By Philip Rooney  

GWP JUNIOR A CHAMPIONSHIP
AUGHAVAS 0-12
ESLIN 0-10 

Aughavas secured their passage back to Intermediate football at the first time of asking as they defeated Eslin in last Sunday's Glenfarne Wood Products Leitrim Junior A Championship Final after what was a thrilling contest that went down to the wire.

Aughavas dictated proceedings in the opening half, but they didn't have things their own way entirely as Eslin responded strongly in the second half and came agonisingly close to snatching victory with practically the last kick of the game.

Two minutes into injury time, with Aughavas leading by two points and doing everything in their power to protect that lead, Eslin's talisman, Tomas Beirne, hit a snapshot from the 13 meter line.

His shot took the slightest of deflections off the fingers of an Aughavas defender before rattling the crossbar.

Not many in the ground would have thought Beirne even had a goals coring chance but he struck the ball with such conviction there was no doubting what his intentions were.

When the ball rebounded to safety, it all but signalled the end of Eslin's brave challenge and means they have now lost two successive finals.

With the two championship favourites meeting in the final, an open and exciting game of football was predicted and that is how the contest transpired.

Aughavas were certainly the stronger of the sides in the opening half as Colm Maguire proved a constant thorn in the Eslin side.

Operating at centre-forward, Fintan McBrien saw plenty of the ball and he dictated matters well for his side. The free-taking and general all round play of Kevin Keegan was also a factor in Aughavas' bright start while at the back another member of the 2000 senior championship winning side, Adrian Charles marshalled the defence well.

Aughavas opened the scoring inside a minute as Colm Maguire, who went on to be named man of the match converted a free after he was fouled. With Pairc Sean beginning to fill up, the game began at a very quick pace with both sides keen to exert early dominance.

Although he was wearing number 3, Eslin's Noel McNulty began the game at full-forward and it was his score after a quick passing move, which also involved Paul Kilcrann and Conor Reynolds, that levelled matters. Eslin took the lead for the first time in the game when Conor Beirne converted after a nice lay-off by Shane Beirne.

Eager not to let Eslin build up a head of steam, Aughavas responded with a well worked point of their own. 

Beginning with keeper Gerard McGovern’s kickout, David Charles, Aidan Maguire and Niall Gallogly were all involved before Fintan McBrien played the final pass to Colm Maguire.

Maguire proved to be a willing runner and a valuable outlet for his side throughout the game and he duly pointed to level matters once again.

A nicely floated Mark Beirne free helped edge Eslin back in front with the game still only seven minutes old, but Aughavas soon wrestled the advantage back in their favour.

Two Keegan points in quick succession were followed by a David Charles fisted point as Aughavas stretched their advantage to two points.

Much of the talk immediately after the game centred around Eslin’s missed goal chances but there was also a disallowed goal 14 minutes into the game, although the decision by referee Michael Leyden to disallow Tomas Beirne’s flick for square ball appeared to be correct.

Kevin Keegan’s third free, midway through the half extended Aughavas’ lead and although that lead was reduced when Conor Beirne converted an Eslin free, Aughavas looked as though they were growing in confidence and were certainly playing the better football.

A foul on Colm Maguire, whose movement was causing the Eslin defence real problems, led to Keegan converting a free which re-established his side’s three point lead.

Conor Beirne’s 24th minute free reduced the deficit again but two points in quick succession from Colm Maguire, one a free the other a fine left footed finish after cutting inside his marker, meant there was now four points between the sides.

In what was an open half, Aughavas’ cutting edge in front of goal proved to be the significant difference between the sides, although it was Eslin who had the last say before the half-time whistle as Conor Beirne reduced the arrears to three when he converted a free.
One of the features of the opening half was the accuracy of both sides in front of goal with both sides registering just one wide apiece.

Both sides created opportunities in the opening 10 of the second half minutes but were let down by their finishing.
Kevin Keegan, Colm Maguire and Peter McBrien all saw efforts waved wide while Tomas Beirne, Brian Higgins and Conor Beirne were off target for Eslin.

The series of wides came to an end when Conor Reynolds’ 45 fell nicely for Tomas Beirne. On the turn, Beirne struck a fine shot to leave just two points between the sides.

Aughavas lacked the same fluidity in attack which had brought them such joy in the opening half and the second half was 16 minutes old before they registered there first point of the half.

Colm Maguire was fouled and Kevin Keegan slotted the resulting free between the uprights to extend the Aughavas lead to three points once again.

The longer the half progressed, the greater fluidity came in to the Eslin attack.

While Tomas Beirne was hugely influential around the middle, the problem for Eslin was that he was also the one who was looking the most dangerous in front of goal.

With just 13 minutes of the contest remaining, Brian Higgins rose highest to claim Conor Beirne’s free. Higgins’ offload was played perfectly into the path of Tomas Beirne and he made no mistake in front of the posts as he closed the gap to just two points.

