Dunshaughlin 3-18  Curraha 0-11

This result had different implications for the two teams involved, with confirmation that Curraha are relegated and will play Division 2A in 2023 while for Dunshaughlin it meant securing 2nd place, promotion to Division 1A and the bonus of a place in the final against Trim in two-week’s time.

Dunshaughlin players overall can be happy with their 2022 league campaign and the new management will be happy to have succeeded at getting back up to the top tier of league football in Meath at their first attempt. It is the level of league football Dunshaughlin need to be playing at next year to continue to develop their younger players.

The halftime entertainment was provided by the Royal Gaels under 8 girls who put on an exhibition game and apart from their great skills on view, it really emphasised how time goes by so quickly as it feels like no time since many of the boys who started for theDunshaughlin team on the night were partaking in half time under 8 exhibition games themselves.

In what would be unusual, both teams had a Niall Murphy each start the game wearing the number 6 jersey. 

In relation to the game itself both clubs welcomed back inter-county players, Curraha welcomed back Jack O’ Connor, James McEntee & Diarmuid Moriarty and although all three combined for the vast majority of the Curraha scores their return wasn’t enough for Currahato get the badly needed win. Dunshaughlin welcomed back Mathew Costello.

Dunshaughlin got off to the best possible start and had amassed a score of 1-5 in the opening 10 minutescourtesy of points from Ronan Geraghty, Costello, Conor Duke, Ruairi Kinsella & Luke Mitchell, the goal scored by Costello. James McEntee opened Curraha'saccount from a free in the 14th minute. No sooner had he scored when Costello was in again for Dunshaughlin’s 2nd goal, more great passing in the lead up. Dunshaughlin were up by 10 points after the first quarter and even at that stage, it was hard to see how Curraha could salvage anything from the game.

Dunshaughlin led by 2-8 to 0-3 at half time as a result of further points from Mitchell, Kinsella & Niall Murphy. A Jack O'Connor free and a point from play from Gavin Coyle were Curraha's only other scores of the opening half, as they failed to recover from Dunshaughlin’s opening blitz.

The second half started in similar fashion to the first and any hopes of a Curraha revival were well and truly dashed with Dunshaughlin registering 1-3 without reply in the first 10 minutes of the 2nd half to stretch their lead out to 17 points. The goal from Mitchell and the points John McDonagh, Murphy & Mitchell. A Dunshaughlin player did receive a Black Card in the 6th minute but even during the 10-minute spell that Dunshaughlin were down a man they still outscored Curraha.

Dunshaughlin scored a further seven points before David Gough blew the final whistle (Mitchell bagging four & one each from Duke, Costello & Geraghty).

Curraha did score five points in the last quarter but itwas way too little too late for them as the outcome of the game was probably never in doubt from the 10 minutes mark in the first half. Dunshaughlin can look forward to the Division 1B league Final.

Dunshaughlin:  Adam McDermott, Oisin Foley, Alastar Doyle, Danny Quinn, Ciaran McCarrick, Niall Murphy (0-2), Charlie O’ Connor, Ben Duggan, Conor Gray, Ronan Geraghty (0-2), Ruairi Kinsella (0-2), John McDonagh (0-1), Conor Duke (0-2), Mathew Costello(2-3), Luke Mitchell (1-6, 2f). 

Subs: Aaron Murphy for Gray (40th), Fursey Blake for McDonagh (46th), Shane Gallogly for Kinsella 51st), Eoin O’ Connor for Doyle 52nd) and Alex Arkins Flinter for O’ Connor 56th).

Curraha: Luke McCarthy, Seamus Hogan (0-1), Brian Joyce, Oisin Fay, Evan McGovern, Niall Murphy, Conor Joyce, Neil Shortall, Niall McLarnon, Jack O'Connor (0-3,  3f), Luke Farrell, Gavin Coyle (0-1), James McEntee (0-3, 1f), Diarmuid Moriarty (0-3), Ciaran O'Hanrahan

Subs: Andrew Coyle for Neil Shortall, Ben Heagney for Evan McGovern, Ruarí O'Sullivan for Luke Farrell.

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