23/07/06 - Division 1 Playoff Final
AC Athletic (3) V Mainebank (0)
Team: Cyril Dineen
John Fitzgerald
Mark Walshe
Conor Harty
Shane Harty
Stephen Goggin
Eamon Fitzgerald
Barry Walshe
Conor Diggins
John Mike Dooley
David Leahy
Subs: John Paul Leahy for Stephen Goggin
Kieran Young for Conor Diggins
Shane Leahy for David Leahy
John Madden for Shane Harty
Team: T O'Sullivan
T O'Connor
M Kennedy
J A Hilliard
E O'Connor
A Cahillane
J O'Sullivan
P O'Sullivan
D Flaherty
J Long
M O'Connor
Subs: P O'Donoghue
T O'Sullivan
Denny Division 1 Championship Play-Off

Mainebank entered this title play-off with the record of the highest scoring team in the 1st Division. They scored 50 goals in 18 games with Mikey O'Connor winning the Golden Boot award and James Long not far behind to take the Division 1B title. But they ran into a parsimonious AC Athletic on another fine summer's day at Mounthawk Park. The Abbeydorney/Causeway based team had won more recently won the Division 1A crown and have also reached the Celsius Menswear Final and the latter stages of the Henneberys Reserve Cup. Their continuous involvement in matches paid dividends particularly in the first half. They were sharper in thought and deed than a Mainebank side who had not played for more than six weeks.

But it was the Keel side who started the better. Winger Aaron Cahillane got in behind Shane Harty to swerve a shot just past the far post with AC keeper Cyril Dineen scrambling across his line. Athletic took time to settle but when John Mike Dooley raced clear he was unceremoniously upended by Hilliard on the edge of the box. David Leahy's free beat the wall and rebounded off Mainebank keeper Tom O'Sullivan to safety. The Keel side began to defend too deeply as the outstanding Conor Harty rained a series of free kicks into the penalty area. AC took the lead from this route in the 22nd minute. Dooley's 30 yard free kick bounced awkwardly in front of O'Sullivan. This time Steve Goggin reacted quickest to stroke the ball past a startled keeper from six yards.

David Leahy had led the line with verve but in the 30th minute he missed a great chance from close range when Dooley again turned provider. But the AC striker quickly made amends two minutes later. Again Dooley knocked a ball through. This time Leahy rode a hefty challenge to fire home from just inside the area.

Mainebank looked rusty and hardly mustered a chance at goal. But they started the second half much brighter. David Flaherty in particular began to cause AC problems down both flanks. The midfielder tested Dineen from ten yards and Jer O'Sullivan brought another fine save from the netminder. But AC always looked dangerous on the break and Leahy turned his marker on the left side of the area before skimming the bar. The match began to live up to its billing as Mainebank sub Paul O'Donoghue drew a third save from Dineen from inside the penalty area. But it was another sub, ex-Rattoo man John Paul Leahy, who settled the match with nine minutes remaining. Eamon Fitzgerald, who had a fine match in midfield, won a tackle on the halfway line and sent the Ballyduff flyer on his way. Leahy outpaced his markers, drew the goalkeeper, before toepoking the ball through O'Sullivan's legs into the empty net. So AC take the Division 1 title. Their season still has some chapters to record. Mainebank will know they can and will play better than this come the autumn. But at least they are first to the deckchairs.
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