Four-goal Collins inspires Na Piarsaigh to minor 'A' football final win over Ahane

CLINICAL Na Piarsaigh capture of the county minor A football championship title with a power-packed 6-10 to 2-6 dismissal of Ahane in Wednesday final in Mick Neville Park in Rathkeale.

Although Ahane kept in contact until early in the second half, they lacked the strength-in-depth in their lineup to hold off the constant waves of attacks set up by their opponent's dominant half-back line and finished off by the outstanding Tommy Glynn and Daniel Collins's four-goal blitz which had the trophy destined for Caherdavin long before Kieran Guina called time.

Despite starting into the stiff breeze, Ahane dominated the early exchanges and, although their first two efforts missed the target, Liam Óg Glynn and Dara McLoughney got them off the mark with points. Matters changed, however, once Na Piarsaigh got the ball past midfield and, pressing the Castleconnell side's kickout, found the space for Mark Hogan and Tommy Glynn to draw them level with points.

Pressing high into their opponents' half, Na Piarsaigh then tacked on points from Paul McDonagh, another Glynn pointed free and joint-skipper Darragh Jordan. 

The breakthrough came after an earlier goal attempt from a passing movement flashed wide, when Mark Hogan buried Glynn's pass in the net and this was quickly followed by Glynn's point.

Conor Ryan pointed in reply only to be immediately cancelled out with Glynn goaling off a breaking ball from a blocked earlier attempt.

Ahane's next score from Liam Óg Glynn was responded to in emphatic fashion as Collins pounced on Eoin Brosnan's long delivery for the first of his goal haul.

Ryan's goal, taking the lay-off after Donal Dawson sliced through the challenges, gave some hope for Ahane, before Tommy Glynn and Dawson swapped points to leave the Caherdavin club leading 3-7 to 1-5 at half-time.

Two minutes after the restart, Ahane raided down the right and Liam Óg Glynn blasted the ball past Ben O'Regan's reach to reduce the gap further to five points.

However, Na Pairsaigh immediately dashed any hopes Ahane had of extending a remarkable recovery when Collins climbed highest to grab a long delivery from the sky, before turning and drilling the ball to the corner of the net.

Follow up points by Tommy Glynn, McDonagh and Glynn again had the game done and dusted well before the three-quarter mark.

After an extended scoreless spell, Collins flicked home another goal at the end of a flowing attack for his hat-trick.

Then, after Jack Cosgrave pointed in reply for Ahane, Collins added his fourth goal of the contest coming up to the final whistle as he picked his spot in the corner at the end of a scintillating solo from the half-way line.

SCORERS: NA PIARSAIGH: Daniel Collins 4-0, Tommy Glynn 1-6 (2 frees), Mark Hogan 1-1, Paul McDonagh 0-2, Darragh Jordan 0-1; AHANE: Liam Óg Glynn 1-2 (0-1 free), Conor Ryan 1-1, Dara Moloughney, Donal Dawson, Jack Cosgrave 0-1 each.

NA PIARSAIGH: Ben O'Regan; Seán Harrington, Louis Murphy, Adam Fitzsimons; Harry McGann, Darragh Jordan, Eoin Brosnan; Ronan Benson, John Robinson; Daniel Collins, Leon Power, Mark Hogan; Tadhg Mullane, Tommy Glynn, Paul McDonagh. SUBS: Adam Hallihan for Seán Harrington (half-time), Mike Duggan for Tadhg Mullane (half-time), Alex Robinson for Paul McDonagh (47 minutes), Thomas Fitzgerald for Adam Fitzsimons (53 minutes), Brian Crowley for Eoin Brosnan (53 minutes).

AHANE: Cian O'Leary; Seán Cahill, John Clifford, Eoin Coughlan; Antóin Donohue, James Rennison, Paddy Hussey; Liam Óg Glynn, Donal Dawson; James Benson, Jack Cosgrave, Conor Ryan; Rowan Brady, Pierce Walters, Dara McLoughney. SUBS: Shane Gill for James Benson (20 minutes), Ronan Butler for Seán Cahill (half-time), Tony Ryan for Eoin Coughlan (half-time), Nathan Carey for Dara Moloughney (50 minutes), Liam Connolly for Ronan Brady (50 minutes).

REFEREE: Kieran Guina (Castlemahon).