JFC final - Bective v Dunsany Sunday 3.30pm

Bective can make up for the disappointment of elimination from the JFC title race 12 months ago at the semi-final stage when they tackle last year's beaten finalists Dunsany in Sunday's decider at Pairc Táilteann, 3.30pm.

That judgement is based on the evidence of the two semi-finals last weekend where Dunsany blitzed Skryne off the park in Ashbourne and Bective laboured against another team that was beaten is last year's semi-final, Carnaross.

If Dunsany can re-produce their semi-final form they will be hard to beat, but Bective must have more in the tank than they displayed in either the quarter-final against Clann na nGael or that semi-final win against Carnaross.

This decider is likely to produce some excellent football, a few flashpoints can also be expected and keeping 15 men on the pitch will be a key factor.

There are close ties between the clubs who are joined at minor level and have common links through hurling with Kilmessan.

There is also the fact that both desperately want to win the Peter McDermott Cup, a Leinster campaign would probably be a secondary consideration at this stage, but claiming a place in the IFC grade for 2017 is a huge prize.

The midfield duel will be a classic confrontation between good quality footballers with Bective duo Ciaran Reilly and Kevin Brennan guaranteed a serious test from Eoin Marsh and Shane Brennan.

Two other Dunsany men likely to influence the outcome are Declan Smyth and Shane Walshe and it will take a lot of effort from Craig Roche and Cathal McConnell to curtail that duo.

However, Dunsany could struggle to cope with the fast-moving game that Bective can produce.

Marty Mulhall could earn plenty of frees while Paul McCabe, Sean Keating and Brian Cantwell, if he starts, are more than capable of picking off the points also.

Dunsany like lofting the high ball into the square and while that might pose a problem or two for Bective full-back Jack Grant against Alan Kelly, Bective goalkeeper Shane Breslin can deal with those tactics without any major problems.

For Dunsany, as an alternative to the high ball, they have Mark Brennan, Kevin Keena and Joey Keena who can cause problems, but this game will not be decided until the final five minutes and the strength of the Bective bench could be the crucial factor.

 

Conor Brennan (Dunsany)

“Bective won the Tailteann Cup a few weeks ago, and it will be a very tough game.

“Dunsany have gone close plenty of times, we lost last year’s final against Curraha, but you have to earn a junior title and we just didn’t get there last year.

“It’s a good achievement to get back to the final again so quickly after the disappointment of 12 months ago, but it won’t count for much if we don’t go on and win it now.

“We have no major injury concerns, a few knocks from last Friday’s semi-final against Skryne, the pace that game was played at, lads started to cramp-up, but I’m sure they will all be ready for selection next Sunday.”

 

Jody Devine (Bective)

“It will be a good final, they (Bective and Dunsany) are joined at under-age level and the lads would all know each other.

'Dunsany have been knocking on the door for the last few years. They had a good win against Skryne, finals are finals, it will come down to whoever has that little bit of extra luck on the day.

“We were short Ciaran McConnell for the semi-final, he picked up an injury in the quarter-final against Clann na nGael, but we have a good squad of players, I have been drilling that into the lads all year, there will be injuries, suspensions, so you need a good squad and we have that in Bective.

“The fact that we only have a week to prepare has positives and negatives, all we can do is get on with it and deal with whatever we have to deal with, it will be the same for Dunsany.”