Athgarvan all the way in Junior 'A'
The Athgarvan side that won the 2026 Junior 'A' Football Championship. All Photos: Sean Brilly.
Athgarvan are the The Tom Cross Junior A Football champions after they enjoyed a two-point win over Roberstown on Thursday evening in Manguard Park Hawkfield.
On a cold, but dry evening, conditions were perfect for football as Roberstown sought to defend the title they had won 12 months earlier. But two opening half Athgarvan goals gave them the platform to keep Roberstown at bay throughout and although Roberstown did get in front once they could never pull away.
Athgarvan got the perfect start when Jordan Nolan Mullaly's deft flick on set up Eoghan Dunne and he finished low for the games opening goal and score of the game. Cian Doyle added a point seven minutes in and Athgarvan were four up.
Roberstown were slow into stride and it took 11 minutes for Tirnon Byrne to get the first score. Kevin Dowling quickly added a second from distance and then Joe Kavanagh hit a two-point free from 50 metres. Dowling then added his second and Roberstown were in front for the only time at the end of the opening quarter.
Athgarvan responded with three points of their own Cian Scanloc,from a tight angle, Eoghan Dunne and Jordan Nolan-Mullaly all on target. As we have many times in the past, Roberstown weren't going away and a brilliant two-pointer from Diarmuid Healy had the sides back on level terms.
A Euan Brown free and a Niall Murphy white came either side of a first from Danny Scully and when it looked like the sides would finish the half with Athgarvan a point ahead the men from the Curragh fired home a second goal. Doyle and Dunne combined to set up Cameron Hughes who made no mistake and Athgarvan lead 2-6 to 0-8.
Dowling gave Roberstown the perfect start to the second half, but their hopes were quickly eroded as Brown hit right back with a third Athgarvan goal.
Driven on by Scully from centre back, Roberstown hit three scores in a row. DJ Percival converted a free, Kavanagh landed a point off the left and a long Scully centre was fielded by Kavanagh who crashed to the net. Game on again.
The closing quarter was score for score as both sides battled for the silverware. Nolan-Mullaly and Brown pointed either side of another from Scully. Murphy and Scully swapped points with five minutes to play but Roberstown couldn't get any closer.
Late Athgarvan points from Derek Nolan and Brown saw them move move three ahead and despite one last Roberstown attack, Tirnon Byrne's effort flew over the crossbar and Athgarvan were over the line.
The win was fully deserved against a dogged and determined Roberstown side who battled in defence of last years title. Athgarvan will enjoy the winter with some silverware on the sideboard, but their ambitions will be on better run in the Junior Championship in 2027.
Daragh Dempsey; Calum Sourke, Mark Connolly, Eoin Connolly; Kevin Curran, Daniel Vali, Conor Cummins; Cameron Hughes 1-0, Niall Murphy 0-2; Cian Doyle 0-1, Cian Scanlon 0-1, Euan Brown 1-3 (0-2f); Derek Craddock, Jordan Nolan-Mullaly 0-3 (1tp), Eoghan Dunne 1-1.
Daniel Cummins for D Vali 47, Derek Nolan 0-1 for C Scanlon 50, Eoin Myers for D Craddock 55.
Luke Percoval; Peter Hogarty, Anthony Moran, Conor Walsh; Craig O'Sullivan, Danny Scully 0-4, Ross Kavanagh; James McGrath, Niall Kane; Diarmuid Healy 0-3 (2pt), Aidan Gillen, Kevin Dowling 0-3; Tirnon Byrne 0-2, Joe Kavanagh 1-3 (1tpf), Jason Butler.
DJ Percival 0-1 (1f) for J Butler and Cole Lyons for A Gillen H/T, Ryan Bagnall for A Moran 46, John O'Sullivan for D Healy 53.
Damien Whelan.
