Tailteann Cup and JFC D success buoys Dunsany
November 27, 2011
While the big goal was the junior championship and that failed to materialize, there was plenty to be positive about when the 2011 season came to an end for Dunsany. Despite reaching the knockout stages of the JFC for the 13th time in 14 years, the Matthew Ginnity Cup seems no closer than before. They did, however, have the consolation of becoming the inaugural winners of the Tailteann Cup, defeating Curraha in the delayed 2010 final in the early part of the year and also added the JFC D title on the first Sunday of November.
Dunsany's seemingly never-ending quest for a first Meath JFC title goes on after a surprise defeat to Navan O'Mahony's saw them crash out of the championship race at the semi-final stage for the second year-in-a-row.
Beaten by Ballinabrackey at the same stage last year and by Longwood in the 2009 decider, Dunsany had high hopes of finally claiming the elusive Matthew Ginnity Cup in 2011, but it all went horribly wrong against the O'Mahony's second string who progressed to the county final (where they were beaten by Ballivor) on a 1-12 to 1-6 scoreline. The defeat was another shattering blow to Dunsany who, despite being perennial contenders, just cannot get over the line.
"It doesn't getting any easier," Dunsany manager Jerry O'Donoghue says in reference to the club's recent history of losing big knockout games.
"We felt we could do it this year and everything looked to be going according to plan until the O'Mahony's game. We had been unbeaten in the championship up to that point and had won the Tailteann Cup, which was a big thing for us. But the decision to allow O'Mahony's to play with the wind in the first half after we won the toss was a wrong one in hindsight. They got a run on us and went in at half-time leading by 10 points. As it turned out, it was too big of a lead for us to try and pull back."
The Glenflesk, Co. Kerry native, who is a former Dunsany player and has just completed his first year as manager, refuses to blame the absence of key players or hurling commitments for Dunsany's demise.
"It's easy to make excuses, but we're not going to. It's just unfortunate the way things worked out. Mark Brennan, who is one of our top forwards, was in New Zealand for the semi-final, while Declan Smyth, who was on the Meath minor team this year, got injured on the Thursday night before the game and wasn't able to play," he continues.
"They were two massive losses, but we wouldn't make an issue of it. It's the same with the hurling, I enjoyed an excellent working relationship with the Kilmessan manager Ollie Horan, who is a good friend of mine, and we got around the dual player issue as best we could.
"It's disappointing for everyone involved because everything in Dunsany is geared towards winning the junior championship. I wouldn't be too disheartened because I know the players are there to come back and win a championship. My biggest concern going forward is emigration and the threat it poses to small clubs like Dunsany, but I suppose it's a concern every club has."
Schoolteacher O'Donoghue, whose selectors were Gay Kennedy and former player Alan Duffy, couldn't have asked for a better start to his term as manager when Dunsany were crowned the first ever winners of the Tailteann Cup following a 3-13 to 1-13 victory over Curraha in the delayed 2010 final, which was played in Pairc Tailteann at the end of March. The wearers of red and white made a blistering start and led by 0-5 to 0-0 after 10 minutes. A well-worked Ger O'Neill goal gave them a 1-7 to 0-2 cushion after 20 minutes and they were 1-10 to 0-5 to the good at the break.
Curraha, who like Dunsany would go on to reach the last four of the JFC, rallied strongly after the restart and had the margin down to five points, 0-10 to 1-12, after 42 minutes. But no sooner had dual star Joey Keena entered the fray than he had the ball in the net for Dunsany's second goal. A Gavin Coyle penalty brought Curraha back into it again with three minutes remaining, but Dunsany hit back with a Declan Smyth point and a late Sean Stephens goal to seal the deal.
That success ensured that Dunsany had a pep in their step going into the JFC. Drawn in Group C, they recorded five wins from five, starting with a 0-14 to 2-4 victory over Summerhill at Trim. With Charlie Keena, Eoin Marsh, Ger O'Neill and Stephen Clynch to the fore, Dunsany led by 0-7 to 0-3 at half-time, and were still four points clear at the finish, despite second half goals from Daniel Larkin and Gary Rispin for Summerhill.
Jerry O'Donoghue's charges accounted for Meath Hill by 1-8 to 1-5 in their second outing and maintained their unbeaten run with further wins over Donaghmore/Ashbourne (2-13 to 1-11) and Simonstown Gaels (2-16 to 1-8). In their final group at a very wet Athboy, they edged out St. Brigid's by 1-13 to 3-5.
Points from Danny Maguire (two), Ger O'Neill, Sean Stephens and Mark Brennan had Dunsany 0-5 to 0-2 in front at the break, and they looked set for a comfortable win when O'Neill netted to give them a 1-8 to 0-3 lead early in the second half. Fergal Hennessy replied with a similar score for the Ballinacree men, only for Dunsany to grab the next four points - three of which came from the excellent Mark Brennan. But two St. Brigid's goals in quick succession made for a grandstand finish, and Dunsany needed a late point from Mark Brennan to qualify for the knockout stages with their 100 per cent record intact.
