Two successive league crowns for Dunsany show the true worth of the red and whites. Championship glory cannot be far away. While Junior Championship success continues to elude Dunsany, there is little doubt that significant progress is being made. In 1998, the Division 5 League title was captured with a memorable win over Kilbride and this year, the progress was heavily underlined when the Division 4 title was won at Moylagh's expense. The victory was some compensation for the Dunsanymen who had been beaten by Moylagh in the semi-final of the championship. And so Dunsany return to Division 3, a grade in which they survived for several years before slipping down the ranks in the mid '90s. They have been beaten by the eventual runners-up in each of the last two Junior championships but they will feature on most shortlists for success in 2000. With the official opening of their pitch scheduled for this year, it could turn out to be a truly memorable year for the club which has been in existence since 1963. The progress is further highlighted by the Under-21 'B' success in 1998 and by the success of the Minor team who made history by capturing the Division 3 title this year. And the Under-14's also made history by qualifying for the Division 1 Championship final in 1999. Tommy Brennan and his fellow mentors were intent on a good League run as sound preparation for the championship, and the campaign got under way with one of the trickiest assignments in Junior football...an away game against Meath Hill. The visitors had a slight edge throughout and led by a point at half-time. Kevin Lawlor found the net at the threequarter stage but Meath Hill replied in similar fashion as the game entered the closing stages. It was an exciting finish with the men in red holding on by the narrowest of margins, 1-8 to 1-7. Mark Brennan and Kevin Lawlor were joint top scorers with 0-4 and 1-1 respectively and the victory provided great encouragement for the games ahead. A somewhat disjointed challenge from Ballinabrackey was overcome at Dunsany in early March when Leon Maguire was introduced as a substitute and finished as top scorer with 2-3! Kevin Lawlor bagged another 1-1 and it was all one way traffic in the second half, after the teams went in for the break all square at 0-3 apiece. The final score was 2-12 to 0-5. Drumbaragh were next on the list and having played with the strong breeze in the first half, Dunsany led by 1-7 to 1-0 at the break. Drumbaragh rallied in the second half but the Reds held on to win by two points, 2-10 to 3-5. Three games, three victories and morale was good. It was even better after Athboy were beaten in the first round of the Championship. The winning momentum was maintained in mid-May when Navan O Mahonys were accounted for in a tense championship clash at Walterstown. Even the dismissal of Jimmy McGuinness failed to prevent a Dunsany victory with Conor Power, Nicky Horan and their colleagues holding out against a determined challenge from the townsmen. Four days later, it was back to League action at Nobber. A first competitive defeat looked certain as the game entered the closing stages but a last minute goal preserved the visitors' unbeaten record and gave them a fourth win out of four league games. Round five saw Moynalty visit Dunsany in late May and prospects looked quite slim at half-time when Moynalty led by 0-7 to 0-5. However, as in the game against Ballinabrackey, Dunsany stepped up several gears after the break scoring 3-7 while restricting their opponents to 0-5. The goals came from Conor Power, Mark Brennan and Gerard O Neill while Nicky Horan, Emmet Ferguson, Paddy McGovern and Charlie Keena also gave fine displays. The first defeat came in mid-June when, without Jimmy McGuinness, the Reds lost to St. Marys in the championship for the second succesive year. Dunsany trailed by four points at half-time and the margin was the same at the full-time whistle. Jack Smyth, Conor Power, Nicky Horan and Fintan Lawlor tried hardest for the losers. Within a week, Dunsany had lost their second game of the year. The trip to Clonard ended disasterously as Clonard took full advantage of their opponents lethargy both on the field and on the sideline to snatch an unlikely victory, 1-12 to 0-13. The downward spiral continued when table-toppers Moylagh registered a 3-5 to 2-5 league victory in Moylagh. The team was now in some difficulty having lost three succesive games but it was far from a lost cause...Moylagh looked certain to finish on top of the table but the second promotion place was still up for grabs as well as a place in the final. Nor was it all doom and gloom in the championship with the second qualifying place behind St. Marys a realistic target. Winning ways were recovered in the League with a nervous one goal win over Kilbride before a very weak Baconstown team was comprehensively beaten in the championship at Summerhill. Things were looking up again! A place in the quarter-finals of the championship was clinched with a good win over Wolfe Tones in Dunderry and hopes