U21 FC final: Second-half show seals first title for Dunboyne
December 01, 2018
Dunboyne keeper Cian Flynn claims possession ahead of Ratoath's Tiarnan Ahearne during the Meath U21 FC final at Pairc Tailteann
A superb second show saw Dunboyne overcome Ratoath to claim the Under 21 FC crown for the first time at Pairc Tailteann on Saturday afternoon.
Dunboyne ........ 3-10
Ratoath ........... 1-11
To view photos from this game click here
Dunboyne success added to a memorable year for the club on the pitch with Joey McKeown Cup sitting alongside the SFC and JFC titles.
It didn't look good for Dunboyne when they trailed by five points at the break having just scored two points when playing into the two goal in the opening 30 minutes.
Subs sprung for Dunboyne for the second-half pitched in with 2-2. Michael Murphy scored 1-2 before Sean O'Rourke's goal left it 3-8 to 0-10 after 53 minutes.
Ratoath pulled back a goal with Andrew Gerrard's excellent solo effort. That left just a goal between the sides, 3-8 to 1-11, after 58 minutes.
However, Ratoath were consigned to the runners-up spot in this competition for the second year running.
Within five minutes of resumption, Dunboyne's deficit was down to the minimum as a Jack Cox point was followed by a Cathal Lacey goal.
The latter then sent over a magnificient point to level matters for the third and final time.
David McEntee's 38th minute free earned Dunboyne the lead they would take to the finish and a memorable success.
Just the minimum separated the sides heading into the final quarter before the aforementioned goals decided matters.
Following Ratoath's mini-rally, two David McEntee frees settled matters and crown a memorable year for Dunboyne. Ger Robinson's charges outscored Ratoath by 3-8 to 1-4 in the second-half to complete an impressive turnaround.
Both sides had a player dismissed in the latter stages with Dunboyne's Sean Ryan and Ratoath's Connell Ahearne departing after separate incidents.
On an overcast afternoon scores were scarce early on with just three produced in the opening quarter. Two points from play in the 12th minute put Dunboyne in front briefly following Cian Rogers ninth minute free troubled the scoreboard operator first.
Ratoath responded with six successive points to led by 0-7 to 0-2 at the interval.
Rogers posted four from frees while Connell Ahearne (two) and David McGowen chipped in from play.
That left Ratoath in a promising position on a good December afternoon for football. Dunboyne's second-half riposte was amply rewarded.
Dunboyne - Cian Flynn (jc); Padraig Lavin, David O'Keefe, Cian O'Dwyer; Eoghan Ryan (jc), Sean Ryan, Ben McBrien; Ronan Jones, Jack Donnelly; Cathal Lacey (1-1), Jack Cox (0-2), Ronan Duggan; Darragh Nolan (0-1 f), Fergal Watters, David McEntee (0-4, 3fs) . Subs - Michael Murphy (1-2) for Duggan (ht), Liam Byrne for O'Keefe, Sean O'Rourke (1-0) for Watters (45), Paddy Conway for Cox (bc 46), Lorcan Conway for Lacey (60)
Ratoath - Daire McPartlin; Ryan Kelly, Cormac Butler, Enda Cahill; Peter Barry, Ben Wyer, Padraic Byrne (0-1); David McGowan (0-1), Ben McGowan (C); Cian Rogers (0-4fs), Conal Ahearne (0-4, 2fs), Jack Flynn; Andrew Gerrard (1-0), Tom Fadden, Tiarnan Ahearne. Subs - Conor O'Sullivan for Butler (59), Sean Johnson for Kelly (45), Leigh Sullivan (0-1) for Barry (45), Conor O'Sullivan for Butler (60)
Referee - Padraic Coyle (Seneschalstown)