The feeling was that if the Eslin forwards could raise their game, victory was their’s for the taking.

With the game delicately poised and entering the final 10 minutes, both sides exchanged scores as Kevin Keegan and Mark Beirne both pointed from frees.

Eslin looked increasingly dangerous as they forced Aughavas into deeper defensive positions. That pressure almost resulted in a goal but somehow Gerard McGovern managed to keep his goal in tact with a wonder save.

An excellent passing move saw Pauric McNulty, Brian Higgins and Conor Reynolds link up well and create a shooting opportunity for Eamonn Stenson. Stenson’s shot looked destined to find the Aughavas goal but McGovern somehow got a touch to the ball and knocked the ball on to the crossbar.

The ball rebounded back in front of the Aughavas goal but just evaded two waiting Eslin forwards. Fortunately from an Eslin point of view, something was salvaged from the attack as when the ball came back to Stenson and he pointed with the minimum of fuss.

Eslin continued to pile on the pressure but were unable to find a way through the Aughavas defence which was defending a one point lead doggedly.

Having been under intense pressure, Aughavas launched an attack of their own as Eamonn Heslin cleared the ball out of defence before Kevin Keegan picked out Colm Maguire.

Maguire was deservedly voted man of the match for his contribution over the course of the game but his 57th minute point was hugely significant as it helped create some daylight for an Aughavas team who had been under severe pressure.

Despite the fact that time was against them, Eslin continued to pour forward and had three good goalscoring opportunities in the remaining minutes.

Noel McNulty was picked out by Cormac Duignan but his powerful shot was kept out by a combination of Adrian Charles and goalkeeper Gerard McGovern.

In the first minute of injury time Cormac Duignan’s blistering shot looked as though it was going to produce the game’s opening goal and possibly the match winning score

However, determined to get something on the ball, full-back Adrian Charles made himself big and while how much he knew of it is unclear, he used his face to great effect as he managed to deflect the ball from danger.

That missed opportunity could have signalled the end of Eslin’s challenge but they refused to throw in the towel and in the third minute of injury time had one final, dramatic chance.

With time rapidly running out Tomas Beirne approached the Aughavas goal knowing only too well that only a goal would suffice. As he approached the 13 meter line it seemed as though he would loft the ball towards the edge of the square.

However, Beirne thought better of that and struck a blistering shot, which got a slight deflection off the fingertips of an Aughavas defender before crashing off the crossbar.

That proved to be the final chance of the game as the final whistle sounded shortly afterwards leaving Aughavas to celebrate their championship victory and their return to Intermediate football while Eslin were left with the pain of final defeat for a second successive year and ruing what might have been.

Aughavas

Gerard McGovern, Niall Maguire, Adrian Charles, Trevor Farrelly, Derek Maguire, Philip Charles, Niall Gallogly, Aidan Bohan, Kieran Moran, Peter McBrien, Colm Maguire (0-5), David Charles (0-1), Kevin Keegan (0-6), Fintan McBrien, Conor Bohan. Subs: Padraig McLoughlin for Bohan (39 mins), Eamonn Heslin for Peter McBrien (48 mins).

Eslin

Enda Turbitt, Colin Turbitt, Noel McNulty (0-1), David Stenson, Barry Bohan, Mark Beirne (0-2), Patrick McNulty, Tomas Beirne (0-2), Conor Reynolds, Eamonn Stenson (0-1), Shane Beirne, Gabriel Egan, Paul Kilcrann, Conor Beirne (0-4), Barry McLoughlin. Subs: Brian Higgins for Egan (34 mins), Darran Beirne for E Stenson (58 mins).

"It's a tough job" explains Chairman Ray

By Philip Rooney

Long-time club player, referee and manager of the St Joseph's ladies who last weekend won the intermediate championship, Ray McBrien took on an extra role this year as Aughavas club chairman.

When asked how he combines all his roles, Ray laughed before replying, "It's not easy I'll tell you!
"It's a lot of work and a lot of time and a lot of stuff going on, on and off the field. It's the same in every club I'm sure, but when you're out training two or three nights a week it's hard to combine the two and refereeing as well to make it even worse. It's a full-time job but someone has to do it," added Ray.

As someone who has experienced the best of days with the club, he has not lost too much sleep over the fact the club are now playing at junior level, instead he is focused on ensuring Aughavas are able to claim championship glory and secure their passage back to intermediate level.

"Stepping down to junior is a good chance to win something and building for the future. People say that junior football, any team can win it but we treat it as a senior championship. It's about getting the cup at the end of the day and that's what we're looking to."

Looking ahead to Sunday's clash with Eslin, Ray knows the challenge that lies in store but is confident victory could act as something of a springboard for the club as they seek to reestablish themselves at the upper levels of Leitrim club football.