of outright success were enhanced with a hard-earned win over Nobber in the quarter-final at Walterstown. Jimmy McGuinness, so influential in the win over Wolfe Tones was an absentee through injury for the Nobber game but a goal from the superb Conor Power, and another from Mark Brennan helped to earn a semi-final place for the second succesive year. In an extremely unsatisfactory conclusion to the regulation league schedule, Dunsany received 3 succesive walkovers; from Enfield, Ratoath and Baconstown, the 6 points were sufficient to clinch a place in the final against Moylagh. And it was Moylagh who also stood in the way of a first Junior Championship Final appearance since 1972. It was all going according to plan at half-time in the Championship clash but Moylagh turned on the style in the second half and Dunsany's challenge collapsed completely. It was a devastating defeat and it was extremely difficult to understand how the performance dipped to such an extent after the break. It was perhaps, a help that Moylagh provided the opposition in the League final. There was no lack of motivation as Dunsany were utterly determined to prove that they were a better team than they looked in the second half of the championship semi-final. The game was played in Castletown and it was significant that the placing of the team was different than it had been in the championship. Jimmy McGuinness and Nicky Horan were at centre field with Conor Power at centre half back and Jack Smyth at full forward. Declan Keating was at full back and Jimmy Maguire on the '40. Maguire's busy performance was one of the major factors in his team's 0-11 to 0-6 victory as was the accuracy of Fintan Lawlor from frees and from play. It was 0-7 to 0-3 at half-time and even the withdrawal of Nicky Horan because of injury failed to halt Dunsany's gallop. Jack Smyth moved to centre field and Gerard O Neill went to full forward and Moylagh rarely looked like repeating their championship victory. The defence stood firm throughout and the concession of only six points for the hour against the championship finalists bore ample testimony to it's effeciency as a unit. Captain Jimmy McGuinness was presented with the Cup by another Dunsanyman Francis Flynn and the year ended on a happy note for a club that continues to climb the ranking list. The team that won the Division 4 League title was; Conor Brennan, Paddy McGovern, Declan Keating, Brian Duffy, Anton O Neill, Conor Power, Emmet Ferguson, Jimmy McGuinness (0-1), Nicky Horan, Mark Brennan (0-1), Jimmy Maguire, Fintan Lawlor (0-6), Kevin Lawlor, Jack Smyth (0-1), and Leon Maguire. Substitutes; Gerard O Neill and Charlie Keena. Other panel members were, Bobby O Brien, Aaron Buckley, Ronan Harlin, Brian Faherty, John Kenny and Andrew Keena. Dunsany recrowned ladies SF champions Dunsany reaffirmed their status as the numero uno team in Meath Ladies football when they regained the SFC crown thanks to a 5-13 to 2-15 victory over Seneschalstown in a highly entertaining decider at Pairc Tailteann in early September. The team in red and white claimed the title for the fourth time, the third time in four years. The club was founded in 1992 and their first outright triumph came two years later. The SFC returned to the club's trophy cabinet in '96 and was retained a year later before Summerhill ended their hopes of a three-in-a-row last year. Extra-time was required to decide the trophy's destination in 1999 after Dunsany had bounced back from an eight point half-time deficit. Seneschalstown, making their debut in the main event of the Meath ladies GAA calendar, displayed no signs of nervousness in the opening 30 minutes and were 2-10 to 1-5 ahead at the break. Twelve year old Philomena Sheridan bagged two goals in the last three minutes of the opening period to give the team in blue and yellow their half-time cushion. Corner forward Jenny Cusack was the main inspiration behind the Dunsany revival. She kicked three points when her side was struggling in the first half and then netted within thirty seconds of the restart. Christine O'Brien caught in on the goalscoring act within two minutes to leave only three points separating the sides, 3-5 to 2-11. By the 51st minute, the teams were all square (4-7 to 2-13) for the first time since the early stages when Aileen Donnelly burst through the middle and planted a ball to the back of the Seneschalstown net. Some questioned the legality of that score - it was felt Aileen had overcarried - but referee Eugene McDonnell saw nothing wrong and allowed it to count. Dunsany then took the lead for the first time a minute later when O'Brien sent over a close range free but the impressive Eimear O'Carroll received a pass from her sister Dearbhla to force extra-time for Seneschalstown. Dunsany's greater experience told in the added half hour and they delivered the killer blow in the 65th minute when Breda Dennehy passed to Aileen Donnelly, who grabbed her second goal and her side's fifth to leave them 5-9 to 2-14 ahead at the interval. All Seneschalstown could