Dunboyne…..0-09
Wolfe Tones……1-09
Like the Down footballers, it had to happen to us eventually too. Where Cork undid the hitherto 100% record of the men from the Mourne Mountains in All Ireland finals in 2010, Wolfe Tones deservedly gave Dunboyne their first taste of defeat in a Keegan Cup at Pairc Tailteann this afternoon.
In the end, a fifth minute goal from Saran O’Fionnagain – grandson of the late Fintan Ginnitty – put a chasm between the sides which the short-priced pre-match favourites could never close up. Even though quick points from Craig Lowndes, his brother Stuart and Donal Lenihan brought the black and ambers back to parity, at no stage did they look comfortable.
The Kilberry outfit got the last two scores of the first half to leave themselves clear by 1-05 to 0-04 at the short whistle. When the trailing three time winners flashed over the first three scores after the resumption there was at least a chance Dunboyne were about to work themselves back into the game.
However, despite having what felt like a stranglehold on possession for large parts of the contest, particularly after the break, but, a combination of ponderance and profligacy rendered Conor O’Donghue’s charges unable to get any closer than within one point of the men from out beyond the racecourse.
Simply because efforts on target from the hard working Conor Doran and the fulcrum of their attack – Lenihan – were almost immediately cancelled out by efforts from Cian and Caolan Ward ensuring the purple and gold kept those in pursuance of redemption at arms length. Thus making absolutely sure the Keegan Cup will spend a second winter in Pairc Mhic Eoin, a first such occurrence in 15 years.
Back in 2006, defeat of Navan O’Mahonys and garnering of the most prized possession in Meath club football marked the culmination of the most astounding ascent surely ever witnessed in Meath GAA after the Tones had won the Junior Football Championship in 2004 and the Intermediate the following year.
The common thread between then and now? One Cian Ward. He whom I believe to be the best and most influential forward in Meath football for nearly two decades was first encountered by the one seeing eye here playing against Dunboyne in an MFC in Gibbstown. Though at the time he was only 15.
Yes, I was a selector with the team so biase must be conceded, but, we had an exceptionally talented bunch at the U-18 grade that year. We would eventually go on to defeat Tones in the final three days before Christmas of 2002. But that night in Baile Ghibb it was clear we had seen the formative stages of greatness.
In the Intermediate final against Duleek/Bellewstown, the mesmeric forward scored the greatest goal the one seeing eye here has ever seen at club level. After a quick one-two with a line ball, Cian slalomed his way toward goal like a Winter Olympian skier before essaying an exquisite shot past Ricky Nolan at the hospital end.
Following their semi final victory over Ratoath, somebody in the local media described the 35-year-old’s performance as akin to that of Tom Brady in an American Football game. In other words, every facet of the game flowed through him. And so it was again today.
The fact that the mercurial No. 11 only scored two points might appear to downplay his influence on affairs but his conducting of the orchestra around him was every bit Brady or Johnny Sexton or Cristiano Ronaldo. It reminded me of the 1997 final in which Darren Fay tried to make every move and fill every gap for Trim.
Difference being that this time the epicentre of everything for the Tones was flanked by a highly talented backing group headlined by Niall and Tomas O’Reilly and Conor Sheppard and the evergreen Alan Callaghan and their performance in unison eventually won the day.
From a Dunboyne perspective, undoubtedly the most disappointing thing was the reality that the lads didn’t play anything near what they are capable of.
Granted, as you will see elsewhere on these pages later on, it was a wonderful and historic day for our club, but for now this one will take a lot of getting over.
FOGRA: The sudden passing of Mick Kenny on Saturday last truly marks the end of an era in Dunboyne. A gifted sportsman and exceptional local historian, in many ways his contribution to the area is incalculable.
As a player, he was a pivotal part of the Dunboyne team that won back to back Minor Hurling Championships in 1958 and ’59 before going on to serve as Club Secretary, Treasurer and mainstay of our Lotto committee.
However, in many ways it will be for his work with the Old Dunboyne Society he will be best remembered. Himself and his late brother Denis were integral to that group and, personally speaking, I will miss his visits and phone calls, at the end of which I’d always have learned something. Most cherished among which will be learning that our family could be traced back to 1842 in ‘The Corner House’.
The Society’s two publications – Dunboyne, Clonee and Kilbride – A Picture Of The Past and the Dunboyne Historical Journal will be his greatest epitaph. May you rest in peace, my friend.
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