"It was a funny sort of a game against Eslin the last day. We were cruising early on and they got back into it in the second half and as the second half wore on they looked the more likely winners. I know we can improve a lot on that display and we have one or two players back from that day so we're quietly confident we can do it on Sunday.

"There's a good many of us playing for the last 16 or 17 years at this level or a higher level and it's the first stepping stone as you say. A lot of these lads have won nothing down through the years. We were in an intermediate final two years ago, but they're all only in their early 20's and they don't know what it's like to win."

Championship glory at any level is always a special day for clubs and parishes and as Chairman, victory would be extra special for Ray.

"It would be extra special as chairman. It's my first year as chairman, it's a tough job and it's been very busy the last couple of days with organising different bits and pieces but it would be nice to be chairman on the day you win the junior championship for the first time since 1984." 

Thriller in store as old friends meet in Junior decider

By John Connolly

More of the same please! That is what spectators are hoping for when Aughavas and Eslin meet in next Sunday's GWP Junior A Championship Final in Pairc Sean Mac Diarmada after the two teams fought out a thrilling draw in the group stages of this year's championships.

We have had finals before where the competing teams have met in the Group stages earlier in the campaign and normally one team goes into the decider with the upper hand and the other determined to avenge a defeat.

But not this time!

The two favourites for the Junior title met in their final group game with nothing to play but who will top the group and, after a thrilling encounter. Eslin finished like a train, Mark Beirne belting home a fabulous goal to snatch a 2-10 to 3-7 draw and top place in the group.

Aughavas, who had sprinted out to a big early lead, were left rubbing their heads how they let a seven point lead slip.

It was a fitting finish to a game that would not have looked out of place in the Intermediate championship as both sides were determined not to let the other gain any sort of psychological edge for a possible rematch later in the year.

That game will also inform much of the thinking about next Sunday's Final - Aughavas reacted strongly, reorganising their line-up and upping their forward production, scoring 6-26 in the quarter & semi-final games, perhaps feeling that it was their own inaccuracy which cost them dearly.

Eslin too learned that their reliance on the Beirne brothers is pretty huge - it was only when Mark was moved to midfield with brother Tomas and the youngest Beirne, Conor, found his scoring range that Eslin got back into a game that Aughavas had looked like running away with.

It is that particular point that both teams will address for next Sunday's Final - what to do with the Beirnes!

With Tomas giving Eslin a great ball winning presence in the middle of the field, it is nevertheless quite obvious that Mark's presence in the middle of the field gives Eslin far greater balance and drive from the middle of the park.

Yet Eslin desperately need Mark's presence at centre-back to give them stability in defence, although swapping positions with Conor Reynolds has been a pretty regular occurrence and one that has paid off.

For Eslin, the task is to spread the burden of leadership and scoring - Aughavas may quite rightly feel that if they can muzzle the Beirnes, then they will have gone a long way to victory so Eslin will be anxious to find other scorers to open up the game.

Eslin will also be anxious to see how their players recover after a bruising semi-final against Gortletteragh and they have a few injury concerns ahead of Sunday, not the ideal situation.

Aughavas have very different concerns - most fans around the county will have them down as hot favourites, despite the draw in the group stages, and there is a strong burden of favouritism on them.

Colm Maguire has impressed greatly in attack in recent games and Leitrim Gaels found it impossible to contain him in the Semi-Final. 

Yet no more than Eslin with the Beirnes, Aughavas will be anxious not to be too dependent on Maguire.

Fintan McBrien’s experience is a huge asset and even if he hasn’t been scoring as much as one would expect, he makes the forward line tick and bringing the likes of Kevin Keegan, David Charles and Conor Bohan into the game is a vital facet of his game.

Both would have slight concerns about their defences - Aughavas have conceded an average of 12.25 points a game while Eslin far a little better, conceding 11 points a game in their four outings.

Their scoring returns are similar with Aughavas topping the charts once more with 19.75 points a game to the 17.5 points a game scored by Eslin. And the 2-10 scored by Aughavas and the 3-7 from Eslin in the drawn game was the highest, by far, of the totals conceded by either team.

The move of Adrian Charles to full-back for the semi-final against Leitrim Gaels may be the most significant move as it was the first game that Aughavas did not concede a goal and the feeling would be that Eslin would need to repeat their goal-scoring feats of the group game to come through this encounter.

Both teams have quite a bit of motivation - Eslin were denied in the Junior Final last year by Allen Gaels while Aughavas are desperate to arrest an amazing fall from grace for a team that contested two Senior Finals in a row at the start of the decade.

The Junior Final in recent years has produced games probably far more entertaining that the Intermediate or Senior deciders so both teams have quite a lot to live up to next Sunday in Pairc Sean.

