St. Barry’s bring home the bacon for first time in 17 years
St. Barry's Eoghan Diffley lifts the Junior A Cup to confirm the East Roscommon club as champions for the first time since 2007 following their victory against Clann na nGael at Dr. Hyde Park. Picture: Courtesy of Roscommon GAA
St. Barry’s needed extra time to overcome Clann na nGael in Saturday afternoon’s Junior A football final at Dr. Hyde Park to win the club’s first championship title in 17 years.
Emotional scenes accompanied a famous 0-17 to 0-12 victory for the Tarmonbarry-based club as, led by captain Eoghan Diffley and Cillian Campbell, they recovered from a nervous start to deservedly claim a famous scalp.
The winners looked set for their first title since 2007 in regulation time when substitute John Murtagh’s 59th minute free edged Colin Clarke’s side ahead for the first time in the match.
But Cathal Shine, who was always to the fore for Clann throughout, landed a magnificent equaliser to tie up the game at 0-11 apiece.
But St. Barry's found an extra gear to prevail by five points and bring the cup back to Tarmonbarry.
Clann kicked the first four scores of the match through Tomás O’Neill, Cian McManus, Gavin McManus and Shine but Barry’s put their early nervousness behind them to land the final four points of the half from captain Eoghan Diffley (2), Emmet Conroy and Aidan O’Boyle inside the last ten minutes to leave the sides deadlocked, 0-4 apiece, at the break.
Once again, Clann surged ahead at the beginning of the new half with a rapid-fire double from Tomás O’Neill. But they could never shake a determined and gutsy Barry’s side off as Diffley and Campbell remained at the heart of all the good things their side did.
A point from Ronan Gavin, when there was a goal for the taking, in the 48th minute left Clann 0-10 to 0-7 ahead but Barry’s registered the final four scores to leave themselves on the cusp of history until Shine intervened to bring the game to extra time.
But Barry’s ruthlessly punished Clann mistakes on the resumption as they surged four points clear in the first period of extra time, helped by a double from Diffley, a point from Shane McGarry, and a magnificent effort from All-Ireland minor winner from 2006, David Keenan.
Clann had no more left to give, and further points from Murtagh and Player of the Match Diffley confirmed St. Barry’s as champions.
