County Football Champions Division One

Front left: Sam Buckley, Marc Long, Peadar Kelliher, Finn Kennelly, Sean Dineen, Cian Doyle,(Captain),Patrick  Lyons, Harry Kelly, Robert Brooks, Ted O’Gorman. Back Left: Tom Cahillane, Aimee Coffey, Maksym Leon, Darragh O’Brien, Charlie Keating, Abigail Murphy, Alicia Burke, Eddie Moroney, Sophie Dennehy, Darren Ryan,   Rocco Sheehan, Matthew O’Connor, Luke Murphy, Ryan O’Leary,  Mr. Corcoran, teacher, missing from picture Cian Myers and Mr Kelly, teacher.

Fossa School were crowned County Football Division One Champions 2016/2017 for a historic first time on Wednesday November 16th in Austin Stack Park Tralee. They defeated St Olivers Ballycasheen in a thrilling encounter after extra time under floodlights in front of a large crowd.

Despite playing against a strong breeze St Olivers dominated the first half. Alex Hennigan the St Olivers centre half forward was proving to be a threat every time he was in possession and his team deserved to be a head at the interval by 5pts to 3pts.

Patrick Lyons kicked a point immediately after the resumption to leave the minimum between the teams but after that St Oliver’s hit a purple streak by scoring four unanswered points. With three minutes left on the clock St Oliver’s led by 9pts to 4pts. Fossa then reduced the margin to 4pts with another Patrick Lyons free. Suddenly the game took a dramatic turn when Fossa’s centre half forward Darren Ryan scored a brilliant goal, low and hard into the Oliver’s net leaving a point between them as we were entering added time. Fossa won the next kick out and Ryan O Leary scored a wonderful equalising score from out on the wing against the breeze. The tension was palpable in the crowd as both sides tried to manufacture a late winner but the referee soon blew the final whistle to signal extra time.

The excitement was at fever pitch as both faced into extra time. Fossa made the brighter start and went ahead by two points scored by Patrick Lyons and Ryan O Leary. St Oliver’s showed tremendous fighting spirit by scoring two superb points against the wind to level the scores again at half time.

Fossa faced an uphill battle in the last period of extra time as they faced a stiffening breeze. All team members showed tremendous resilience and fighting spirit in the final few minutes. Ryan O Leary scored a tremendous goal within two minutes of the re-start to put Fossa into the lead for the first time during the game. The entire Fossa team continued to drive forward and scored two additional points to ensure that the County Division One trophy would be brought back to Fossa for the first time in the school’s history.

Cian Doyle who was the proud captain Fossa lifted the trophy amid joyous scenes from the ecstatic Fossa supporters. He thanked both Mr Corcoran and Mr Kelly for all their time and commitment in preparing them so well. He also thanked St Oliver’s for a sporting and spirited game. Finally he thanked the entire panel of players in the Fossa team for their commitment to training over the previous two months.

Eddie Moroney was a very assured goalkeeper and brought off a crucial save in extra time. The full back line of Finn Kennelly Robert Brooks and Marc Long was tenacious and tight marking and ensured that the Oliver’s inside forward line were kept scoreless. The half back line of Peadar Kelliher, Cian Doyle and Sam Buckley gradually became more dominant as the game progressed and became the launching pad for Fossa’s spirited comeback. Charlie Keating and Séan Dineen were strong and uncompromising at midfield. Unfortunately Séan Dineen who bravely left his hospital bed earlier in the day was forced to leave the field through injury in the first half but Alicia Burke proved to be a very able replacement. Our half forward line of Ryan O Leary, Darren Ryan and Sophie Dennehy were excellent throughout and delivered some crucial scores when Fossa needed them most. The inside forward line of Patrick Lyons Rocco Sheehan and Harry Kelly showed tirelessly as targets for the duration of the game and they had a pronounced influence on the result finally tilting Fossa’s way. All Fossa’s substitutes, Matthew O Connor, Tom Cahillane, Darragh O Brien, Ted O Gorman, Maksym Brice Leon, Luke Murphy, Abigail Murphy, Amy Coffey, Cian Myres, played a significant part in helping Fossa to win seven successive games which granted them the ultimate honour of becoming County Champions.