Semi-final fence proves a difficult hurdle
November 27, 2010losing out to Nobber and Boardsmill in the respective penultimate round ties.
Turning the clock back a few years and the club was represented in senior ranks in both the big and small ball games. However, they were relegated from the SHC in 2004 and the following year their stay in senior football going back to 1991 came to an end.
After two successive quarter-final appearances in the IFC, Dunderry exited the race for the Mattie McDonnell Cup at the 'semi' stage in 2009 and this year, they trod an unbeaten path in the group phase before getting the better of promoted junior champions Longwood in the quarter-final.
With Dunderry's former All-Ireland winner Barry Callaghan in charge with Stephen O'Rourke, Pete Conaty and Tommy Garry as his assistants, they were idle in the opening round before drawing with Ballinlough and neighbours Clann na nGael in their first two outings and then scoring minimum margin victories over Cortown and Gaeil Colmcille.
The initial Friday evening tussle with Ballinlough at Carlanstown ended on 0-11 each. Ballinlough held a narrow 0-6 to 0-5 interval lead and stayed ahead until a converted free by Anthony Kane in added time at the end left both sides leaving with a point.
The game was marred by a serious leg injury sustained by Dunderry forward Aaron Newman midway through the first half. The player was stretchered away to hospital and took no further part in the championship.
Dunderry were leading by 0-4 to 0-1 at the time of the incident but lost the initiative after that. Their netminder, David Jennings, made two fine saves in the second period and it took the side in black and white 18 minutes to register after the switching of ends with Kane on target.
That was followed by white flag efforts from Evan Stephens, Trevor Conaty and Kane before TJ Garry, who had put over three points in the first half, earned a close-in free from which Kane hit the late leveller.
Evan Stephens sent over the late equaliser, which some thought had gone outside the upright, in Dunderry's 0-10 to 1-7 draw with Clann na nGael at Bohermeen.
The Athboy side, without the suspended Graham Geraghty, led by 0- 4 to 0-3 at the break before a penalty goal, netted by Gary Woods, left Dunderry four points in arrears. But, as in their previous outing, they battled back to again claim a share of the spoils.
Dunderry's first victory in the 2010 IFC was gained in Athboy with a 1-7 to 0-9 success over keen local rivals Cortown with county junior forward, TJ Garry, accounting for 1-6 of the winning total.
The goal arrived after 20 minutes with an attacking move involved Bob Doherty, Evan Stephens and Kevin Dowd being stylishly finished by Garry who fired a low shot to the corner of the net. That left the scores 1-2 to 0-4 and it stayed that way until the break.
Scores were scarce in a scrappy encounter and the standard did not improve in the second half although Peadar Callaghan showed up well at centrefield for Dunderry. After they fell into arrears of 1-4 to 0-8 around the three-quarter stage, Garry shot a fine point from play and converted two frees before Dunderry held out in the three minutes of added time.
The score again was 1-7 to 0-9 when a slender win over Gaeil Colmcille at Carnaross enabled Dunderry to finish on top of Group C with the Kells side also qualifying. Three points from TJ Garry and one by Evan Stephens left Barry Callaghan's charges ahead by 0-4 to 0-2 at the break.
Garry added a converted penalty goal, awarded for a foul on Keith Callaghan, to go into a lead of five points before the Kells side battled back before points from Evan Stephens and substitute Andy Coogan were just enough to enable Dunderry hang on to the lead.
Dunderry outpointed Longwood by 0-10 to 0-5 in their quarter-final at Trim. There was only the minimum margin between the sides at the break when the eventual winners led by 0-5 to 0-4.
TJ Garry finished up with eight points and with David McCormack, Damien Clarke and John Kelleher showing up well in defence, Dunderry pulled comfortably clear in the second half.
However, Dunderry turned in a disappointing display in their semi-final against Nobber who won by 0-12 to 0-8 at Pairc Tailteann on the eve of the All-Ireland hurling final. Although TJ Garry sent over six points, all from frees, he was upstaged by Brian Farrell, who shot 0-9, six from play.
Dunderry looked to be in trouble when 0-1 to 0-6 in arrears at the break and although four substitutes were subsequently introduced, the changes didn't change the flow of the game as Nobber increased their lead to six points before having a comfortable four to spare at the finish.
Substitute Paul Govern had a goal chance near the final whistle but his attempt was kept out by Christopher O'Reilly.
Dunderry only won two games from their five outings in the group phase of the IHC and both were recorded at the expense of second teams, Kildalkey and Kilmessan, before Boardsmill, who were relegated from senior ranks in 2009, beat them by six points in a semi-final clash.
