Minors clear final hurdle to secure Roinn B Title
The John Lockes minor team of 2015 became the first one since 1997 to secure a title in the grade when they overcame Dunamaggin on a 0-16 to 0-10 scoreline in Nowlan Pk on Sunday November 1st. Both teams gave it their all with a noticeable nervousness in the early exchanges and a title at stake between two neighbouring Parishes. The first half was all about the respective free takers on both sides with Morgan Thomas doing the business for Dunamaggin and James Power equally unerring for the Lockes both from placed balls and open play the teams retired at the break level at 6 points apiece.
The new half saw the Lockes up the tempo considerably with the team getting a grip in the middle third and driving at the Dunamaggin defence enabling James Power to punish all misdemeanours with a final tally of eleven points from frees and two from play a telling statistic of his contribution to this victory. The Lockes six backs of Jack Lynch, Briain Kirwin , Nicholas Butler, John Burns, Cathal McGrath, Ryan Bergin and goalkeeper Owen Byrne who never put a foot wrong can take a bow holding a forward division goalless which had scored 14 goals in the previous three rounds to set up a platform for their colleagues further afield to build on. Sean Power ran himself to a standstill in the second half as did Eoghan Scriven to keep a grip on the midfield exchanges while up front wing men TJ Tierney, Cian Bogue and his replacement Josh Doheny kept up the fight for the full hour in securing vital ball for the inside line where Robert Kerwick (0-2), Conor Murphy (0-1) and Padraig Purcell who did his best work when moved outfield all made valuable contributions to the victory. The other panellists who made the victory possible were Evan Doyle, John Prendergast,Dylan Kavanagh, Michael Power, Kevin Fitzpatrick Robert Murphy and Jack Roche
A deserved victory this was and the players had to work hard to secure it the fact that they did augurs well and we congratulate all concerned and look forward to the future with renewed optimism.