ST JUDE’S 4-5
ST PATRICK’S DONABATE0-8
St Jude’s claimed the Dublin Minor ‘A’ Football Championship title when overcoming St Pat’s Donabate byninepoints in their decider at O’Toole Park on Sunday morning.
The winning margin was tough on a St Pat’s team that more than held their own for the large part but the ability of their opponents to find the net at pivotal times ultimately proved the difference between the well-matched sides.
Dual player Callum Graham plundered a brace of goals in the first-half to hand his side a 2-2 to 0-3 interval lead and Billy Shouldice was on the end of two excellent moves after the break to help secure his side a deserved success.
The contest took a while to find its fluency as St Jude’s, missing the influence of injured midfielder Eoghan Costello, opened the scoring through a 3rdminute free from Hugh O’Neill.
Scoring chances were at a premium however with Shouldice bottled up superbly by the St Pat’s defence in the 10th minute following an incisive run from Oisín Costello.
Donabate were enjoying their fair share of possession and they duly levelled matters two minutes later as Adam Conroy showed his talent with smart score on the turn.
However, the momentum swung back towards St Jude’s by the end of the first quarter as St Pat’s failed to clear their lines and Graham’s half-block nestled fortuitously into the bottom left-hand corner of Brian Collins’ net.
Conway replied with a point from a ‘mark’ in the 17th minute andSt Pat’s could well have taken the lead a minute later but Joe Moore denied Cillian Reidy from the penalty spot after the goalkeeper had been caught in possession close to his own goal.
Matters deteriorated for Donabate in the 23rd minute as Graham highlighted his predatory instincts as he fired into the roof of the net after Collins had produced a superb save to deny O’Neill.
The half finished with Shouldice pointing at one end while a ‘45’ by Collins in the 29thminute helped reduce the St Pat’s deficit to five points by the turnaround.
Donabate started the second-half on the front foot through a brace of scores from Conway and should have trimmed their arrears even further but for some hesitantattackingplay.
In contrast, St Jude’s were far more economical from limited possession in the third quarter and they restored their healthy lead in the 41st minute as Shouldice calmly slotted home after a superb team move down the right flank.
The likes of Fionn Hickey and Billy Standbridge continued to battle away for St Pat’s but their fate was effectively sealed in the 51st minute as Shouldice palmed home at the far post after another well-worked move.
Conway managed another two scores in the closing stages to take his personal tally to six points but St Jude’s would not be denied given the excellent efforts of Costello, Oisin O’Brien, Paddy Keighran and Oisin Gough amongst others.
Scorers – St Jude’s:B Shouldice 2-1; C Graham 2-0; H O’Neill (f), O Costello (f), T Bassett, R Bagnall 0-1 apiece.St Pat’s Donabate:A Conroy 0-6 (2f, 1 mark); B Collins 0-2 (2 ‘45’s).
St Jude’s:J Moore; O O’Brien, A Kerrigan, C Danaher; B Kamara, O Gough, R Laing; S Hanlon, B Shouldice; O Costello, H O’Neill, R Bagnall; T Tisdall, C Graham, P Keighran. Subs:T Bassett for Hanlon (half-time), S Prendergast for Kamara (38), R Harlow for Laing (48), S Monaghan for Shouldice (59), F Doyle for Bagnall (59).
St Pat’s Donabate: B Collins; D Nangle, A Bukovec, M Burke; L Harley, R O’Mahony, B Stanbridge;C O’Leary, Tadhg McDonald; K Burke, C Reidy, S Duggan; Tadg McDonald, A Conroy, F Hickey. Subs: D Gleeson for O’Mahony (38), J McElhinney for Duggan (48), J Neville for Tadhg McDonald (55), E Gaffney for O’Leary (58), O Ryan for Tadg McDonald (58).
Referee: Craig McKeown (St Anne’s).
