BRILLIANT BLESSO
Smith shines as Blues retain Allen Cup crown in style
at Dunlavin BLESSINGTON DUNLAVIN 2-13 3-6
BLESSINGTON’S under-11 footballers made it back-to-back wins in the final of the Dick Allen Cup with a hard-earned win over Dunlavin on Sunday afternoon last.
Both teams lined out for a parade behind a lone piper to add to the occasion, roared on by a large vocal crowd of supporters for each side.
Right from the outset the Blues laid down an early marker with Daniel Smith splitting the posts from an acute angle in the opening minute.
Ciaran Butler added another point from a free after Patrick Balfe was fouled before Ciaran Butler landed Blessington’s third point moments later after a breakdown in the Dunlavin defence, as the Blues were off to a flier.
The lively Eoin Miley got Dunlavin on the scoreboard with a well-executed point after great work by Lily Doyle in the fifth minute. Dunlavin had a couple of chances to cut into the deficit but could not yield the final product of a score due to some wayward shooting.
Blessington punished this with another point after some tenacious work by Harry Lyons. Blessington got a huge slice of luck as the Dunlavin goalie got caught out in the sunlight as the ball broke out to Jack Murray, who rocked the back of the Dunlavin net to form an early cushion.
The industrious Charley Walshe found the target with a fine shot angled over the crossbar for a badly needed score for Dunlavin.
Blessington were very ferocious in their attacking play, giving their opponents little time on the ball. Cillian Behan fired over the Blues’ sixth point to close out the opening quarter with Blessington leading 1-6 to 0-2.
The lively Eoin Miley was a constant threat whenever he was on the ball for Dunlavin and he landed a magnificent point before Stephen Mahon blew the game wide open with a wonder strike of a goal for Dunlavin.
Ciaran Butler and Cillian Behan harvested a point apiece for Blessington to close out the opening half with the score 1-9 to 1-3 in favour of Blessington.
Dunlavin needed something fast on the restart, and that they did, as they went into overdrive. Padraig Keogh fired home a major seconds after the throw-in.
Some powerful running by Eppie Collins and Kailin Hayden
O’Rourke, was rewarded with a brace of points by marksman Eoin Miley to eat into the deficit.
The Blessington defence were under fierce pressure as Dunlavin threw the kitchen sink at them. Eoin Miley landed a masterful point, roared on by a huge Dunlavin following.
However, Blessington landed a huge blow when Jack Murray bagged a goal from their first attack up the field to close out the third quarter leading 2-9 to 1-6.
Donnacha Miley stopped two certain goals for Dunlavin in the next stages as the play ebbed up and down the field.
The defending champions then went into overdrive with Daniel Smith in flying form. Jamie O’Toole and Cillian Behan each registered points.
Dunlavin broke the momentum with an absolute belter of a goal by Lily Doyle. Ethan Elliot closed out the scoring with a fine point for Blessington as the final whistle sounded.
Tony Allen complimented both teams on a fine game of football before Ann Allen presented the Dick Allen Cup to the joint winning captains, Ciaran Butler and Patrick Murray.
Pat Dunne then presented Daniel Smith with the Man of the Match award, before the blue and white celebrations went into overdrive.
- Blessington: Jack Murray 2-0, Ciaran Butler 0-6, Cillian Behan 0-3, Jamie O’Toole 0-2, Ethan Elliot 0-1, Daniel Smith 0-1.
Dunlavin: Eoin Miley 0-5, Pat Kehoe 1-0, Lily Doyle 1-0, Steven Mahon 1-0, Charley Walshe 0-1.
Eoin Vickers, Alfie Callaghan, Tadhg Broe, Daniel Smith, Jamie O’Toole, David Caldwell, Cillian Behan, Jack Murray, Patrick Balfe, Conor Ellis, Jack Healy, Ethan Elliot, Harry Lyon, Patrick Murray, Ciaran Butler.
Scorers BLESSINGTON: DUNLAVIN:
Donnacha Miley, Chris Kehoe, Dylan Miley, Lily Doyle, Pat Kehoe, Kailin Hayden O Rourke, Thomas Byrne, Dan Collins, Eppie Collins, Danny Farrell, Mark Kenny, Kyle Tipper, Sam Mason, Jeremiah Moore, Ray Daniels, Eoin Miley, Charley Walshe, Stephen Mahon, Harry Orr, Cian Doyle, Saoirse Hennigan.
REFEREE:
Diarmuid Haughian