Moate All-Whites deservedly hang on in exciting Under 16 final

A better-balanced Moate All-Whites side were not at all flattered by their two-points winning margin over a gallant St. Michael's combination side, in a very entertaining Westmeath Under 16 Division Two football final at St.Loman's Lakepoint Park on Thursday night last.An unanswered 1-2 from the losers in the closing six minutes made for a very dramatic finale, but the Moate lads were undoubtedly the better team over the hour. A couple of unsavoury incidents late in the game were thankfully defused reasonably quickly. It would have a real pity if these had got out of hand as the overall fare was most enjoyable.Wind-assisted St. Michael's got off to a dream start with a goal in the second minute, scored at the clubhouse end of the ground by Paddy Cheevers. However, a well-drilled All-Whites side regrouped immediately and they were on level terms by the 12th minute, with points from Joe Ward, John Corbally (a wonderful individual effort) and Jack Linnane. A fly-kicked shot from St. Michael's Tommy Gallagher flew wide of the target, but his fellow half-back John Coyle soon made amends with a tremendous point after a forward surge. At the midpoint of the first moiety, it got even better for the green and golds when a through ball from Emmet Corrigan found its way to Conor Barry, who found the net from close range, at the second attempt.The scores continued to come thick and fast and a great run from Barry Webb set up John Corbally who punched the ball to the net for a fine Moate goal. The winners drew level in the 20th minute, Jack Linnane tapping over a routine free, after Cian Bradley's earlier free dropped short. The tit-for-tat scoring continued with Emmet Corrigan (St. Michael's) and John Corbally (Moate All-Whites) trading points. With three minutes of normal time remaining, Barry Webb slotted over a lovely left-footed point, but again St. Michael's responded instantly when an end-to-end move resulted in Tommy Doyle pointing. Soon afterwards, Cian Bradley gave Moate the lead again, following a sweeping move. In the last action of the half, Robert Marsh's shot was held by St. Michael's goalkeeper Brendan Doyle. At the break, Moate All-Whites led by the bare minimum, 1-7 to 2-3.Shortly after the resumption of play, the winners almost replicated St. Michael's great start to the first half, but Joe Ward's shot whizzed narrowly wide. Moate's captain Cian Bradley then led by example, chipping in with 1-1 from play by the eighth minute. A point from 25 metres was followed by a coolly-taken goal, after receiving Robert Marsh's pass. St. Michael's spurned two good scoring opportunities, including a scoreable free and the aforementioned Bradley made the most of this with an opportunist point in the 12th minute. As the midpoint of the half approached, Tommy Doyle (St. Michael's) and Robert Marsh (Moate) exchanged points, leaving the winners six points to the good (2-10 to 2-4).Both sides missed chances as the tempo (and tempers) livened and it wasn't until the 25th minute that either team troubled the umpires again. A fabulous point from Robert Marsh wrapped up Moate's tally and they seemed very much home and hosed at this juncture. However, St. Michael's were not going to down without a fight (in the football sense) and Emmet Corrigan had to be content with a point in the last minute of normal time - he clearly had a goal on his mind. Seconds later, a somewhat speculative long-range effort from Tommy Doyle skidded all the way to the net and, all of a sudden, the impossible looked possible. In the first minute of injury-time, Michael Murray reduced the deficit to just two points. However, Moate held on and the last scoring chance fell to them, but Cian Bradley's great effort for a point shaved the post on the wrong side. Jubilant scenes followed, before Cian Bradley was presented with the cup by Ned Flynn, representing the Westmeath GAA Minor Board.Moate All-Whites: Tommy Ryan; Emmet Ryan, Daniel Buckley, Jamie Madden; Robert Gorman, Michael Cooney, Dylan Fitzpatrick; Jack Linnane (0-2, 0-1 from a free), Joe Ward (0-1); Robert Marsh (0-2), Cian Bradley (1-3), Jack Eagney, Darren Claffey, Barry Webb (0-1), John Corbally (1-2). Subs: David Cramp (for Madden, half-time), Daniel Claffey (for Marsh, 55mins).St. Michael's: Brendan Doyle; Adrian McGarry, Aaron Leahy, Colm Dermody; Daniel Connell, Tommy Gallagher, John Coyle (0-1); Paddy Cheevers (1-0), Michael Connors; John Egan, Emmet Corrrigan (0-2), Brian Smyth; Michael Murray (0-1), Tommy Doyle (1-2), Conor Barry (1-0). Subs: Chris Lawlor (for Gallagher, inj, 15 mins), Tommy Gallagher (for Barry, half-time), Brian Brophy (for Dermody, 43 mins), Jason Coyle (for McGarry, 56 mins).Referee: Michael Gordon (Shandonagh).