A 0-11 to 1-6 victory over a much-fancied Ratoath in the JFC quarter-final saw Dunsany set up a semi-final date with O'Mahony's at Walterstown. Bearing the tag of favourites, Dunsany elected to play into the wind in the opening half and got off to a disastrous start when John Brennan goaled for O'Mahony's in the seventh minute. That score rattled the 2009 finalists who were powerless to prevent the town side from tagging on a further eight points without reply. It wasn't until the 32nd minute that red and whites finally opened their account through Charlie Keena which left the half-time score reading 1-8 to 0-1 in O'Mahony's favour.
The favourites made a desperate attempt to get themselves back into contention after the resumption and were given hope when county hurler Stephen Clynch's goal made it 1-10 to 1-3 with a quarter of an hour still to play. But the Navan men's half-time advantage was never seriously threatened and they progressed to the final with six points to spare.
The blow of exiting the JFC was softened somewhat when, on the same weekend, Dunsany's second team qualified for the JFC 'D' final following a 2-4 to 2-2 victory over Ballinabrackey. They had already defeated Trim in the quarter-final on a 1-7 to 0-8 scoreline.
The final against Clann na nGael was fixed as part of a triple bill along with the SFC and JFC B deciders at Pairc Tailteann, but heavy rain on the preceding days meant that it was initially postponed before being switched to Trim.
It was a low scoring affair as points from Danny Thynne, Alan Hogan and Niall O'Donoghue had Dunsany ahead by 0-4 to 0-3 at the break. It was apparent that a goal could be decisive and sure enough Colin Irwin's fisted effort ten minutes into the second half decided the destination of the Dickser Dunne Cup. When O'Donoghue added a point Dunsany were five points clear, 1-6 to 0-4 and had one hand on the silverware. The Athboy side threw everything Dunsany in the closing minutes but the winner's defence held firm.
Dunsany (JFC D final v Clann na nGael) - N Duffy, J Clarke, G Ledddy, E Horan, M Horan, P O'Brien, C Smyth, K Duffy, B Flaherty, N O'Donoghue 0-2, A Hogan 0-2, K Keena, D Thynne 0-4, C Irwin 1-0, D Maguire. Subs - P Grimes, B O'Brien.
The club could also take encouragement from their performances at underage level - the minors won a Division 7 league title, while the under 14s were unlucky to lose the Division 5 final to Nobber.
A dominant second half display paved the way for a 4-12 to 0-9 victory over Ballinabrackey in the minor decider at Pairc Tailteann. A Nathan Pleavin goal gave Dunsany the slenderest of leads at half-time, 1-5 to 0-7, but whatever manager Niall Flynn said to his players during the interval certainly had the desired effect as they added three more goals in the second period. County minor Declan Smyth accounted for two of them, while Fergal Cleary also raised a green flag to ensure the red and whites of a comfortable victory.
Meanwhile, there was heartbreak for the Dunsany under 14s in their league final against Nobber at Pairc Tailteann. Goals from Shane Walsh and Jack Byrne gave them a 2-2 to 0-2 cushion at the interval and when Jack Byrne scored their fourth goal, they led by 4-4 to 1-4. But Brian Farrell's Nobber side battled back to level before Darragh Cassidy kicked the winning free to complete a remarkable comeback and give them a 5-7 to 5-6 win.
Dunsany lined out as follows in their JFC semi-final loss to Navan O'Mahony's: C Brennan; P McGovern, S Clynch, D Clynch; C Keena, P Kennedy, P Burke; E Marsh, P O'Donnell (captain); D O'Donohue, J Keena, D Maguire; G O'Neill, S Stephens, K Cahill. Subs used: S Brennan and E Ferguson.
MFL Div 7 final: Dunsany impress in the Pairc
A strong second half performance from Dunsany gave them an easy 4-12 to 0-9 win over Ballinabrackey.
A point separated the sides at the break with Dunsany holding the advantage 1-5 to 0-7. Fergal Cleary got the winners of the mark and Thomas Brennan quickly followed with another but four unanswered points put the Bracks 0-4 to 0-2 up after 15 minutes. A goal and two points from half foward Nathan Pleavin put Dunsany back in control to lead by the minimum at half time.
Whatever manager Niall Flynn said to his troops at the break it certainly had the right effect as Dunsany completely dominated the second half. When county minor star Declan Smyth and Fergal Cleary scored their side's second and third goals the game was as good as over midway through the period. Smyth added the fourth goal to put the game out of reach of Ballinabrackey.
Best for the winners were Ryan Montague, Michael Montague, Thom Rodgers, Jake Harlin, Declan Smyth, Nathan Plevin, Fergal Cleary and Pierre Fox.
Dunsany scorers: Nathan Plevin 1-4, Declan Smyth 2-0, Fergal Cleary 1-3, Niall Thynne 0-3, Jake Harlin and Thomas Brennan 0-1 each.
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