Their first opponents were Blackhall Gaels in a repeat of a 2009 'semi' tussle and the Batterstown/Kilcloon side repeated that result with one point to spare, 1-10 to 1-9, at Ratoath. Dunderry led by 1-5 to 0-5 at the break, Kevin Bruton netting their goal. Although Eoin McCormack and David Geraghty did well in their attack, Dunderry just lost out.
Eoin McCormack scored 2-3 in the 2-14 to 0-5 win over Kildalkey in Athboy and the accurate forward bettered that total with 1-8 in the 1-14 to 0-4 success over Kilmessan at Kiltale.
But Dunderry did not win again, losing the next two group ties to the eventual finalists, 0-6 to 0-11 to Boardsmill and 0-7 to 1-15 to Drumree. The losing streak continued when Boardsmill again got the better of them by 3-13 to 1-13 in the semi-final clash in Trim.
Dunderry had the better of the first half and led by 0-8 to 0-4 at the break. However, Boardsmill turn the game around to be ahead by 2-10 to 0-9 at the end of the third quarter.
Despite sustaining a facial injury in the fifth minute, Eoin McCormack recovered to finish up with 10 points. A goal from Evan Stephens helped Dunderry reduced the deficit to the minimum before Boardsmill enhanced their lead with a late goal.
Dunderry dual player Evan Stephens suffered disappointment on two fronts in 2010. Looking back on the IFC penultimate fence fall, he did not cause surprise when suggesting that the team did not perform up to expectations in the semi-final.
Looking back at the earlier rounds of that campaign, Stephens said that the team had made steady progress after a slow start and hopes were high that at least one step could be made than in the two previous years.
"We showed some good form in Division 2 of the league with a couple of wins and good displays against county senior champions Seneschalstown and Navan O'Mahonys. In the first two championship games we came from behind to get draws with Ballinlough and Clann na nGael.
"Ballinlough are usually difficult opponents and we were leading them by three points until Aaron Newman was unfortunate to break a leg and we lost our momentum when play resumed following a long break. Aaron will be out of action until around next May but he's a young lad and hopefully he can come back strong.
"The game against Clann na nGael had a controversial finish with a point from myself giving us a share of the spoils. Some thought the shot had actually gone wide but I didn't mind claiming it.
"In our other two group games we won both by one point. The first win came at the expense of Cortown with TJ Garry doing most of the scoring, there is always a keen rivalry between ourselves and Cortown and it was good to get the win.
"After leading by five points, we just held on to get the win over Gaeil Colmcille. Still that was a good victory as the Kells side were one of the favourites for the intermediate championship."
After the comfortable quarter-final success over Longwood, came the disappointing defeat to Nobber and Evan Stephens ruefully reflected: "We just take enough scoring chances and two points from play won't win many games."
However, he is optimism that the team can do better in 2011. "There are some good young players coming up from the underage ranks and such lads can challenge for places. I'd be hopeful that we can push on a step or two further."
Evan Stephens was one of a number of Dunderry players who were busy assisting club football and hurling teams. "There are a few lads who play both games, there is usually football training on Tuesdays and Fridays and the hurlers meet on Thursdays.
John Joe McGourty was the hurling manager this year with Tommy Coogan and Tommy Keenan the selectors," he said.
"The Intermediate Hurling Championship is proving difficult to win. We lost at the semi-final stage in each of the last two years, having been beaten by Na Fianna in the final in 2006.
"This year we lost to Boardsmill in a semi-final which we led by four points before going out of the game a bit in the second half and being defeated by two goals. It will hardly be any easier next year with Rathmolyon in it and Boardsmill there again," Stephens concluded.
U16 honours for Dunderry
Dunderry captured the U16 B Hurling Championship after an enthralling encounter with highly fancied Kildalkey, on a 4-8 to 3-6 scoreline. Dunderry started the brightest with a Conor Dempsey goal within five minutes they maintained the lead going at half time five point clear. On the resumption Kildalkey dominated the second half and drew level with ten minutes to go. The reintroduction of Conor O'Shea who had to leave the field of play in the first half due to a serious hand injury settled the Dunderry nerves with a classic solo point then Luke Martyn followed up with a brilliant individual goal before Stephen Coogan had the final say with a point.
Dunderry - Alan Casey, Dylan Keenan, Shane Murphy, Mark Smyth, Conor O'Shea (0-1), Alan Garry, Patrick Kennelly (0-3), Stefan Sherlock, Stefan Clarke, Darren Clabby, John Moran, Stephen Coogan (2-04), Conor Dempsey (1-0). Subs: Luke Martyn (1-0) for Conor O'Shea, Conor O'Shea for John Moran. Cillian Lenoard, Robert McCabe. Tweet