It might seem like a cop-out but this is going to be a tight encounter, not much between them at the final whistle. Yet the greater physical power, the experience and scoring power of Aughavas should be enough to get them across the line

Aughavas want to get back to where they belong

By Philip Rooney

From the heights of winning the Senior title in 2000 to the agony from relegation to junior status last year, Aughavas are determined to regain lost glories according to manager Kenneth Smith.

Speaking to the Observer, Kenneth said "I have to say in fairness to the guys, there are a lot of senior championship medals there but they've knuckled down. They've realised where they are and they want to get back out of it and that's been the driving force.

"They know that last year wasn't good enough and this year they really have put in a serious effort and they want to get back to where they belong.

"The likes of Adrian Charles and Fintan McBrien, these boys are experienced and have seen it all. You think the hunger is gone, but these guys are leading from the front every night in training. They're an absolute credit to the young lads because, there really is fire in belly."

This Sunday, they have the opportunity to get back up to intermediate level as they face Eslin in the intermediate final.

Speaking about Sunday's opponents, Eslin, Kenneth was full of respect and isn't reading too much into the two clashes between the sides earlier in the year.

"We have the health of respect for Eslin, they're a great club but we're focused on ourselves. I suppose on the day anything can happen but we're trying to prepare the best we can.

"People will say Eslin are specialists in Junior but no more than ourselves they have ambitions and they would like to be playing intermediate football. I have great respect for that club, I know most of the guys there and they want to win it as much as us."

Referring to the drawn championship encounter between the sides, Kenneth said, "Obviously we played them earlier in the year, in the league and we beat them fairly easily and I suppose going in to the championship game they had a lot to prove and we certainly took our foot off the pedal in the second half and they caught us.

"Another five minutes and they would have bet us so that was the kick up the backside we needed. We've been focused from there on in and I think steadily we have been improving."

Kenneth, however, is keen to point out that Eslin are more than just the three Beirne brothers - "The Beirne brothers are absolutely great ambassadors but I think it's a little bit unfair to say it's all the Beirne's.

"They are the backbone of the team but they have a lot of players there who maybe don't get the headlines but they do a lot of the work that maybe people don't realise and don't see.

"Three men won't win you anything. We understand that they have certain strengths and we'll be looking to target that, but I'd say most clubs would like to have them, there's no question about it."

"We have great players on paper but on the day anything can happen and that's what we're really focusing on. It'll be a tough hard battle and if we win by a point I'd be more than delighted.

"Upfront we have been scoring freely and I think if we get enough possession in the middle of the field and get the ball quickly into our forwards we certainly will gain an advantage there 

“Apart from that I’d say up until our last game against Leitrim Gaels we were leaking a few goals. Adrian going into full-back has sounded up that position a bit for us so we’re a bit happier but you can take from it that at least we’re going in the right direction. This is where we wanted to be and we’ll take it from there after that.”

Reflecting on his year in charge, Kenneth said he has been delighted with the response from the players and is hoping to finishing the year on a high.

“I think last year, maybe they lost focus. I have a different ethic. We really try and play football a lot, we do a lot of the early stuff but everything is done with the ball and I think the younger fellas are enjoying it more. We’ve used a lot of players.

“They’ve given me 100% and I’ve given it back. I’m only out of playing football myself so I know what’s required with work and everything else. You give and take and it’s worked. It’s something fresh, something new. People say ‘winning isn’t everything’, of course winning is everything.”

Aughavas journey to the Junior Final 2009

Sunday August 2nd

Aughavas 1-16: Kiltubrid 2-4

Saturday August 15th

Aughavas 2-10: Eslin 3-7

 Saturday August 29th

Aughavas 4-12: Mohill 2-7

Saturday September 12th

Aughavas 2-14: Leitrim Gaels 0-10

Sunday September 27th

Aughavas v Eslin

 

Junior A Championship - Group 3
Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	+/-	Pts
Eslin	2	1	1	0	5-25	2-17	17	3
Aughavas	2	1	1	0	3-26	5-11	9	3
Kiltubrid	2	0	0	2	2-11	3-34	-26	0

Final League table's for 2009 season

 

Leitrim - ACL - Division 2
Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	+/-	Pts
Dromahaire	9	8	1	0	11-103	4-70	54	17
Carrigallen	8	7	0	1	11-93	7-56	49	14
Aughavas	9	5	1	3	8-96	9-94	-1	11
Aughnasheelin	8	4	1	3	4-79	6-70	3	9
Cloone	9	4	1	4	7-85	10-77	-1	9
Glenfarne/Kilty	9	4	0	5	7-82	8-83	-4	8
Eslin	9	4	0	5	7-87	9-94	-13	8
Drumkeerin	9	3	0	6	7-71	9-77	-12	6
St. Marys	9	2	0	7	7-64	9-85	-27	4
Annaduff	9	1	0	8	15-49	13-103	-48	2