St Kiernans crowned winners of London Under-16 Football Championship

ST KIERNANS 2-12

PARNELLS 2-10

London U16 Football Championship Final

ST KIERNANS have proved they’re the real deal at both senior and youth level as their youngsters claimed the London Under-16 Championship in Greenford last Saturday.

It was a pulsating encounter with Parnells on the losing end, the score ending up 2-12 to 2-10 in favour of the Kiernans, with Elliot McPhun (1-3) one of their star performers in full-forward.

The sides traded scores early on and were level at two points apiece before Parnells began to pull away, Harry Logan, Niall Bradshaw and Josh Obahor scoring without reply to put their side three points up.

George Cooling and McPhun hit back for Kiernans though, who would finish the half the stronger, and they’d re-take the lead when Niall Duggan finished off a move with a goal that wouldn’t have looked out of place on a soccer field, drilling a low pull-back into the roof of the net.

Another point from McPhun took Kiernans into the break 1-5 to 0-5 up.

Kiernans started the second-half as they finished the first, with Matthew Joyce adding to their tally from close range, though Lewis Dickinson kicked a superb free moments later.

It set the tone for an end-to-end second period. Kiernans forward Joe McCarry then hit the score of the match – a sublime point from wide right – but Parnells responded through Niall Twoomey’s low finish into the bottom corner of the net.

At 1-7 to 1-6, Kiernans still had their noses in front but it was anyone's game. Harry Logan then stepped up to the plate for Parnells, hitting three fantastic points from play without reply.

Back came Kiernans though, and with 10 minutes remaining the sides were level at 1-9 apiece.

Joyce and McCarry put Kiernans two points up, but Parnells' Niall Bradshaw flicked on a big punt into the box to swing the game back in his side's favour with six minutes left to play.

However, a misjudgement in the Parnells defence allowed McPhun to cancel it out with a goal of their own, the perfect response from Kiernans.

Horgan (Parnells) and Joyce (Kiernans, free) traded points in the closing moments, as Kiernans took the title with two points to spare.

It was a fascinating encounter, played with a high level of skill and commitment from both sets of youngsters, which can only bode well for the future of the two clubs.

SCORERS

Parnells

H Logan (0-4)

L Horgan (0-1)

J Obahor (0-1)

L Dickinson (0-2, 2fs)

K Rice (0-1)

N Twoomey (1-0)

N Bradshaw (1-1)

St Kiernans

S Kirwan (0-1)

M Joyce (0-4, 2fs)

G Cooling (0-2, 1f)

J McCarry (0-2)

N Duggan (1-0)

E McPhun (1-3)