PHOTOS/REPORT: Causeway Triumph After Extra-Time Against Crotta O'Neills

Mike O’Halloran reports on the Acorn Life Under 21 Hurling Championship Final on Saturday in Austin Stack Park…

Causeway 1-12

Crotta O’Neills 0-10

Joseph Diggin celebrates a vital extra-time point. Photo by Dermot Crean

This game went to extra time but it didn’t look like it would go down to the wire earlier on in the first half, when Causeway led by four points, 0-6 to 0-2.

Gary Carey opened the scoring with a point and Darragh O’Donoghue replied for Crotta. Brandon Barrett had two points followed by Dan Goggin with one and Gary Carey with three before halftime.

Brandon Barrett also had a goal chance and Barry O’Mahony added two points for Crotta, to leave the halftime score Causeway 0-7 Crotta 0-3.

Continued below…

In the second half Darragh O’Donoghue pointed after he received from Barry O’Mahony. A foul on O’Donoghue led to a converted free from O’Mahony, so a two point game now with Crotta playing with the wind.

Crotta had created a few scoring chances, but with over elaboration, the chances were spurned.

A scramble for the ball. Photo by Dermot Crean

Gary Carey pointed on 40 minutes, nine minutes later Brandon Barrett bore down on goal but could not finish the chance.

At the other end Barry O’Mahony had three points in a row to bring the game to extra time, the scoreboard reading eight points each.

Joe Diggin was fouled at the beginning of the first period of extra time Carey pointed the free, Stephen Murphy tore through the Crotta defence for a great point.

Gavin Dooley is hooked by Tomás O’Connor. Photo by Dermot Crean

Barry O’Mahony reduced it to a one-point game with a free but Joe Diggin made it nine to eleven, with Dan Goggin very influential for Causeway.

Causeway led by two at the halftime break in extra time, eleven points to nine.

Brandon Barrett was brought down outside the D and Gary Carey converted the free. Crotta had a goal chance chased out to the wing by Darren Barrett.

With four minutes left, Darragh Behan pointed for Crotta and then Crotta had a last gasp free to pull a win out of the fire with the scoreboard reading Causeway 0-12 Crotta 0-10, even Adam O’Sullivan even came up from goals to try and force a goal.

With the clock gone to red, Joe Diggin blasted to the net for Causeway to put the game beyond Crotta O’Neills. SCROLL DOWN FOR PHOTOS…