Six of the best- Celebrations as ’Green lift Premier silverware

A golden seven minute spell which delivered two goals before half-time helped Evergreen get their hands on a sixth successive Premier Division title.

The men from the Kells Road were too sharp for their city rivals Freebooters as the sides clashed in a winner-takes-all tussle at Evergreen Park. The hosts were sharpest on Sunday morning, the brace of strikes giving them a cushion that would catapult them to victory.

With so much at stake - Freebooters knew that a draw would secure them the spoils - it was no surprise that the opening exchanges were nervy. The game was tightly contested and generated few chances.

The best opportunities from the opening 20 minutes went the way of Freebooters. A dangerous ball from Harry Jordan met the head of Andy Walsh, who headed narrowly wide in the fourth minute, while 15 minutes later a Ger Hayes strike from the edge of the Evergreen box whizzed past netminder Nathen Owens’ post.

An impressive attendance in Evergreen Park was treated to an engaging opening half, with tension high on both the pitch and on the sidelines. Freebooters manager Peter Higgins would have been pleased with his side’s opening 30 minutes as the Blues shaded proceedings and seemed to be in a good position to bring the silverware back to the Fair Green trophy cabinet.

However, as the match sailed towards the final 10 minutes, the defending champions flexed their muscles. In the 37th minute, an Ethan Phelan strike from 20 yards out missed the target by a whisker.

That chance seemed to be the launchpad for what was to come.

A minute later, an Evergreen corner was parried away by goalkeeper Craig Cummins. The clearance found an unmarked Adrian Cleere who sent the ball rocketing into the ’Booters’ net.

The home supporters had barely finished celebrating their first goal when the side doubled their lead on the 45th minute. A clever move down the wing found David Grincell, who sent a delightful ball across the Freebooters area. Mikey Drennan swooped at the back post to cement his side’s advantage - delight for Evergreen, deflation for Freebooters.

The Blues were a team on a mission at the start of the second half as they looked to turn the tide back in their favour. Harry Jordan forced Nathen Owens into a fine save four minutes into the half while a Ger Hayes rasper came crashing out off the crossbar six minutes later. The experienced Henry O’Neill was introduced for the away side with 25 minutes remaining, ’Booters throwing everything they had to offer at their rivals.

Evergreen weren’t for wilting however, and began to get a grip of the contest as a growing sense of inevitability seeped into the Evergreen Park atmosphere. A dangerous Sam Hickey free kick from just outside the Freebooters box looped over the crossbar with 67 minutes played, but the third title-clinching goal did eventually come after a Freebooters attack was turned over.

Evergreen launched a counter, with Mikey Drennan sweeping up the ball with his feet. Bypassing all in his wake, he delicately dinked the ball past Cummins to bag his second of the game and another title for the men in green and white.

With the result beyond doubt the closing stages were somewhat of an anti-climax. Freebooters never gave in and continued to get the ball into dangerous areas but Evergreen’s experience proved to be too much as their know-how saw them over the line.

The celebrations will be plentiful for the Kells Road outfit in the weeks to come, but the defence of their title plus an assault on cup competitions inside and outside the county to look forward to Gary Maher’s side won’t be short of motivation when the new season begins.

Evergreen: Nathan Owens, Tommy Earls, Adrian Cleere, Lee Delaney, Sam Hickey, Ethan Phelan, John Dunleavy, Decky McQuillan, Tadhg O’Dwyer, David Grincell, Mikey Drennan.

Freebooters: Craig Cummins, Ger Hayes, Chris Phelan, David Rice, Joe Banville, Ben Ryan, Jamie Holden, Seanie Bolger, Andy Walsh, Jim Ryan, Harry Jordan.

Referee: Jason Moore. Assistants: Eoin Walsh, Ollie Falsey.