Walterstown impress to claim Div 3 title

FL DIV 3 FINAL

Walterstown .............. 2-0-18

Clann na nGael............ 3-1-9

As morale boosters go there's few better than winning the league two weeks out from the start of the championship and Walterstown will be buzzing ahead of the IFC following their enthralling FL Div 3 final win over Clann na nGael at Sean Newman Park today.

There were times when the Blacks mettle was tested by a determined Clann na nGael outfit, but when they were hit by two sucker-punch goals in the space of 90 seconds in the final quarter Walterstown responded well.

Trailing by seven point with 12 minutes remaining Clann na nGael gave themselves hope when Anthony Swaine tapped to the net after Liam McNamara had hit the post and less than two minutes later brilliant play by the mesmerising Ben Corkery set up Tomas Doyle for his second goal to make it just a one point game, 3-10 to 2-14.

Walterstown looked rattled, but they never panicked. They wrestled momentum back with a strong midfield showing and with Ciaran Cox leading the charge from defence they resettled with points from Paul Donnellan, Neil McGinley, David Donnellan and the excellent Ruairi O'Dowd (free) getting them over the line for their first piece of silverware since the 2020 Corn na Boinne, which was won in '21.

In a right rip-roaring contest Walterstown were the better side and deserved their win, but Clann na nGael kept them honest throughout with a passionate and at times whirlwind style that posed Andy McGuinness's plenty of problems.

After a slow start Conor McEntee and McGinley pointed in the fifth minute to settle Walterstown and even though Corkery and Doyle (free) sandwiched a point from Paul Donnellan it was the Blacks who created the better chances with Ruairi O'Dowd forcing Eoin Griffin into a fine save before the impressive Fionnan O'Connor made it 0-4 to 0-2.

John Davis had to be alert in the Walterstown goals to deny Doyle and on the counter they hit points from Lee Kelly and O'Connor to stretch their lead to four points.

A Liam McNamara free hardly settled Clann na nGael before Paul Donnellan and O'Dowd with a fisted effort made it 0-8 to 0-3 after 21 minutes.

Doyle gave Clann na nGael hope with a two-point free that was moved up because of dissent and then moved back to outside the arc, but Lee Kelly responded for Walterstown.

Despite all their dominance Walterstown were pegged back by Doyle's goal which was laid on a plate for him by Corkery's brilliant run, but after Paul Donnellan and Doyle traded points Walterstown restored their four-point cushion when O'Dowd shimmied past Griffin and fired to the net.

Eoin Kelleher did pull a point back for Clann na nGael with the last kick of the half to close the deficit to 1-7 to 1-10 at the break.

After the resumption Walterstown kicked for home and added what were effectively the match-winning scores.

McGinley and O'Dowd (free) pointed before Doyle replied for Clann na nGael, but after O'Connor added a point from just inside the arc Walterstown grabbed their second goal when Barry O'Connell's dipping shot came back off the crossbar and was scrambled to O'Dowd who finished brilliantly to make it 2-13 to 1-8.

Corker, with a magnificent score from the right, and McGinley exchanged points before Clann na nGael then hit their purple patch with Swaine and Doyle bagging goals after a Corkery point to make it 3-10 to 2-14.

However, that was as good as it got for the Athboy/Rathcairn men as Walterstown settled again and closed out the game impressively.

Walterstown - John Davis; Aron McLoughlin, Jack Wilson, Olly Mulvaney; Conor Farrelly, Ciaran Cox, Conor Lenihan; Conor McEntee (0-1), Mark Foy; Lee Kelly (0-2), Fionnan O'Connor (0-3), Luc Doyle; Paul Donnellan (0-4), Neil McGinley (0-4), Ruairi O'Dowd (2-3 two frees). Subs - Barry O'Connell for Kelly 36m, David Donnellan (0-1) for Doyle 40m, Adrian McManaman for P Donnellan 56m.

Clann na nGael - Eoin Griffin; Carl Kelly, Jack Doherty, Daragh O'Reilly; Liam Kelleher, Philip Garry, Diarmuid O Donnchadha; Daragh Griffin, Sean Tiernan; Eoin Kelleher (0-1), Daragh Swaine, Liam McNamara (0-1 free); Ben Corkery (0-3), Eamon O Donnchadha, Tomas Doyle (2-6 one two-point free, three frees). Subs - Matthew Smith for E O Donnchadha half-time, Anthony Swaine (1-0) for D Swaine 36m,

Referee - Ciaran Flynn (Dunsany).