Long wait is over as Cilles reach top table
AFTER losing the boardroom battle St Colmcille’s proved victorious where it mattered most - on the field of play - as they captured the IFC crown in impressive style at Pairc Tailteann last Saturday.
The appeal against the red card dished out to Graham Reilly in the drawn match was rejected the previous Thursday night, but that decision only seemed to strengthen Cille’s resolve. Even without their county star they left nobody in any doubt regarding their merits to be in the senior grade for 2017.
This replay never lived up to the dizzy heights of the drawn game, as is generally the norm in such encounters. However, there was not just a winner on this occasion, but a clear-cut one at that as the Cille’s eventually reached the Holy Grail.
Exciting times indeed for this burgeoning club, and a timely shot in the arm not only for the seasiders but the east of the county in general, which now boasts three senior clubs.
Dunderry’s performance fell far short of what they achieved six days earlier, though they could have been much closer at the finish but for some glaring misses, especially in the second half.
Kevin Dowd’s side finished the game with 13 players as their frustration got the better of them close to the finish, but the destination of the Mattie McDonnell Cup had been decided by the time Mark Kane and Liam Dempsey were dismissed in the dying moments.
Dunderry looked to be in the driving seat after they snatched the lead following a goal from Luke Martyn on 19 minutes, but it was the Cille’s who finished the half much stronger and led 1-6 to 1-4 at the break.
Throughout that opening half Dunderry managed to curb the treat of both James Conlon and Ciaran Kelly, with the Cille’s duo having quiet outings compared to the drawn match. That left the Dunderry men in with every chance of turning over the two-point deficit, but the Cille’s demonstrated their true strength as other players stepped up to the mark.
Wing forward David O’Byrne had played a bit part throughout the campaign but was probably man of the match on Saturday. He ended with a tally of 1-2 and his general play was also excellent.
Little if anything behind O’Byrne was veteran Niall Ronan who again led by example and must have covered every blade of grass on the Pairc Tailteann pitch. Ronan popped up wherever he was needed - defence, midfield and attack - and also accounted for the score of the hour, a long-range point that left his side five clear heading into the final quarter.
Afterwards, Ronan dedicated the win to his late and great former Munster rugby colleague Anthony Foley, who was buried on Friday.
Despite being kept on a short rein throughout, Conlon, the star of the drawn game, managed to break the shackles in the second half at different stages and shot two fine points.
David Sheeran was handed the task of filling the boots of Graham Reilly and just as he has done all season rose to the occasion with an eye-catching display in the middle of the field.
Right from the throw-in Dunderry went on the attack, but Conor Farrell was wide of the mark. Stephen Coogan, who was very effective in the early stages, eventually opened the scoring and he also accounted for a second point in response to a brace of St Colmcille’s scores.
Eoin Woods, on the first of a number of surging runs, opened the Cille’s scoring with a fisted effort and Ben Brennan then pointed a free that was brought forward following dissent in the Dunderry ranks.
Twice early on referee David Gough demonstrated that he would be keeping a tight grip on proceedings and he continued that process throughout the match. He turned away Dunderry appeals for a penalty in the opening half when Kennelly went to ground and awarded a free out for over-carrying which seemed the correct decision.
Both sides played it cagey in the opening passages, but Dunderry were unsettled at times and got punished after squandering possession, with Ben Brennan shooting over the lead point. Ciaran Kelly had his only point when converting a free following an off-the-ball foul on Brennan. That score on 18 minutes came in response to a Conor Farrell effort at the other end.
Then came the game’s opening goal, with Luke Martyn fisting to the net when almost on his knees following good work involving Coogan. That left Dunderry leading 1-3 to 0-4, but St Colmcille’s responded to the challenge in fine style, with Brennan converting another free and then O’Byrne finishing to the net with aplomb after being set up by Brennan and Sheeran.
The high ball into the danger area was causing concern to the St Colmcille’s rearguard, but they managed to keep out another effort from Martyn before Coogan responded with a point.
Twice in quick succession Kelly failed to find the target for Cille’s and Brennan was also wide of the mark, before O’Byrne took advantage of a slip in the Dunderry defence to give his side a two-point cushion at the break.
The sides exchanged points on the restart, Conor Dempsey on target for Dunderry and Brennan replying for the Cille’s. Colm Nally’s charges gradually began to make the most of their chances, though, as first Jack Reynolds pointed and then Conlon stretched the lead.
Four points in arrears, the confidence began to drain from Dunderry and they shot a succession of wides. Paddy Kennelly, who took over the free-taking duties from Coogan, was short with another effort.
As the game entered the final quarter Niall Ronan landed a massive point after Kelly had picked him out from a free. Conor O’Byrne’s point on 50 minutes left six between the sides and at that stage Dunderry were staring defeat in the face.
Coogan scored their second and last point of the half and their only other contribution after that was a couple of bad wides and the dismissal of two of their players as the exchanges became scrappy.
As if to demonstrate that he couldn’t be kept quiet for the hour, Conlon shot the last point of the game before being replaced by Sean Collier.
After the match captain Ben Brennan was presented with the Mattie McDonnell Cup by County vice-chairman Peter O’Halloran.
ST COLMCILLE’S: Jordan Brown; Adam Lynch, Jamie McDonnell, Ciaran Ward; Eoin Woods 0-1, Ian Mullen, Joe Sweeney; David Sheeran, Robbie McCloskey; Ciaran Kelly 0-1f, Ben Brennan 0-4 (2f), David O’Byrne 1-2; Jack Reynolds 0-1, Niall Ronan 0-1, James Conlon 0-2. Subs: Danny McMahon for Mullen (37), Conor O’Byrne for Reynolds (49), Ruairi O’Grady for Kelly (53), John McKenna for Woods (BC 58), Sean Collier for Conlon (59).
DUNDERRY: David Jennings; Aaron Newman, David McCormack, Conor Dempsey 0-1; Darren Callaghan, Damien Clarke, Jordan Martin; Paddy Kennelly, Liam Dempsey; Mark Kane, Luke Martyn 1-0, Stephen Coogan 0-4 (1f); Alan Waters, Conor Farrell 0-1, Simon Carty. Sub: Colm Harte for Martin (51).
REF: David Gough (Slane)