Pat O’Brien Cup Final
Aidan McAnespies made it three Pat O’Brien Cups on the trot
with an impressive victory against the Wolfe Tones at the Irish Cultural Center
in Canton, Mass Saturday evening.
Conditions were perfect as McAnespies set the Tones early, putting an
impressive 10 points over the bar in the first half. The second saw the Macs continue to maintain the pressure against
a Tones team that, although they were missing a handful of key players, battled
hard throughout.
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Shane McKenna tackles Mike O'Brien as
Eoin Gormley looks on.
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Philip McCusker at corner forward pointed to open affairs,
and was followed by Sean Cournane – who was a member of the 2011 McAnespies North
American Championship team. Paschal Connell,
who was a force for the Tones throughout the game, got his side off the mark and
was soon followed by Mike O’Brien. The
Tones were stuck on 2 points for lengthy period and McAnespies slowly widened the
gap. There was some great work in the McAnespie
forward line and a combination of scores from play and accurate free taking
from Robbie Smith saw the Macs lead open a 6 point lead. Before
the half ended a Tones goal from Connell gave them hope entering the second
period and it was a 0-10 to 1-2 Macs lead at the mid-point.
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Declan Hughes, presented with the Pat O'Brien Cup
by Boston Northeast Chairman, Peter Murray.
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The Tones got within 4 points early in the second half as O’Brien
popped over a couple, and Paul Clifford pointed from distance. With some good work from Paudie Kenneally at
corner back and Enda Cahill in the middle of the field there was a glimmer of
an opportunity, however a McAnespies goal snuffed that out. It was well worked with McAnespies finding
the open men well. Anthony Cournane found McCusker on the edge of the box, and
the big man from Magherafelt did not miss.
McAnespies now found spaces in the Tones back line and another goal near
the final whistle from Longford man, Smith, put the finishing touches on a
third O’Brien Cup in as many years for McAnespies.
Tones: Shane Hayes,
Keith Gill, Paudie Kenneally, James Farrell, Paul Clifford, Patrick Collins,
Enda Cahill, Paschal O’Connell, Mike O’Brien, Cathal Moriarty, Thomas Beckett,
Oisin McCormack, Dan Kelleally.
Macs: Robbie Croft,
Conor Maunsell, Ronan Murphy, Shane McKenna, Declan Hughes, Anthony Cournane,
Peter O’Connor, Gareth O’Neill, Conor Bogue, Seanie Cournane, Eoin Gormley,
Philip McCusker, Robbie Smith.
By Rory O'Donnell
