Junior D Championship
Sat 20th Sept JDFC Final Summerhill 0-12 Seneschalstown 1-10
Seneschalstown clinched the inaugural JFC D title sponsored by Scanlon’s of Kilberry in dramatic fashion as a late Alan Oakes goal secured victory over Summerhill at Dunsany on Saturday 20th September.
The Yellow Furze side fully deserved their success for they hung in there even when the game appeared to have slipped away from them and just as in the drawn semi-final against Dunsany it was their centre-half-forward who popped up with the vital score.
Junior D Championship
Sat 20th Sept JDFC Final Summerhill 0-12 Seneschalstown 1-10
Seneschalstown clinched the inaugural JFC D title sponsored by Scanlon’s of Kilberry in dramatic fashion as a late Alan Oakes goal secured victory over Summerhill at Dunsany on Saturday 20th September.
The Yellow Furze side fully deserved their success for they hung in there even when the game appeared to have slipped away from them and just as in the drawn semi-final against Dunsany it was their centre-half-forward who popped up with the vital score.
The outcome was tough on a Summerhill that recovered from a 0-4 to 0-7 interval deficit to make most of the running in the second-half. Significantly they never managed to go further than two points in front and were always vulnerable to the sucker punch.
A good crowd watched the game on a pleasant autumn evening at the well-appointed venue
Sporting a change strip of blue they were left to rue 14 wides, ten of which were recorded when playing into road end in the first half. The Yellow Furze side were more economical and ended up sending just nine efforts to the wrong side of the posts.
Seneschalstown’s match winner was the most influential player in the opening half and his pace caused serious problems for his marker Denis Farrell.
The Summerhill mentors waited until near the break before making a switch but after Eamon O’Shea moved out from corner-back, Oakes never subsequently threatened until that late strike.
With one last throw of the dice Seneschalstown manager Francis Flynn put additional pressure on the Summerhill rearguard by replacing corner-back Michael O’Donoghue with a forward, Colin Carter.
16-year-old Stephen Sheridan sent in a free -from distance that was knocked down by the prolific Alan Geraghty into the path of Oakes who made no mistake from close range.
Geraghty’s accuracy was a vital component of Seneschalstown success and his tally of seven points included five frees, a ’45’ and one from play. Sheridan apart, the rest of the winners’ attack didn’t make much of an impact.
The mobile pairing of Stephen Kennedy and Alan Bruton had the better of the midfield exchanges and team captain Declan Martin dropped deep to dig them out as a resurgent Summerhill upped their game on the resumption.
Seneschalstown’s Francis Sheridan put himself under needless pressure by foolishly picking up a yellow card in the first quarter. At the back team captain Ciaran Finnegan had a fine hour as did Darren Sheehy at wing back.
Fortunes ebbed and flowed. Seneschalstown had the better of a tame opening quarter and two points each from Stephen Sheridan and Geraghty left them 0-4 to 0-2 in front.
With Bruton and Kennedy coming to the fore the south county side had the better of the second quarter and P. J. McDonnell restored parity for the second time seven minutes before half-time.
The eventual winners suffered a setback when goalkeeper Andrew Morgan injured his right knee when taking a kickout and his replacement Stephen Finnegan quickly got a feel ball when two efforts dropped short. Otherwise he was never really tested.
Summerhill were quick off the mark on the restart and just over 30 seconds elapsed before Stephen McNally pointed and Declan Martin cut the margin to the minimum shortly after.
Cathal Ennis created both scores but the Yellow Furze side regained the initiative as Geraghty restored the interval margin with two pointed free.
Around the three quarter-mark the John Shaw’s men regained the initiative and five points in a five-minute spell to go 0-11 to 0-9 in front. However, veteran full-forward Fechin O’Reilly might be returning to Italy with a winner’s medal had his rasper not struck the crossbar, he managed to put the rebound over the bar.
Substitute Mark Lynch was making a big impression but significantly his side added just one further score in the final ten minutes and pointed free from P. J. McDonnell.
After the match, Colm Gannon, Treasurer Meath County Board presented the Richard ‘Dixer’ Dunne Cup to the winning captain Ciaran Finnegan.
Seneschalstown – A. Morgan; M. O’Donoghue, C. Finnegan, A. Cowley; D. Sheehy, P. Whitney, C. Monaghan; F. Sheridan, K. Casey; S. Curtis, A. Oakes (1-1), S. Sheridan (0-2); K. Clarke, A. Geraghty (0-7), D. Byrne. Subs – M. Clarke for Byrne, S. Finnegan for Morgan, J. O’Reilly for Curtis, C. Lettis for Cowley, C. Carter for O’Donoghue.
Summerhill – D. Gaffney; E. O’Shea, B. Elliott, C. Martin; C. Ennis, D. Farrell, P. McGlynn (0-1); A. Bruton, S. Kennedy; D. Williams (0-1), P.J. McDonnell (0-3), S. McNally (0-4); D. Martin (0-1), F. O’Reilly (0-2), S. Ryan. Sub – S. Lynch for Ryan.
Referee – F. Lynch (Drumbaragh)
