Dunsany do it best in second-half to advance to Leinster final
They made their supporters sweat for quite some time, but Dunsany got over the line and advanced to next Sunday's Leinster Club JFC final with a resolute 1-14 to 1-10 victory over Laois champions Kilcavan at Pairc Tailteann today.
Trailing by four points at half-time Dunsany stormed out of the dressing room for the second period and within six minutes they had their noses in front.
However like a horse that lingers when ahead Dunsany wandered a little and struggled to pull clear of their doughty opponents.
Kilcavan were game, persistent and in Cian Ryle they had one of the best players on the field and someone who ensured the outcome was in doubt until the final whistle.
A Dunsany win looked an unlikely prospect as Kevin Cahill's side struggled in the opening half and Kilcavan used the stiff breeze to their advantage to open up a 1-7 to 1-3 interval advantage.
Dunsany were kept in the game by a fine, well-worked goal from Luke Horan. That was the only bright point in a poor opening half, but the second period was a different story.
With Kevin Cahill's words ringing in their ears Dunsany emerged first for the second-half. It was a statement of intent that they were ready for business to right the wrongs of their poor first 30 minutes.
Kilcavan didn't know what hit them. Dunsany piled forward and within six minutes they were in front with Jack Cottrell kicking two super points from play and Eoin Harkin landing three frees that were earned from promising attacking forays that were stopped abruptly.
Once in front Dunsany never trailed again, but they needed an excellent stop from Niall Flynn to deny Oisin Lalor in the 44th minute to preserve their lead.
After falling behind for the first time in the 37th minute Kilcavan twice got back on level terms and it wasn't until Harry Cahill landed a huge 45-metre free with the last kick of the game that Dunsany managed to get two scores ahead.
Kilcavan were known for their watertight defence and the early exchanges suggested a low-scoring affair.
The deadlock wasn't broken until the excellent Ryle pointed in the eighth minute. Harkin burst into space to open Dunsany's account in the 11th minute, but things took a turn for the worse for Dunsany as Ryle converted a free and then Oisin Lalor scrambled a goal following a goalmouth battle.
Matters got even worse for Dunsany in the 19th minute when they lost James Cahill for 10 minutes following his black card foul on Aaron Tarpey
Ryle stretched Kilcavan's lead to 1-3 to 0-1 in the 22nd minute, but then Dunsany were given hope when Luke Horan applied the finish for a well worked goal.
Instead of providing a spark for the Meath champions that goal seemed to light a fire under Kilcavan and they made their numerical advantage count with two superb scores from Ryle and an equally impressive point from Rory Lalor making it 1-6 to 1-1.
Two pointed frees from Harkin, one of which could have been a penalty, sandwiched a free from Ryle as Dunsany closed the gap to 1-3 to 1-7 at the break.
Kilcavan's well-marshalled defence crumbled under intense pressure after the resumption. Cottrell exposed space and kicked two points while indiscipline and dissent presented Harkin with three straightforward frees that gave Dunsany the lead for the first time in the 37th minute, 1-8 to 1-7.
Ryle restored parity from another free before Harkin broke free from three tackles to restore Dunsany's lead.
Flynn was called into action to deny Oisin Lalor, but Kilcavan did manage to get back on level terms again, 1-9 each, when Rory Lalor kicked a wonder score.
Kris Gorman applied the finishing touch to a fine move to make it 1-10 to 1-9 and when Harry Cahill converted a '45' in the 57th minute Dunsany had a two-point lead for the first time.
Ryle cut that back to the minimum, but almost immediately Cottrell made it 1-12 to 1-10 with less than 90 seconds of the hour remaining.
As Kilcavan piled forward in search of a rescuing goal Dunsany hit them on the counter with Cathal Murphy put three points between the sides before Harry Cahill landed another massive free with the last kick of the game to secure Dunsany's place in next Sunday's final against Offaly's Ballinagar.
Dunsany - Niall Flynn; Alexander Smyth, Gavin Byrne, Pauric Burke; Lorcan Byrne, Harry Cahill (0-2 one free, one '45'), Declan Smyth; Shane Brennan, James Cahill; Mark Horan, Eoin Harkin (0-7 five frees), Cian O'Sullivan; Luke Horan (1-0), Kris Gorman (0-1), Jack Cottrell (0-3). Subs - Cathal Burke for Brennan 41m, Cathal Murphy (0-1) for L Horan 46m, Alex Brady for O'Sullivan 53m, David Hackett for M Horan 63m.
Kilcavan - Darragh
Referee - Ian Howley (Dublin).