Dunshaughlin bridge 11-year gap to claim minor crown

Dunshaughlin claimed the Delaney Cup for MFC Div 1 for the first time since 2009 with a thrilling 3-12 to 2-8 victory over defending champions St Colmcille's this evening.

St Colmcille's started in determined fashion to repeat their win over Dunshaughlin in the group stages and retain their Delaney Cup crown with Luke Hanan pointing them ahead inside three minutes, but less than a minute later Dunshaughlin had the ball in the back of the net as Kyle O'Connor was afforded acres of space in behind the defence and finished from close range.

The outstanding John McDonagh stretched Dunshaughlin's lead with a point and in the sixth minute Ruairi Kinsella got on the end of Aaron Murphy's long ball and punched to the net. Kinsella added a point to stretch Dunshaughlin's lead to 2-2 to 0-1 after just eight minutes.

After Hanan and John McDonagh (free) traded scores before the water break it was St Colmcille's turn to take control with Danny Ehichoya punching to the net after great work by Sean O'Donoghue and 90 seconds later Christian Finlay blasted an outrageous goal from 20 metres to close the gap to 2-2 to 2-3.

Dunshaughlin looked rocked, but they never panicked – a hallmark of a fine side.

Kinsella settled the nerves with a 22nd minute free before points from Murphy and Kinsella restored a four-point cushion. Kinsella missed a goal chance in the 30th minute, but he made amends with a fine score seconds later to secure a 2-7 to 2-2 interval lead.

St Colmcille's started the second period as they had started the first with an early point from Ben Maguire.

Kinsella responded with a score from a mark, but then St Colmcille's took over with Adam Daly (two, one free) and Hanan (two, one free) closing the deficit to the minimum, 2-7 to 2-8, before the second water break. Danny Ehichoya also had a goal chance in that spell, but Jack Nestor saved well.

The final quarter was set to be a thriller, but St Colmcille's ran out of legs and managed just one more point from Hanan two minutes into injury-time.

Before that it was all Dunshaughlin as Gray, McDonagh (free) and Kinsella added points before Pierce Dunne netted the third goal from close range to put the issue beyond doubt.

Hanan pointed for St Colmcille's, but it was Colm Keane who had the last word with a fine point to cap an excellent performance that saw Dunshaughlin crowned champions.

SCORERS

Dunshaughlin – Ruairi Kinsella 1-6 one free, one mark; John McDonagh 0-3 two frees; Kyle O'Connor 1-0; Pierce Dunne 1-0; Aaron Murphy 0-1; Conor Gray 0-1; Colm Keane 0-1.

St Colmcille's – Luke Hanan 0-5 one free; Danny Ehichoya 1-0; Christian Finlay 1-0; Adam Daly 0-2 one free; Ben Maguire 0-1.

TEAMS

Dunshaughlin - Jack Nestor; Charlie O'Connor, Dylan McKenna, Alex Arkins; Fursey Blake, Donagh McCarrick, Jared Rushe; Colm Keane, Conor Gray; John McDonagh, Ruairí Kinsella, Kyle O'Connor; Christopher Pullen, Aaron Murphy, Fiach Hartigan. Subs - Pierce Dunne for Pullen 37 mins, Conor Duke for McKenna 45m, Emmanuel Osas for O'Connor 47m, Calum Deehan, Jack O'Riordan, Cian Edwards, Moustafa Saadon, Oliver McEnroe, Adam Kelly, Nevin Power, Eoin Gorman, Eoghan Reilly, Jamie Goldrick, Sean Summerville, Jack Smith.

St Colmcille's – Oisin Brennan; Evan Morgan, Sean Horan, Eoin Gillick; Godfrey Ehichoya, Caolan Nulty, Shaun Leonard; Conor Power, Sean O'Donoghue; Oisín Murphy, Christian Finlay, Adam Daly; Luke Hanan, Oisín Ó Murchú, Danny Ehichoya. Subs - Fiachra Mac an Aba for Daly 9 mins, Ben Maguire for O Murphy 26m, Daly for O Murchu half-time, O Murchu for Power 45m, David O'Brien, Liam Stafford, Cathal Monaghan, Luke Conlon, Eoghan McCloughan,

Referee - Derek Ryan (Na Fianna).