muster was a solitary point from Louise McKeever (free) in added time. Breda Dennehy received the 'Player of the Match' award. Dunsany - S. Coleman; D. Dixon, A. Gorman, C O'Connell; D. Burmas (0-1), B. Dennehy, S. Cusack; A.M Dennehy, A. Donnelly (2-1); M. Lucey (0-1), C. O'Brien (1-4), K. Ward; L. Tyrell (0-2), S. Browne (1-1), J. Cusack (1-3). Subs - F. Lynch for Burmas, A. Lynch for Ward. Dunsany win first title at Under 21 level The name of the Dunsany club is one which has featured all too rarely on the annual list of competition winners. But times are changing and a marvellous effort at under-age level in recent years led to two significant successes in 1998. The Division 5 League title was captured in the Autumn and further success followed with a memorable win in the Under-21 'B' competition. And to further emphasise the substantial progress being made by the club, the sod was turned for it's new clubhouse which is expected to be opened in the year 2000. A major draw was held in the Summer and it turned out to be an outstanding success. At the end of 1998, it could truly be said that there was a distinct 'buzz' about the Dunsany club. Under-age victories invariably increase expectations but it is of greater significance that they provide a huge boost to the morale of the club in general and the players in particular. The victory over Moynalty in the final, like the win over Kilbride in the League decider, was celebrated with considerable gusto and the growing sense of camaraderie among the players augurs well for the future. And there was every reason to celebrate...the win was quite emphatic and the manner in which it was achieved was hugely impressive. The game was played in Nobber and it was the men in the Kilmessan jersies, (Dunsany and Moynalty both wear similar colours: thus the change), who signalled their intentions from the outset with 1-2 without reply in the opening minutes. Mark Brennan pointed a free before impressive midfielder Conor Power blasted the ball to the Moynalty net after an incisive move involving Charlie Keena, Kevin Lawlor and Gerard O Neill. It was O Neill who scored the next point to give his team the best possible start. Despite those setbacks, Moynalty soon settled and three successive points reduced the deficit to two by the end of the first quarter. The subsequent exchanges were evenly contested with points from Andrew Keena and Mark Brennan being followed by a point from Moynalty's influential midfielder Stephen Smyth to leave the score at 1-4 to 0-4. It was at this stage that Dunsany took control and two points from Gerard O Neill helped them to a 1-6 to 0-4 lead at half-time. Scores were difficult to come by in the third quarter and the first was always going to be important. It fell to Mark Brennan after some clever play by O Neill and it was difficult to envisage Moynalty getting back into contention. Points from Brennan, Power and O Neill opened up a nine point gap before Moynalty squandered a goal opportunity when Stephen Smyth's penalty was well saved by Dunsany goalie Brian Flaherty. The North county men managed to reduce the deficit to seven points but a marvellous score from John Kenny wrapped it up for Dunsany in the closing stages. The final score was 1-12 to 0-7. Fintan Lawlor and Conor Power were the dominant pairing at centre field while Mark Brennan, Charlie Keena and Gerard O Neill tormented the Moynalty defence throughout. Aaron Buckley excelled in defence and he received consistent support from Declan Keating and Paddy McGovern. Emmet Ferguson was his usual solid self in the half back line. The winning team was; Brian Flaherty, Paddy McGovern, Aaron Buckley, Andrew Keena (0-1), Declan Keating, Emmet Ferguson, Fintan Lawlor (0-1), Conor Power (1-0), Gerard O Neill (0-4), Charles Keena, Kevin Lawlor, Mark Brennan (0-5), Leon Maguire. Substitutes; John Kenny (0-1), Patrick Duffy and Ronan Power. Historic minor title for Dunsany Following the success of their under 14's of '98, the Dunsany minors overcame St. Patricks at Duleek last July in the Div. 3 final. Its now only a matter of time before some of this talented bunch break into the clubs adult teams. In a first half dominated by the red and white lads, points from David Collier, Joey Hutchinson and Conor Brennan helped them to a 0-8 to 1-3 interval lead. However after the break the Stamullen side hit a purple patch notching 1-3, to lead by four coming into the final quarter. But when the chips were down the Dunsany side battled back to triumph on a 1-16 to 2-9 scoreline and win their first minor title ever. Besides the scorers mentioned, others to impress for the winners were David Campion, Donal Clynch and Colm Dillon. The winning Dunsany team was - N. Duffy; T. Cunningham, C. Dillon; R. Flaherty, A. Keena, D. Clynch(0-1); C. Brennan(0-6), D. Campion (1-1); D. Collier(0-3), J. Hackett, L. Maguire; J. Hutchinson(0-5), E. Horan. Subs- K. Lawlor, R. Collier, J. Curtis, J. Clarke, J. Clifford, T. McBride, B. McDonagh. Tweet

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