Dunboyne win u-21 final thriller in extra-time
Dunboyne won a thrilling u-21 HC final against Kildalkey at Pairc Tailteann today when theu emerged with a 2-15 to 0-19 victory after extra-time.
The sides traded early points with Jack Cox from play for Dunboyne and Conor Kearney (free) replying for Kildalkey in the opening three minutes.
The exchanges remained tight and competitive for the remainder of the first-quarter with Martin Healy's point for Kildalkey countered by Dunboyne's
Conor Gilmartin.
Healy's point was allowed after linesman Paddy Foy had a word with referee Bernard Heaney who then over-ruled the umpire who had initially waved
the effort wide.
Sean Quigley netted a penalty for Dunboyne after Kildalkey's Sean Kirke was penalised and collected a yellow card. Quigley converted a '65' soon after
to complete Dunboyne's first-half tally which gave tehm a 1-3 to 0-5 interval advantage.
Dunboyne resumed smartly after the break with points from Quigley (free) and Sean Hayes, but three Kearney frees had Kildalkey on level terms (1-5 to 0-8)
by the 36th minute.
The sides were still level at the end of the third-quarter as Kearney (two frees) and Quigley (one free and one from play) exchanged points.
Dunboyne then capitalised on a defensive lapse by Kildalkey with Darragh Gilmartin finishing to the net for a 2-7 to 0-10 advantage with 13 minutes remaining.
Kearney added a point at the other end before Dunboyne lost Cian O'Dwyer to a red card, but Jack Cox extended his side's advantage to make it a three-point game with six minutes remaining.
Dunboyne managed two more points (Quigley and Gilmartin) against the 15 men who made the most of numerical advantage and salvaged a draw with five more superb Kearney points that left it level at 2-10 to 0-16 and heading for extra-time.
Kearney added three more points to his tally during extra-time, but Dunboyne, boosted by numerical parity with replacement Gavin O'Keeffe, dug out the victory as Quigley added four points and Cox was also on the mark.
Dunboyne - Liam Kane; Cian O'Dwyer, Jack Delaney, Conor Rohan; John Finlay, Sean McGrath, Eoghan Ryan: Killian Smith, Jamie Gilmartin; Sean Hayes (0-1), Sean Quigley (1-9), Conor Geoghegan; Conor Gilmartin (0-1), Jack Cox (0-3), Daragh Gilmartin (1-1). Subs - Michael Farrell for Geoghegan 22 mins, Mark Delaney for Hayes 57m; extra-time - Gavin O'Keeffe (replaced O'Dwuey red card), Hayes for Gilmartin.
Kildalkey - Brin Kelly; Sean Kirke, Luke Rickard, Tiarnan Bird; Martin O'Leary, Mark Healy, Scott Shelly; Brendan McKeon, Steven Murray; James McNally (0-1), Kevin McKeon, Ben Rickard; Martin Healy (0-2), Evan Fitzgerald, Conor Kearney (0-16). Sub - Aaron Byas for Murray 43 mins.
Referee - Bernard Heaney (Clann na nGael).