Meath First Year Football Championship Division 1 Final. Report and photos by Brian Dowling

St. Pat's Navan 6-11 
Boyne CS Trim 2-11

A thundering final quarter from St Pat's of Navan ensured the first year football honours would be heading back to Pat's once more, after coming from behind to beat the Boyne from Trim in a terrific game of football played in Dunganny on Thursday afternoon.

When Boyne full forward James Clarke put the ball into the Pat's net five minutes into the second half, it gave the Trim side a six point advantage. But Pat's turned on the style, and with captain Mark Dowdall leading by example, they would outscore the Boyne 4-7 to a point in the final twenty minutes to send the cup back to Navan for the second year running.

Fourteen minutes into the second half, Pat's wing forward Jack Leddy won a vital ball in midfield which he flicked to Dowdall. Dowdall gave it to the on running Eoin Gough. Gough would shift it to big midfielder Cian McBride and the green flag was raised, to put Pat's two points to the good. This was certainly the changing point in the game.
It began brightly for the men in Black and Amber when going ahead after just twenty five seconds. McBride did well in the throw in and sent a long ball into corner forward Brian O'Hanlon. The pace of O'Hanlon took him by his man to kick a great point.

The defensive display by both teams was second to none, and one man who really shone was Pat's full back Tom Collins, who gave an exhibition of football in there. Just moments after O'Hanlon's  point, Collins won a terrific ball in midfield and flicked it off to Dowdall. Dowdall carried it forward, drew the last man, laid it off to the on running Jamie Kirwan, who goaled brilliantly. Another ball won by Collins led to another Pat's score just a minute later, with Dowdall getting his first of the game.

The St Patricks squad

The Boyne then started to get in on the act with centre forward Adam Murphy scoring two quick points before an injury to corner back Ben Holden resulted in him being taken off, replaced by Harry Kennedy.

The Boyne began then to pile on the pressure on the Pat's goal. First, a great hand passing move ended up with corner forward Ciaran McDonnell, who's low shot beat Pat's keeper Jack Lynch. Another good move three minutes later resulted in a Clarke point for the Boyne. They then won the resulting kick out which lead to Clarke pointing again, this time from a free.

The quality of football on show was exemplary, with the game flowing brilliantly, with Pat's having the next say in proceedings. Mark Dowdall picked up the ball on the fifty, and laid it off to Jack Leddy. Leddy looked for full forward Paddy Quinn but the ball was broke by Boyne full back Stephen Slevin. But Leddy stepped in fast and sent a rocket to the net to put Pat's back in front, just seconds before Dowdall would extend the advantage.

The Boyne would have the final say of the first half, with Dowdall's point being Pat's final score of the half. Boyne points from Clarke, corner forward Michael Kennedy, McDonnell, midfielder Conor Quigley and his midfield partner Adam Kelly put the Trim side three points to the good at the interval.

The teams exchanged points in the opening minutes of the first half with Harry Kennedy pointing for the Boyne, and O'Hanlon knocking over a free for Pat's.

Adam Kelly intercepted an attempted Eoin Gough hand pass before going on a surging run up the field. He laid it off to Adam Murphy who flicked it to James Clarke who buried it to the net to put the Boyne six points clear and leave Pat's with what looked like, a mountain to climb, but not for long.

Four points in three minutes for Pat's kick started their revival, with two coming from midfielder Joey Moore, and two from centre back Seán McGinley, who was exceptional all afternoon.

Dowdall pointed a free to leave a point between the sides before McBride buried a ball to the net to swing the game back in the Navan side's favour. Dowdall then sent a rocket to the roof of the net and from then, Trim began to crumble.

The Boyne squad

Pat's defenders kept up their excellent defensive display, forcing the Boyne to panic on their shots, before Quigley shot was successful and went over the bar.

Pat's corner back Arnas Sadauskas, who had a great game corner back, won a ball in the corner and played it to Gough. Gough laid it off to Dowdall who took off down the pitch with McBride alongside. An exchange of hand passes between both players confused the Boyne defence, and McBride nicked it by full back Slevin and finished to the net. The score of the game without question.

Pat's would then close out the game the stronger side with substitute Conor Coogan and Eoin Gough exchanging further points, before a long ball sent into Coogan resulted in the big full forward finishing to the net, this was to be the last piece of action and referee Padraic Coyle looked at the watch and blew for full time.

The Boyne, under the guidance of Padriag O'Sullivan and Monaghan star Vinny Corey, can definitely be proud of their efforts. They played some fantastic football and the final quarter just never went their way.

The game plan for Pat's worked with some fantastic moves and scores making sure of the victory. Under the guidance of Mark Donnelly, Laois native Seamus Peppard and new student teacher Edwin Murray, the Pat's boys just had that little bit more in the tank to ensure of back to back titles.

Tireless efforts throughout the year by both teams contributed to a fantastic game of football, one in which the Black and Amber jerseys would rule again.

After the game Coiste Na Mí's Jenny Rispin presented the cup to Pat's captain Mark Dowdall.

Pat's - Jack Lynch, Arnas Sadauskas, Tom Collins, Darren Finnegan, Robert Staunton, Seán McGinley (0-2), Patrick Moore, Joey Moore (0-2), Cian McBride (2-0), Jack Leddy (1-0), Mark Dowdall (Captain, 1-3, 1 free), Jamie Kirwan (1-0), Eoghan Gough (0-1), Paddy Quinn, Brian O'Hanlon (0-2, 1 free). Subs- Euan Nevin, Paul O'Brien, Thomas Barrett, Neil Moloney, Cormac Ward, Sean Keogh, Robert Reid, Adam Cummins, Conor Coogan (1-1)

Boyne - Conor Fitzgerald, Ben Holden, Stephen Slevin, Harry Harlin, Conall Bird, Sean Mahony, Cormac Brady, Adam Kelly (0-1), Conor Quigley (0-2), Liam O'Reilly, Adam Murphy (0-2), Niall McNally, Ciaran McDonnell (1-1), James Clarke (1-3), Michael Kennedy (0-1). Subs - Harry Kennedy (0-1), Niall O'Leary, Jack Farrelly, Jake Carolan, Jamie Ryan, Ciaran Regan, Frank O'Reilly, Adam Farrell, Mikey Cole, Aonghus Shortt, Michael Tiernan, James Darby, Gavin Shelly, Daire Flynn.

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