The Minor Boys produced a gutsy and determined display in their final Division 1B league/championship match to secure a draw with Roche Emetts and end the campaign on a positive note. The match itself was a hard fought one with Roche happy to retain possession, be patient on the ball and work their scores while the Gers were looking to move the ball more quickly and feed the inside forward line with early balls. The boys were working hard all over the pitch, the forwards pressing on the Roche kick outs and trying to find space when we were in possession, the midfield battle was intriguing with neither side managing to get on top for any period of time, and the defence denying their opponents time and space on the ball. Scores would be exchanged throughout the first half with neither side getting any sort of a lead. Some lapses of concentration in the Gers defence would be costly with the concession of 1-3 as a direct result of individual errors. However the response from the boys each time was positive and they would reduce the deficit by getting scores on the board quickly. Half time scores were Gers 2-04 Roche 3-03. Either side of half time the team had a double setback with the loss of full back Niall Henry and Midfielder Beanón Corrigan through injury with a major reshuffling of the team necessary. The second half started in the same fashion as the first with early scores being exchanged. With the Gers pressing they were unable to convert their chances and following the water break would be 3 points down when Roche found the net with a well taken goal. The boys responded well and continued to take the game to their opponents. It was nip and tuck but no breakthrough could be found until a quickly taken free just outside the 20m line was played over the top by Brian Cafferty and was calmly dispatched to the net by Frank McGrory to draw the sides level with 2 minutes remaining. But the drama was far from over! Roche believed they had won the game at the death with a point on the break however a short kickout allowed the Gers to calmly work the ball out and into the scoring zone where Mark Leavy would create enough space to split the posts from 25m and level things up yet again. The referee would sound the final whistle immediately and the result was just reward for a very determined and dogged display. The team was Conor Rafferty, Eoin Cassidy, Niall Henry, Sean Connor, Adam Hoban, Jai Akhal, Gavin Lynch, Brian Cafferty 0-04, Beanón Corrigan 0-01, Adam Gartlan, Jamie Callan, Neil Gartlan, Barra Duffy 0-01, Danny Nordone 2-01, Neil McQuillan, Ferdia McDonnell, Frank McGrory 1-00, Jack Mulvihill, James Reilly, Senan Carroll, Eoin Flanaghan, Mark Leavy 0-02, Niall Brennan and Fiachra O’Hanlon. Well done to all who attended and also to the parents who came out and supported the team.