MFC final: Harkin the hero as Dunboyne prevail
October 08, 2023
Dunboyne's Cian Rohan with Mahon Hall St. Colmcilles during the MFC Division 1 final at Pairc Tailteann
Dunboyne claimed the MFC title for the first time in nine years after extra time at Pairc Tailteann on Sunday with just a point to spare over St Colmcille's.
Dunboyne ............. 2-13
St Colmcille's ......... 2-12
after extra time
This thrilling fixture was decider by a pointed 45 in the 20th minute of extra time from Dunboyne's outstanding player John Harkin who landed the decisive score at the old swimming pool end.
Harkin put 0-10 to his name over the 80 minutes and put in shifts as sweeper at times. St Colmcille's prevailed decisively in the MFL Division 1 final earlier in the year, but were second best here.
Dunboyne superior strength had a big impact on the outcome. John Delaney's side were never headed and responded well to the Cilles' scoring threat.
This fixture echoed the previous day's IFC final in that fortunes ebbed and flowed. The Laytown-Bettystown side are to be commended for the manner in whick they put a bad start behind them to almost claim the Delaney Cup for the third time in five years.
The breeze moving towards the town goal seemed to be offering Dunboyne assistance in the first-half. They were first to trouble the nearby scoreboard in the fourth minute when corner back Cian Tobin cut in from the right before setting up Sean Delaney for the opening goal.
That lead only lasted for about two minutes before a foul on Alex Corr-Berney led to a penalty which Conor Brennan netted with assistance from the Dunboyne 'keeper's right hand post.
Dunboyne replied with a trio of points in quick succession to move 1-3 to 1-0 ahead by the ninth minute. The team in black and amber stripes maintained that momentum that saw move seven points clear after 27 minutes after Josh Felle goaled.
Ahead by 2-6 to 1-3 at the break, Dunboyne looked set to march on to the podium without much trouble. It wasn't until the 13th minute of the second-half that the Cilles made a serious indentation into the deficit when Alex Carr-Berney's goal trimmed the deficit to just two points, 2-6 to 2-8.
Dunboyne didn't lose their lead but a Conor Brennan point proved to be the last score of normal, 2-9 to 2-9. Extra time was cagey as Dunboyne kept St Colmcille's at bay. The team from the south east of the county forged a 2-12 to 2-11 lead at the break in additional 20 minutes.
The second period of extra time yielded just two scores. Conor Brennan tied the scores for the Cilles before Harkin's match-winning score.
Scorers: Dunboyne - John Harkin 0-10 (4 45s, 3fs); Sean Delaney 1-1; Josh Felle 1-0; Cian Duggan and Cian Tobin 0-1 each.
St Colmcille's - Conor Brennan 1-2 (1-0 pen); Conal Horan 0-4 (fs); Alex Carr-Berney 1-0; Oisin Corcoran 0-2; Naoise Maguire 0-1; Daithi Wade 0-1; Finn Coomber 0-1; Mahon Hall 0-1.
St Colmcille's - Oran Collins; James McCullan, Jonah Nelson, Luke O'Brien; Conor Brennan, Mahon Hall, Ewan Feehan; Michael Timmins (c), Jack Mulligan; Alex Corr-Berney, Naoise Maguire, Oisin Coscoran; Conal Horan, Kyle O'Brien, Sean McQuillan. Subs - Finn Coomber for Timmins (ht), Karl Leonard for McCullan (37). Sub in extra time - Sean Gillick for Hall (ht).
Dunboyne - Jamie McCormack; Cian Tobin, Ronan Kelly, Paul Dempsey; Cian Rohan, Andrew Howlin, Ciaran McCormack; Ed Nuzum, Harry Healy; Josh Felle, John Harkin, Cian Duggan (c); Jack Doyle, James Lonergan, Sean Delaney. Subs - Brian Comiskey for Dempsey (43), Sean McNulty for Lonergan (46), Dylan Ryan for Kelly (47), Charlie Gallagher for Doyle (54), Conor Murphy for Rohan (20).
Referee - Patrick Coyle (Curraha)
