Dunsany make it to yet another JFC final

Slane unable to contain Kevin Cahill's side

Dunsany...0-16

Slane...0-11

As the Dunsany players walked off the pitch at Bective today after this JFC semi-final had concluded a little group of their supporters stood outside the fence that surrounded the superbly-prepared surface and warmly applauded as their heroes made their way back to the dressingroom.

"Well done lads, two weeks, you have two weeks," one supporter said as if to remind the players that that's when the final will take place.

This will be another big occasion for the Dunsany club; another shot at winning the JFC, something that has eluded them, time and again, down the years. Few clubs have gone so close to attaining the dream only to have the holy grail snatched from their grasp - again and again and .....

This will be their ninth final - their first was in 1972 when they lost out to Ballinabrackey - but based on how they despatched Slane in this encounter they will go into the decider this time with some grounds for optimism. They won't be favourites. A strong St Vincent's side will carry that tag.

Apart from a brief spell early on the Men in Red led all the way in this contest. They were in front 0-10 to 0-6 at the interval and never seriously looked threatened in the second-half as Slane made limited, futile efforts to get back in the game.

Dunsany benefited greatly from a series of turnovers they executed with the kind of vigour and hunger that augures well for them. They defended with gusto and moved the ball from their backline to attack with a composure and an attacking verve that often forced Slane to concede frees in a desperate attempt to limit the damage.

When they had won those frees they had their marksman Eoin Harkin to convert them into scores, something he did with a metronomic regularly. He registered seven points from frees in his tally of the nine points.

That wasn't all. Harkin caused all sorts of headaches for his opponents with some supercharged forward surges. If he didn't find a colleague or get a score he was fouled.

Harkin had a super first-half but a somewhat more subdued second moiety. It was then the strong-running Jack Cottrell stepped up to get points, underlining his threat with three fine scores from play. Dunsany had chances, if half chances, for goals but preferred to go for points.

At one stage in the second-half a fine move led to Cian O'Sullivan surging through. He smartly fisted over even though Cottrell was at the far post unmarked. Harkin at for one of his scores also opted to go for a point when a goal chance was on. Declan Smyth, Mark Horan and Harry Cahill were others to fire over.

Cottrell and Lorcan Byrne also had close-range shots blocked with Slane 'keeper Braydon Colfer having to be smart and alert a few times during the contest to stop the ball from entering the net.

At times Slane struggled to win second ball, dirty ball, but they did have a decent second-half. They just couldn't get the goal they so badly needed. The fact that five of their starting forwards, Taigh Martyn, Alan Harding, Matthew Tully, Podge McGowan and Mathew Kealy got on the scoreboard hints at the kind of threat they carried but with strong defensive unit, well-marshalled by Cathal Burke, Dunsany were devilishly difficult to break down. The dream is still alive for Dunsany.

Dunsany - Niall Flyann; Alex Smyth, Cathal Burke, Gavin Byrne; Cian O'Sullivan (0-1), Harry Cahill (0-1, 45), Declan Smyth (0-1); Shane Brennan, James Cahill; Mark Horan (0-1), Eoin Harkin (0-9, seven frees), Pauric Burke; Lorcan Byrne, Alex Brady, Jack Cottrell (0-3). Subs - Cathal Murphy for D Smyth, David Hackett for Brady both 59m.

Slane - Braydon Colfer; Alex Devlin, Evan Murray, Ben McDonagh; Jim Marry, Kyle Tallon, Eoin Feeley; Peter Martyn, Francis Marry; Taigh Martyn (0-1), Alan Harding (0-1), Matthew Tully (0-1); Podge McGowan (0-3 one free), Mathew Kealy (0-3 two frees, one 45), Eanna Mooney. Subs - Sean Martyn for Tallon 23m, Conor Forde (0-1) for F Marry 44m, Sean Murray (0-1) for McDonagh 45m, Danny Carolan for Harding 50m, Niall Carolan for Mooney 55m.

Referee - Stephen Cregan.