CONWAY CUP FINAL 2006

Conway Cup  Final

By Stevie Keane

Tir Chonaill Gaels...................1-13

St. Brendans (Holders)............2-06

Tir Chonaill Gaels and St Brendans contested the first London Senior Football final of the year when the met in the Conway Cup decider.  Much like the Final of 2005 Championship, the result saw the Gaels again come out on top.

The Gaels got off to a dream start when a shot by JP Breslin was blocked but was dispatched clinically into the net by underage star Andy Gallagher. JP Boyle added a point from a free, before Brendans scored their first point of the day, from full forward Killian Phair.

Both sides then squandered chances as players tried hard to impress their managers with the Championship looming. The Gaels, looking the slicker, added further scores from Johnny McLoughlin and Denis Trearty, following excellent midfield work by the dominant JP Breslin. St Brendan’s wing forward Adrian Brett then added a point from play before the Brendan’s notched up a goal.

A foul on St Brendan’s talisman Shane Manley was quickly dispatched into the Gaels net by the same player and despite the protests of the Gaels defence, who felt the free was taken from the wrong place, the score stood.

Gaels responded immediately with a fine solo run and score from captain Paddy McConigley. Both teams then swapped scores with Andy Gallagher on target for the Gaels and Adrian Brett for the Brendan’s scoring a fine point after excellent work by Paddy Bowles.

The Gaels then squandered three frees before Gallagher added a point from distance leaving the half time score 1-6 to 1-3 in favour of the Greenford men.

St Brendans started the second half brighter with a point from Paddy Bowles.  Gaels again asserted their dominance with two great scores from centre half-forward John Cullinane. Another fine score came from Gallagher who collected a sideline pass from McConigley before turning and shooting.

Brendans began to press to gain a foothold in the game, but were guilty of squandering chances. They can count themselves unlucky not to have registered a goal but were denied by fine blocks from Gaels 'keeper Gavin McAvoy and corner back Stephen Boyle.

Gaels steadied the ship when McLoughlin notched up his second score. Brendanss then introduced Niall Clinton who added two points. Cullinane responded with his third point of the day which should have saw the Gaels coast to victory.

However Brendans were rewarded with a goal from Brett after another quick free which caught the Gaels defence napping. The victory was finally sealed when Johnny McLoughlin popped over a close range free to see the Gaels finish four points ahead.