O'Reilly powers LyIT to first ever Freshers title at Breffni Park

O'Reilly powers LyIT to first ever Freshers title

It took a truly magnificent performance from captain Carlos O'Reilly to see LyIT over the line to win a first ever Freshers title at Breffni Park.

LyIT 1-15
TUD 4-5

On numerous occasions LyIT seemed to be on their way to an easy victory but the concession of goals almost sent them home with nothing.
It took two late points from man of the match Carlos O'Reilly to get the win after TUD came back from a seven point half-time deficit to go ahead with a fourth goal on 55 minutes.
At that stage also TUD were down to 14 men, having centre half-back Jack Moran sent off with a second yellow card for a tackle on O'Reilly seven minutes into the second half.
But in the end the Letterkenny boys deserved the win, even if they made hard work of it.
They were on top throughout the first quarter leading 0-5 to 0-1 before conceding the first goal on the stroke of the water break. Daniel Gildea, Carlos O'Reilly (two frees), Bannon Corrigan and Conor McGinty had hit great points.
Then just after the water break TUD struck for a second goal to take the lead 2-1 to 0-5.
LyIT recovered well with Conor Og Deneghey pointing and Cian Rooney calmly slotting a goal after good approach work by Carlos O'Reilly and Eoin De Burca.
Points followed from O'Reilly, Jack Alcorn, Deneghey and two more from O'Reilly to leave LyIT in a comfortable half-time position 1-11 to 2-1.
O'Reilly had also a shot taken off the line while at the other end the LyIT goal was almost breached a third time with Daithi Roberts making a great point blank save.
O'Reilly stretched the lead early in the second half but LyIT, despite playing against 14, didn't score again until the 47th minute, another O'Reilly free.
In between Justin Crawley got a third goal for TUD and Ollie Brooks, Dan Coughlan and Sean Kelly added points to leave it 1-13 to 3-4 at the second half water break.
Brooks cut the lead with seven minutes left and then Sean Kenny fired home a fourth goal to put TUD ahead.
But up stepped O'Reilly to hit a free and then what proved to be the winner in the 60th minute. It was fitting it was the St Michael's man who got the winner.
The Dublin side had a late chance to equalise with the 'keeper's effort from a free following just short.

LyIT: Daithi Roberts (Gaoth Dobhair); Conal McDermott (Convoy), Ferdia Doherty (N Muire), Conor Cannon (N Muire); Conor McGinty (0-1,Glenswilly), Eoin De Burca (Gaoth Dobhair), Carlos O'Reilly (0-10,7f, St Michael's); Bannon Corrigan (0-1,Louth), Jack Gillespie (Red Hugh's); Fionnan Coyle (Gaoth Dobhair), Daniel Gildea (Naomh Conaill), Neil F Molloy (Naomh Conaill); Conor Og Deneghey (0-2, Mayo), Cian Rooney (1-0, Aodh Ruadh), Jack Alcorn (0-1, Termon).
Subs: Daire Gallagher (Dungloe) for Gillespie; Liam Carty (Sligo) for McGinty; Luke Gallagher (Naomh Ultan) for Dennehy. Rest of panel: Daragh Mahon, Daniel Ward, Michael Leech, Adam Molloy, Darren Marley, Mickey McHale, Kevin McGettigan, Eoin Love.

TUD: Josh Finlay; James Gannon, Woodley Nicholson, Cormac Rowe; Cian Sutton (0-1), Jack Moran, Mark Maguire; Michael Veale, Michael Kenny; Jack Carroll, Dean Kilkenny, James McGuinness; Cian Lynch (1-0), James Dalton, Ollie Brooks (1-1).
Subs: Sean Kenny (1-1, Dan Coughlan (0-1), Cameron Liddle, Justin Crawley (1-0).