Sensational Simonstown success

Simonstown Gaels issued a serious statement of intent with a sensational 4-12 to 2-16 victory over Dunboyne in the SFC quarter-final at Pairc Tailteann this evening.

Simonstown trailed by 11 points at the interval after they were practically steamrolled into submission by Dunboyne in the opening 30 minutes.

Not even the introduction of Conor Nash, back from Australia AFL club Hawthorn, could stem the tide of black and amber stripes towards the Keegan Cup champions goalmouth.

Two Donal Lenihan goals gave Dunboyne the platform to build a 2-10 to 0-5 interval advantage with the points flowing from Robbie McCarthy (four), David McEntee (three), Seamus Lavin (two) and Lenihan.

Simonstown relied on Padraig McKeever (three), Nathan O'Brien and Sean Tobin (free) for their paltry return and a revival hardly seemed likely at that stage, even with the introduction of Nash.

When Dunboyne added another Lenihan point two minutes after the resumption, that countered McKeever's opener for the Gaels, the defedning champions were all of 11 points adrift again.

Shane O'Rourke sent over and it hardly raised a cheer, but the decibels rose when Mark McCabe netted soon after. That was followed by a Sean Tobin point and then McCabe converted a penalty (see video clip).

Seamus Kenny added a point and a surging Nash run made the opening for a McKeever goal and a 3-9 to 2-11 lead with 11 minutes remaining. Dunboyne got going again and forged ahead with points from Stuart Lowndes, McEntee and Lenihan, but the Gaels replied with another goal, McKeever's second, before McCarthy had Dunboyne level again.

McKeever (free), McCabe and Brian McGrath sent over late Simonstown points and Dunboyne faltered with only McCarthy countering.

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