connor (57). BALLYGARVAN: J Murphy; A Murphy, D Murphy, A Quilligan; D Bouse, G Spillane, D O’Sullivan; C O Conchuir, J Spillane; G White, S White, D O’Regan; K Ashman, PJ MacGearailt, L Dillon. Subs: C O’Sullivan for Dillon (35); A Butler for MacGearailt (41). Referee: E Sheehy (Newcestown).