Kildorrery 1 - 10  Clonakilty 1- 05

An evenly balanced Kildorrery side proved too good for Clonakilty in last year's Co. MBHL final at St Michael's GAA Grounds (Mahon) on Sunday last. These side met in the championship quarter-final last year with the West Cork outfit emerging winners and later going on to take the Co championship title.

On Sunday last in the delayed County league final the Avondhu side were the better side for most of the game showing the greater teamwork and determination and they had some great performances from Michael Lillis, David Aherne, John McCarthy, Liam O'Keeffe, Diarmuid Dennehy, Shane Fitzgerald, James Magnier, John O'Connor and David Kelly.

The opening half was a close affair with the game evenly balanced at 0-3 to 1-0 by the end of the first quarter. The physically stronger West Cork side began to enjoy their best period during this half and quick points from David Horan and James Cullinane opened up a two point game by the 19th minute. Kildorrery struck a number of bad wides during this period but were to finish the half the better side and two minutes later a great clearance out of the half back line by David Aherne led to John O'Connor scoring a fine point. The winners forced two late '65s' that the accurate Shane Fitzgerald pointed from on both occasions to hold a 06 to 1-2 lead at the break.

On the restart Kildorrery got off to best possible start when David Kelly had their goal to extend their lead further. Over the next couple of minutes their was an exchange of points between Tomas Clancy and Shane Fitzgerald by the 40th minute while John O'Connor and Justin McCarthy also traded another point by the 48th minute 1-8 to 1-4.

Clonakilty tried hard all through but they lacked the scoring threat that Kildorrery possessed and came close to a goal midway through the half when one of the best players David Horan was narrowly wide. Instead it was the winners that finished the better side with Shane Fitzgerald very effective at centre forward and in the last five minutes he added two late points for Kildorrery while James Cullinane had a late point for Clonakilty but their was no denying Kildorrery their deserved win to add to the four North Cork Minor B Hurling and Football titles they collected last year.

County Minor Board PRO Martin O'Brien presented the cup to captain John McCarthy.

KILDORRERY: S Walsh; C O'Baoil, M Lillis, R Fox; D Aherne, J McCarthy, T Lane; D Dennehy, L O'Keeffe; R Lillis, S Fitzgerald 0-7 (0-2f, 0-2 '65), J Magnier; N Fitzgibbon, J O'Connor 0-2, D Kelly 1-1. Sub: N Kelly for L O'Keeffe (injured).

CLONAKILTY: B Downey; D McCarthy, J O'Brien, M Sheehy; G O'Donovan, O Hayes, K Murphy; D Horan 0-1, A Murphy; T Clancy 0-1, D Nagle, A Holland; S O'Connell, J McCarthy 1-1 (0-1f), J Cullinane 0-2. Sub: G Callanan for K Murphy.

REFEREE: Peter Hogan (Carrigtwohill)