Saints super value success

St Peter"s & Paul"s were too streetwise for Navan O"Mahonys in the u-14 FC decider at Pairc Tailteann on Saturday evening and were super value for a four-point winning margin. The showpiece decider at u-14 level got off to a slow start and laboured towards the interval, but exploded into an action-packed encounter after the resumption. Dunboyne shaded the first-half exchanges and were ahead by 1-3 to 0-3 at the interval. A highlight of the opening half was the tenacity of both sets of players and this was reflected on the scoreboard, which stood at 0-1 apiece after 20 minutes of honest endeavour. Conor Murphy gave O"Mahonys the lead in the first-quarter and Ryan Davis drew the sides level soon after, but the Dunboyne player was denied a goal when Stephen Monaghan reacted smartly and got a vital touch to deflect the ball to safety. The O"Mahonys custodian wasn"t so fortunate in the 23rd minute when he opted to race from his goal and finished second in his effort to get to the 13-metre line. Keith Doyle managed to get enough on the ball for it to trickle slowly towards the far post and over the line. A real dramatic type of goal which extended St Peter"s & Paul"s advantage along with points from Andrew Creevey amd Ryan Davis. O"Mahonys closed out the half with a point apiece from Andrew Rennicks and Conor Gleeson. Both teams stayed on the pitch at half-time as the sun continued to shine in the late evening, but the O"Mahonys players had to gather around the terrace area under the main stand and get a team-talk from the manager behind the wire. That was suspended manager Finian Murtagh who is serving a ban arising from the disciplinary fall-out from the SFC clash between Navan O"Mahonys and Seneschalstown. Perhaps this now sets a precedent for the implementation of future bans where team officials are concerned? Buoyed by that half-time team-talk, O"Mahonys resumed with a David Dillon point inside 17 seconds and they could have forged ahead in the seventh minute when Aaron Rennicks looked certain to find the net, but was narrowly wide. The sides were level (0-7 to 1-4) by the 10th minute as the tempo increased with Peter Butler, substitute Eibhin McGrane and Rennicks on the mark for O"Mahonys while Doyle boosted the prospects of St Peter"s & Paul"s with a well-taken point. The Dunboyne / Clonee combination were under the cosh at this stage and it required some solid defensive play from centre-back Gary Harper and energetic midfielder Seamus Lavin to repulse O"Mahonys. However, the pressure eased considerably when Simon Clarke provided the final pass and Doyle finished to the net which helped the winners to a 2-5 to 0-8 third-quarter margin. Both teams managed to maintain the tempo and O"Mahonys dominated the early part of the final quarter. McGrane added his second point before two gilt-edged goal chances were carved out. Rennicks had the first, but his effort was blocked by Andrew Markey, who surely must hold the record for the tallest u-14 goalkeeper in the county? Markey must also be in contention for the best u-14 goalkeeper in the county as he repeated his heroics a minute later to save well from O"Mahonys full-forward Dillon. Markey also dealt comfortably with a dangerous cross from his left in the final minute. He just advanced to the edge of the square and caught the ball. That drained the O"Mahonys tanks and late points at the other end from Davis and Creevey sealed an impressive victory for St Peter"s & Paul"s. St Peter"s & Paul"s - Andrew Markey; Sean O"Neill, Mark Sheridan, Liam Kane; Ben Carolan, Gary Harper, Stephen Browne; Seamus Lavin, Shane Comiskey; Ryan Davis (0-3), Simon Clarke Ronan Dunne, Cathal Meehan (0-1), Keith Doyle (2-1), Andrew Creevey (0-2). Subs - Gavin Ryan for McGuinness, Sean McGrath for Meehan, Eamonn J Gilligan for Kane; not used - Tiernan Buckley, Killian Smith, Conor Finn, Daire Boylan, Andrew Hemryck, Jordan McLoughlin. Navan O"Mahonys - Stephen Monaghan; Declan McGuinness, James O"Malley, Andrew Leech; Robert Keeleghan, Timmy Murtagh, Kevbin O"Hanlon; Conor Murphy (0-1), Cormac McEntaggart; Peter Butler (0-1), Shane Clynch, Conor Gleeson (0-2); Conor Doyle, David Dillon (0-1), Aaron Rennicks (0-2). Subs - Daragh Green for Leech, Eibhin McGrane (0-2) for Clarke; not used - Corie Leddy, Ronan Scott, Shane Lambe, Colm Honan, Rian Clarke, Christopher Bell, Conor Doyle. Referee - Dermot Rooney (Ratoath).