Kildalkey deliver

Kildalkey ended almost 60 years in the wilderness when they captured the Jubilee Cup in emphatic style at Pairc Tailteann on Sunday with a comprehensive victory over Dunboyne. The eight-point winning margin fails to adequately reflect Kildalkey's dominance and the ease with which they won the trophy. All the old ghosts were finally exorcised and the much sought-after SHC title was brought back to the small Meath village on Sunday evening. The village of Kildalkey was probably completely deserted on Sunday, for a few hours anyway, as the weary supporters travelled to Navan hoping that it would be their turn to celebrate this year following the heartache of losing to Kilmessan 12 months ago. And all those years of frustrations were finally laid to rest and the players an supporters can now look forward to a Leinster campaign which is scheduled to start on Sunday, 25th October against Kildare opposition. The man who made a big difference with vital goals in the quarter-final and semi-final, Nick Fitzgerald, made another big contribution to this victory when he found the net again. This time the goal was vital also, but not to revive the Kildalkey challenge, instead, his second-half goal helped his side across the line well ahead of the final whistle. Fitzgerald found the net seven minutes into the second-half as Kildalkey went about winning from the front. Even at that early stage in the second-half, there was no way back for a gallant Dunboyne side who didn't score again until five minutes from the end. Dunboyne rarely featured in the second-half although they managed to finish with a bit of a flourish as Michael Dunne and John Watters found the net with late goals which added a certain amount of respectability to the scoreboard. "This was a good game and Kildalkey took no chances on this occasion, they made all the running and won from the front," stated hurling chairman Francis Lynch. "We've waited a long time for this, the players put in a great effort and we have been building up to this day for the last four years," stated Kildalkey captain Mairtin Doran. "Our supporters were great, they kept us going when things didn't look so good against O'Mahonys and Kilmessan, they all played a big part in this victory," added the captain as a sea of blue and white swayed in front of the presentation podium. All that was in stark contrast to the opening half. Kildalkey just about shaded those exchanges with three pointed Niall Kirby frees and one from play by Padraig Geoghegan countering a brace of Neil Hackett frees and one from Michael Dunne. Hackett tied it up at 0-4 apiece at the end of the first-quarter from another free and then sent his side into the lead with pinpoint accuracy from 60 metres. That lead last all of 25 seconds after Padraig Geoghegan powered forward and split the posts from play. That was sufficient to put Kildalkey into domination mode and they reeled off six unanswered points in a productive 10-minute spell during which Dunboyne's Ger Barry collected a yellow card as his side back-pedalled consistently. Kirby claimed four of those precious points with Derek Doran rowing in with a brace from play. All Dunboyne could muster was a solitary injury-time free from Hackett which left them adrift by 0-6 to 0-11 at the interval. Dunboyne made a very tentative start to the second-half and tallied three wides in as many minutes, which included a free by the normally reliable Hackett that tailed wide at the far post. The Meath senior hurling captain eventually found his range soon after from a close-range free. That, remarkably, was Dunboyne's last score for about 20 minutes, by which time the blue and white ribbons were already on the Jubilee Cup. Kildalkey reacted positively and Fitzgerald claimed his customary goal. Geoghegan sent in a high centre and Fitzgerald won the battle for possession with Chris Kane and David Watters before he finished to the roof of the net for a 1-11 to 0-7 advantage. At that stage there was 23 minutes remaining, but the game was effectively over as a contest such was Kildalkey's dominance. Tony Fox (two), Fitzgerald, Sean Corrigan and Doran piled on the agony with another series of unanswered points which extended the advantage to a healthy 1-16 to 0-8 before Hackett managed Dunoyne's final point. As Kildalkey eased up they were punished with those late Dunboyne goals, but even at that stage there was no danger of a 'Kildalkey-type' recovery by Dunboyne and the long-suffering supporters were ready for the pitch invasion long before referee Richard Morris sounded the full-time whistle. Kildalkey - Gary McNally; Conor Dunne, Stephen Forde, Daire Lahart; Maurice Keogh, Enda Keogh, Mairtin Doran; Sean Corrigan (0-1), Tony Fox (0-2); Padraig Keogh, Noel Kirby (0-8, six frees, one '65'), Padraig Geoghegan (0-3); Derek Doran (0-3), Nick Fitzgerald (1-1), Sean Heavey (0-1). Subs - Ger Geoghegan for Keogh 37 mins; Dan Fagan for Fitzgerald 58m; Michael Potterton for Heavey 59m. Dunboyne - Chris Kane; Sean Moran, Daithi Watters, Paul Gannon; Alan Watters, Paul Fagan, Niall Watters; Gary Watters, Ger Barry; John Watters (1-0), Barry Watters, Neil Hackett (0-7, seven frees); Neville Reilly, Michael Dunne (1-1), Stephen Moran. Subs - Ger Murphy for Sean Moran half-time; Thomas O'Connor for N Watters 38 mins; Michael O'Grady for Stephen Moran 46m; Niall Smyth for G Watters 56m. Referee - Richard Morris (Blackhall Gaels)